Author: Jon LaFollette

by Jon LaFollette

District 31-6A notebook: Streaking Edinburg Economedes in the playoff chase

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

Edinburg Economedes’ bye week came at just the right time. With six-week exams to study for, the Jaguars spent their off days hitting the books and getting healthy.

With rest and academics taken care of, it’s back to the gridiron for Econ.

“We’re ready to go out there and hit somebody,” coach Gabe Peña said.

The Jaguars have quietly assembled a three-game win streak, beating PSJA High, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln and nabbing a 32-24 district-opening win over PSJA Memorial during a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates.

During that three-game stand, Econ has averaged 33 points on 239 rushing yards per game while allowing a paltry 127 yards on defense. As the Jaguars enter Friday’s matchup against Weslaco East (4-1, 2-0) at Cats Stadium, they resemble the playoff team Peña believed them to be from the get-go. But he remains practical about the remainder of the season.

“At this point, some teams are starting to pack in their season,” he said. “We’re not one of them. We get to keep playing for something. But we have a saying. We tell the kids to play all-out for four to six seconds every play. If we keep doing that, we help ourselves out.”

The Wildcats present a formidable challenge to Econ’s streaking defense. East enters the game averaging 401 yards of offense per game and are spurred by its ever-present ground game. Senior running back Emilio Tamez leads District 31-6A with 715 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

“Both teams like to play a physical style of football,” Peña said. “Both teams pride themselves on defense and running the ball. We’re both very similar in what we want to do, but I don’t like to worry about what the other team can do. I just focus on what we can do better.”

CONFIDENCE IS KEY
The Edinburg North Cougars took a serious hit to their aspirations of claiming the District 31-6A title last week during a 42-25 loss to PSJA North. The loss puts the Cougars (1-5) in an 0-2 hole to begin the district season.

“That’s kind of been the story for us this season,” coach Rene Saenz said. “We’ve put ourselves in holes almost every game this year, and we’ve had to try and dig ourselves out.”

One reason why the Cougars have struggled this season has been a defense that routinely gives up big plays. Be it to Edcouch-Elsa, Weslaco East or PSJA North, the Cougars have allowed huge chunks of yardages and subsequent quick scores at least once in almost every contest this season.

“It all goes back to fundamentals,” Saenz said. “Sometimes guys are just out of position, or they’re not tackling the right way. We’ve got the talent to compete. We’re better than our play demonstrates sometimes.”

Having lost four straight, the Cougars are in need of not just a win, but a chance to rediscover their confidence.
“It’s not like the kids line up thinking they’re going to get beaten every play,” Saenz said. “I just think they need to remember that they can play at a higher level.”

Edinburg North will get a chance to press the reset button when it plays Edinburg High (0-5, 0-1) at 7:30 p.m. at Cats Stadium in Edinburg.

BUSINESS AS USUAL
The Weslaco High Panthers (4-2, 2-0) are off this week and won’t see the field again until they face Edinburg North on Oct. 16 at Cats Stadium. Weslaco’s most recent game was a 51-6 victory over Edinburg High. In that game, Brian Guerra led the Panthers on the ground with 122 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

This season has followed coach Tony Villarreal’s blueprint for success: run the ball and stop the run. The Panthers average a district-best 323 yards on the ground while their defense sports the third-best run defense, allowing 177 yards per game.

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by Jon LaFollette

Once a backup, Darren Fuentes leads a recharged PSJA North

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

PHARR — As the fumbled football fell to the ground, PSJA North quarterback Darren Fuentes dove after it with such ferociousness that his chinstrap unbuckled as he careened into the grass.

No big deal. A turnover is more costly than equipment. Fuentes knew that. He also knew it was just practice, but he didn’t care. He prepared like he played and recovered the ball.

“We were just working on handoffs, and they missed it,” North coach Jorge Peña said. “And he just went after it. He didn’t care if it wasn’t a game. Not a lot of kids would do that. Seeing that kind of stuff made me realize the kids would follow someone like that.”

At the time, Fuentes was a backup to starter George Olivarez, an all-district selection as a junior last season. But Peña says he was searching for more in his QB than understanding of Xs and Os. He was looking for a leader, a spark for a team in need of answers — and he’d found it.

And so it was that Peña made the switch on September 28. Out went Olivarez’s 1,105 yards of scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns, and in came the untested Fuentes, who attempted just four passes up to that point.

The decision wasn’t without a price. Olivarez quit the team and left the school that same day, transferring to Edinburg Vela. The Raiders were without their bell cow athlete on the heels of a four-game losing streak, including a dispiriting 56-7 loss to Weslaco High.

Fuentes, however, prepared as he always did for a must-win game against Edinburg North.
“All week, I had to step up and do what my teammates expected of me,” Fuentes said. “Come game time, I wasn’t nervous. I just went out there and played the game.”

Fuentes’ stat line was modest. He completed 4-of-9 passing attempts for 73 yards and an interception while gaining 84 yards on the ground. But his presence helped solidify a team that was growing discordant and restless. Peña says that sense of togetherness is what led his team to a 42-25 win.
“The kids just responded to him,” he said. “The linemen were hugging him after plays, and everyone responded to his unselfishness. It was an element we had been missing in our game.”

Aside from missing elements, the Raiders were missing 11 starters to injuries, including center Vicente Palacios, whom Peña describes as the best center he’s ever coached.

Though North’s offense looked inconsistent during the early going due to heavy roster turnover, the team rediscovered its spark in the second half and played with a level of intensity not seen since the beginning of the season.

“It was a season-saving win,” receiver Brandon Villarreal said. “We had to take care of that game to get back on the right track and stay in the playoff chase.”

Villarreal was the most instrumental Raider in the win, rushing for 301 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries.

Peña says he was criticized for the change under center, but took it in stride as part of his duties as coach. Still, he can’t help but feel vindicated after notching a must-win game to save his team’s post-season aspirations.

“I’ve never felt more sure of myself with a decision as I was with this one about Darren,” he said.

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by Jon LaFollette

#RGVweek6 Roundup: PSJA North does just fine against Edinburg North

RGVSPORTS.COM

EDINBURG — The PSJA North Raiders didn’t miss a beat Friday in a 42-25 win over Edinburg North at Cats Stadium. In their first game since the departure of senior quarterback George Olivarez, who left the team Monday after losing the starting job to Darren Fuentes, North amassed 531 yards of offense, the bulk of which came in the second half.

“We only had half the talent and played twice as good as we did two weeks ago,” coach Jorge Pena said. “It was a tremendous game for us. It’s the best game we’ve played so far this season.

The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Raiders (2-4, 1-1), who were led by Brandon Villarreal, with 301 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries. Villarreal stepped in for running back Rene Ramirez, who left the game in the first quarter with an injury and did not return.

But North was without more than Ramirez. Two lineman, including center Vicente Palacios and two linebackers did not play.

“Everyone stepped up tonight and played admirably,” Pena said. “I couldn’t ask for more from them.”

Fuentes completed four of his nine passing attempts for 73 yards and an interception, in addition to gaining 84 yards on the ground.

“The team responded so well to him,” Pena said. “He’s such an unselfish player, and we’re an unselfish team with him. Kids were congratulating him and hugging him on the sidelines.”

DISTRICT 30-6A

LA JOYA HIGH 22, McALLEN HIGH 18: At La Joya ISD Stadium, La Joya High bounced back after losing three straight games by 30 or more points, grinding out a win against McAllen High.

Coyotes coach George Espinoza said the key was getting important players back from injury, namely center Mark Peralez, strong safety Leo Garza, and running back and linebacker Brandon Ramos.

“The emotions were high. The kids were excited,” Espinoza said. “We played a hell of a ball game defensively.”

Josh McGowen had a long touchdown run in the first half for McAllen High, but the Bulldogs were otherwise shut down. The Coyotes had an interception and a blocked punt to set up scoring drives.

“We pretty much shut down McGowen, and it was pretty much a one-man show when it came down to McAllen High,” Espinoza said.

McALLEN MEMORIAL 70, McALLEN ROWE 21: At McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, the Mustangs scored on every possession save their last, when they took a knee to seal a win against the Warriors.

Trevor Speights ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns, and Emilio Mendez picked up 127 yards and a score. Quarterback Jonathan Sanchez scored twice, while his backup Angel Almaguer also found the end zone. DJ Johnson and Josh Sanchez each caught touchdowns.

“It was a pretty good performance all over,” coach Bill Littleton said. “Our special teams came up big.”

District 31-6A

WESLACO HIGH 51, EDINBURG HIGH 6: At Weslaco, senior running back Brian Guerra rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, and the Panthers (4-2) improved to 2-0 in district play. Major Free, Usiel Gonzalez and Jonathan Martinez combined for 200 yards and three touchdowns. The Bobcats drop to 0-5.

DISTRICT 32-5A

PSJA SOUTHWEST 27, PSJA HIGH 14: At Pharr, the Javelinas improved to 1-1 in District 32-5A, 2-3 overall.

The Bears remained winless in 2015, dropping to 0-5.

MERCEDES 41, DONNA NORTH 14: At Mercedes, Donna North jumped out to a 14-7 halftime lead, but Mercedes dominated the second half.

The Tigers improved to 2-0 in District 32-5A, 3-2 overall. Donna North fell to 0-5 overall.

DONNA HIGH 42, BROWNSVILLE PACE 7: At Donna, the Redskins improved to 2-0 in District 32-5A, 3-2 overall.

Pace dropped to 0-5 overall.

NON-DISTRICT

MONTE ALTO 44, MMA 0: At Monte Alto, the Blue Devils recorded their second consecutive shutout in their non-district finale.

Monte Alto (3-3) used a run-heavy attack once again, after beating Pharr Oratory 47-0 in Week 5.

“Today we executed better than we had all season long,” Blue Devils coach Cesar Castillo said. “I think that helped us out tremendously. We had multiple guys score.

“It was a great team performance, and the guys were focused. I’m looking forward to the start of district.”

Monte Alto hosts Dilley in its district opener at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Friday’s #RGVweek6 scores
Non-District

Lyford 41,
Hidlago 34

Sinton 48,
Raymondville 13

Monte Alto 44,
MMA 0

District 30-6A

La Joya High 22,
McAllen High 18

McAllen Memorial 70,
McAllen Rowe 21

La Joya Palmview 35,
Mission High 21

District 31-6A

Weslaco High 51,
Edinburg High 6

PSJA North 42,
Edinburg North 25

District 32-6A

Los Fresnos 14,
San Benito 7

Harlingen South 33,
Brownsville Lopez 14

District 31-5A

Sharyland High 29,
Mission Vets Memorial 27

Edinburg Vela 28,
Roma, 7

District 32-5A

Mercedes 41,
Donna North 14

Donna High 42,
Brownsville Pace 7

PSJA Southwest 27,
PSJA High 13

Edcouch-Elsa 49,
Brownsville Porter 21

by Jon LaFollette

Ciro Rojas propels Weslaco East in rout of PSJA Memorial

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

PHARR — Coaches say it all the time.

Next man up.

For the Weslaco East Wildcats, the phrase has been their mantra from the get-go this season. After returning just one full-time starter from last year’s regional-qualifying team, coach Mike Burget has relied on a rotating crew of players.

But during a 50-12 blowout win over PSJA Memorial on Thursday at PSJA Stadium, senior Ciro Rojas didn’t just step up, he dominated. By the time the Wildcats notched their second victory in District 31-6A, Rojas accounted for more than 275 yards of total offense, and scored four of East’s seven touchdowns.

“We just came here to play East football,” Rojas said. “That’s smashmouth football.”

Rojas filled in for teammate Emilio Tamez, who went down in the first quarter with a right ankle injury and did not return. Tamez entered the game as the district’s leading rusher with 634 yards. Though Tamez notched just two carries, he finished with 59 yards and his 11th touchdown of the season to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead.

But while Tamez iced his ankle on the sideline, Rojas went to work, tearing off one big play after another. First came a 62-yard touchdown run to put the Wildcats up 28-6 with 2:30 left in the first half. Less than two minutes later, he returned a kickoff 74 yards into the end zone. It was 34-12, East.

“He can score in so many ways,” Burget said. “He’s had rushing touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, kickoff returns. He could play every play of every game if he could. But we don’t need him to.”

Rojas’ final score came on a 64-yard burst at the beginning of the fourth quarter to make it 47-12. Rojas finished the game with 201 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 12 carries.

“There were a lot of (running) holes,” Rojas said. “My offensive line played lights out. I wanna give credit to them.”

But Rojas and Tamez weren’t the only ones to see the end zone. JJ Garza got a turn, as did Chris Cardenas. Even kicker Orlando Ramirez made a 21-yard chip shot late in the fourth quarter. Of East’s nine possessions, they failed to score just once. Time and again, they eviscerated a Memorial defense that missed a plethora of tackles.

The win showed a Weslaco East team (3-1, 2-0) settling in for another push to the playoffs, but Burget still sees work to do.

“We’re not playing East football yet,” he said. “I thought we gave up too many yards in the passing game. I like that we shut (PSJA Memorial) out in the second half, though.It’s a work in progress.”

SOPHOMORE STANDOUT

Wildcats sophomore JC Vargas collected the only turnover of the game, intercepting Memorial’s Mike Gonzalez with 2:36 left in the first quarter. Vargas returned the ball 55 yards for a score before an illegal block in the back negated the touchdown.

Vargas pulled double duty near the game’s end, rushing twice for 63 yards. A multi-positional athlete, he looks up to Rojas as role model.

“I see what he does, and I just want to be like him,” Vargas said. “He’s able to contribute in so many ways, that’s something I want to do, too.”

CAN’T FINISH

Though PSJA Memorial (2-3, 0-1) moved the ball throughout Thursday’s game, gaining a total of 419 yards, East’s defense grew more stout as the field shortened. The Wolverines had six drives consisting of five or more plays, but score on just two of those possessions.

“We’ve got to finish,” PSJA Memorial coach Mike Uribe said. “And we’ve got to come out with energy in the first quarter. We had a lot of drops, a lot of missed assignments, couldn’t convert on third down, and we gave up a big play early. I know we can play better than this. This isn’t the type of team we are.”

WHAT’S NEXT

Weslaco East plays Edinburg Economedes (3,-2, 1-0) on Oct. 9 at Cats Stadium. PSJA Memorial squares off against PSJA North (1-4, 0-1) at PSJA Stadium on the same date.

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by Jon LaFollette

District 31-6A Notebook: Olivarez leaves PSJA North, transferring to Vela

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

PSJA North senior quarterback George Olivarez has left the team and is transferring to Edinburg Vela High School, according to North coach Jorge Peña.

Olivarez took to social media to announce the decision Tuesday, saying “Time to register and become a Sabercat,” in a Twitter post. According to Peña, Olivarez’s decision stems from losing his starting job with the Raiders on Monday.

“I informed George that Darren Fuentes, the other quarterback, was going to get all the first-team reps,” Peña said. “I told the coaching staff that I believe that Darren gives us the best chance for success. Then the counselor called me and let me know that George had withdrawn. … I told the staff that the call was mine to make, and I take full responsibility for it.”

Olivarez, who could not be reached for comment, was a two-year starter for the Raiders, and a catalyst for their high-scoring spread offense. Through five games this season, PSJA North scored a district-high 170 points on 2,139 yards. Olivarez accounted for 1,105 of those yards (424 rushing, 681 passing). Despite those numbers, Peña says Fuentes is a good fit for the Raiders.

“He has the better skill set to run this offense,” Peña said. “The kids all respond to him on the field once he’s out there and in the locker room as well. You can see it. There’s an extra kick in their step.”
It’s not clear if Olivarez intends to play football at Vela, but Peña says he won’t impede Olivarez’s transition should he wish to pursue athletics.

“Whatever (Vela) needs me to sign, I’ll do it,” Peña said.

PSJA North (1-4) has lost four straight since a 78-26 Week 1 win over PSJA High. Their most recent loss was a 56-7 rout at the hands of Weslaco High. Olivarez got the start at quarterback before being benched in the third quarter, when the game was out of reach. In his final start, Olivarez was 6-of-16 for 127 yards and an interception.

Fuentes has played quarterback in two games, completing 3-of-4 passes for 49 yards and an interception.

CUTTING BACK
Weslaco High coach Tony Villarreal calls senior fullback Jonathan Martinez a downhill runner, who likewise gets the bulk of his carries in short-yard or goal-line situations. Last week during a 56-7 win over PSJA North, Martinez demonstrated a more versatile skill set en route to gaining 177 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries. During each scoring play, Martinez did more than bruise his way past defenders. He employed more finesse.

“I used a lot of cutbacks,” Martinez said. “I made that one move, and it was all I needed to get free. I’m trying to become a better runner, a more rounded runner. I don’t just want to be a certain kind of back. I want to be able to do as much as I can to help my team.”

All three of Martinez’s scores came on runs in excess of 20 yards, including a 45-yard and 75-yard run. Martinez leads the Panthers (3-2, 1-0) with six rushing touchdowns. Usiel Gonzalez leads Weslaco in rushing yards with 486.

MAKE THE GRADE

The Edinburg Economedes Jaguars are off this week, giving them more time to prepare for their Oct. 9 game against Weslaco East. Though scheming for the Wildcats is on the Jaguars’ off-week agenda, coach Gabe Peña says his team will see a reduced workload in the locker room in order to prepare for tests.

“The football gods have blessed us with a bye week on the same week as our six-week exams,” Pena said. “It’s a time for kids to focus on their academics, so they don’t have to juggle football at the same time.”

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by Jon LaFollette

PSJA Memorial look for bounce back win against Weslaco East

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

Though coach Mike Uribe is in his first year at the helm of the PSJA Memorial Wolverines, he hasn’t given himself, or his players, the benefit of a honeymoon. The plan was apparent from the get-go — playoffs or bust.

So after the Wolverines dropped last week’s district opener against Edinburg Economedes 32-24, the team is looking to right the ship tonight against the Weslaco East Wildcats, a team Uribe sees as a stepping stone for his program, at 7 p.m. at PSJA ISD Stadium in Pharr.

“For us, we’re trying to get to where we want to be,” Uribe said. “And we look at teams like Weslaco High and Weslaco East, and we know we have to win or compete consistently with them in order to become a better ball club and make the playoffs.”

Though Memorial (2-2, 0-1) lost to the Jaguars by 8 points, they trailed by as many as 22 before a fourth-quarter rally closed the gap. The Wolverines struggled to stop Econ’s running game, allowing 286 yards on the ground. With a similar offensive team in East (3-1, 1-0), Memorial has spent the week doubling down on its run defense.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results,” Uribe said. “We’ve made an effort this week to correct the things that need to be corrected. We’ve got to do a better job of playing with energy, on both sides of the ball, from the first quarter. I thought we came out a little slow last week.”

The catalyst for the Wolverine offense is senior quarterback Mike Gonzalez, who leads District 31-6A in passing yards with 790, in addition to seven touchdowns. Gonzalez’s favorite target has been Jay Bocanegra, who has 500 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 35 catches.

Memorial’s running game, however, has lagged behind its aerial attack. Through four games, the Wolverines have amassed a district-low 355 yards with a rotating crew of backs. East’s run defense has been solid this year, allowing 187 yards per game, third-best in 31-6A.

“They’re a senior ballclub that’s well-coached,” Weslaco East coach Mike Burget said. “They’re big and fast. It’s going to take everything we’ve got to get a win (tonight).”

The Wildcats are coming off a 38-34 win against Edinburg North, wherein a late interception from Jesus Infante handed East the win. Though Memorial employs a passing game similar to Edinburg North’s, Burget says his Wildcats are up for another challenge.

“That’s something we’re always working on,” he said. “Doesn’t matter who we’re playing. We’re always trying to get better at every position.”

East’s offense is spurred by senior running back Emilio Tamez, who leads the district in rushing yards (634) and touchdowns (10).

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