BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO –Darren Revis is an oddity in football.

The Weslaco East senior is a quarterback, albeit in the most basic sense. Yes, he lines up under center every Friday. The team roster sheet even designates Rivas as a QB. But Rivas is noted for a rather dubious distinction.

He’s the quarterback who seldom throws.

That’s not to say Rivas is incapable of completing passes.

“He’s a very good passer,” coach Mike Burget said. “People don’t understand that yet.”

You’ll have to take Burget at his word as Rivas has attempted a mere 42 passes this season. Instead, Rivas essentially works as a companion back alongside senior Lupe Moron.

“We like to play smash-mouth football,” Rivas said. “Every team in the Valley knows we run the ball.”

And few have stopped them. The Wildcats enter Friday’s area round playoff game against La Joya Palmview with a 9-2 record, including 4-2 in District 31-6A.

While Moron leads the team in rushing with 2,206 yards and 29 touchdowns, it is Rivas (1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns) who leads the offense.

“Any one who knows anything about football knows that (Rivas) is our guy,” Burget said. “Our quarterback runs 20 quarterback sneaks a game. People laugh at it, and I do too. I never thought it would be like this.”

Rivas began his football career at Weslaco East as a corner, but made the transition to QB to begin his junior season after coaches saw his arm in action during practice.

“I already knew the system,” Rivas said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be passing a lot.”

While Rivas is reigned in by his coaches regarding the passing game, he has license to act as his own offensive coordinator on the field and call an audible at the line of scrimmage whenever he sees fit.

“He’s good at reading defenses,” senior right tackle Sergio Morales said. “It’s nice, because his audible work most of the time.”

And there’s no pressure on Rivas should his play call fail.

“Even if he gets it wrong a few times, I’ve gotten it wrong a few times, too,” Burget said.

For all of the success the Wildcats have had running the ball, the team still works on passing plays in practice.

“We practice on passing more than running,” Rivas said. “We do a lot of spread formation.”

Critics will say Coach Burget’s run heavy offense is a gimmick.

“I hate it when people call us a one-dimensional offense,” Burget said. “We run the ball left and we run the ball right.”

But for Burget, it serves two purposes – kill clock and allow for a young defense to stay off the field.

“Our defense has grown up,” Burget said. “We always tell our defensive guys that we won our games because of our defense.”

Friday’s game against Palmview (8-3-1, 4-2 District 30-6A) will see two run-reliant teams face off for a chance to continue their season.

“They’re a tough team,” Morales said. “We just have to play tough and remember the team we’re going up against. It’s going to be a pretty good battle.”

[email protected]

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO ­— Angela Villarreal went against a saying often repeated by the Lady Panthers girls basketball coaching staff.

“My coaches always say there’s no crying in basketball,” Villarreal said.

The senior guard was understandably emotional given the circumstances. She was surrounded by members of her family, friends and teammates as she signed her National Letter of Intent to play basketball for the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley next year.

The signing occurred at Weslaco High School, where Villarreal has steadily grown her talents for the Lady Panthers.

Villarreal, fighting back tears, thanked her family for their ever-present support.

“I was the odd kid who liked basketball,” Villarreal said. “Nobody else (in my family) did anything athletically.”

Villarreal will receive a full four-year scholarship.

“The only thing she’ll pay for is an $89 parking pass,” Lady Panthers coach Griselda Fino said.

For Villarreal, choosing to take her talents to UTRGV wasn’t a difficult decision.

“It was about, academically wise, where I could get thing done,” Villarreal said. “It was about the best offer I could get. But also it’s about basketball, which I what I want to do.”

UTRGV will give Villarreal an opportunity to play the sport she loves in front of the people who matter most to her. It will also give her a chance to travel around the country as part of the Western Athletic Conference.

“The most important factor for her was playing in front of her family and playing in front of the home crowd,” Fino said. “That’s obviously a huge honor.”

Though several other schools from the San Antonio area, and one from as far away as Illinois, sought Villarreal’s services, it was UTRGV womens basketball coach Larry Tidwell who pursued the hardest.

Tidwell first saw Villarreal at a 5:30 a.m. practice at the beginning of last season. Tidwell and other coaches were at Weslaco to scout then-senior Laura Van Tilburg. But Fino wanted an opinion as to whether or not Villarreal could succeed at the next level. Tilburg currently plays for University of Texas-Pan American.

“(Tidwell) took two minutes to look at her,” Fino said. “We were doing some guard work and he said, ‘Coach, I want her.’”

Villarreal shares her mother’s high cheek bones and her father’s reserved demeanor. She was visibly nervous while speaking and often stopped to gain her composure. It was that quiet shell coach Fino sought to break when she first met Villarreal who was then in the eighth grade.

“We had an open gym and she came over,” Fino said. “And she was a shy kid. I couldn’t get her to get on the floor. She pretended to tie her shoes for 30 minutes.”

Now, Villarreal is the leader for what is arguably the best girls basketball team in the Valley.

“She’s always watching film and working hard to get better,” Fino said. “I can’t get her out of my office.”

The Lady Panthers are currently 6-0 on the season. The team’s most recent win came against Halringen, Tuesday night by a score of 50-36. Villarreal led the team in scoring with 19points.

[email protected]

Non district scores:

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Brownsville Lopez, 51, Brownsville Pace 44

Brownsville Veters 30, Weslaco East 14

Donna North 49, Progreso 27

Brownsville Porter 46, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 44

Edinburg Econodmedes 34, Mission Veterans 33

Edinburg North 50, Donna 30

Edinburg Vela 63, Los Fresnos 42

La Joya Palmview 72, Valley View 33

McAllen High 56, PSJA High 28

McAllen Rowe 51, Hidalgo 44

Port Isabel 47, Brownsville IDEA 39

Rio Grande City 24, PSJA Memorial 20

San Benito 40, Sharyland Pioneer 21

San Perlita at Harvest, not reported

Santa Rosa at La Villa, not reported

Sharyland High 67, IDEA Quest 32

Weslaco 50, Harlingen 36

Box scores:

Palmview 72, Valley View 33

Palmview 19 12 14 27 — 72

Valley View 4 5 12 12 — 33

palmview (72) — Samantha Guttierrez 26 points; Monica Noyola 19 points; Brittany Cano 10 points; Cynear Magullon 8 points.

valley view (33) — Giselle Rodriguez 9 pts; Alisha Ramirez 6 pts; Monse Hernandez 5 pts.

Palmview: Cano 1; Noyola 1; VV: Saenz 1; Ramirez 1

RECORDS: Not reported.

Donna North 49, Progreso 27

Progreso 2 9 7 9 — 27

Donna North 19 9 9 12 — 49

progreso (27) — Alondra 1 pt; Lucero 2 pts; Julie 6 pts; Alisha 18 pts

donna north (49) — T. Vallez 8 pts; J. Contreras 21 pts; I. Sorrell 4 pts; Evelyn de Leon 8 pts; Nayelli Contreras 6 pts; Kennedy Castillo 2 pts.

RECORDS: Not reported.

Brownsville Veterans 30, Weslaco East 16

Weslaco east 4 4 6 2 — 16

Brown veterans 10 11 5 4 — 30

weslaco east (16) — Felicia Rivera 6 pts; Michelle Marquez 4 pts; Ashley Cruz 4 pts; Leti Chambarrin 2 pts.

brownsville vets (30) — Brianna Cortez 13 pts; Hannah Meyers 5 pts; Sarah Sandoval 7 pts; Ares Muzquiz 2 pts; Jordyn Rudd 3 pts.

RECORDS: Weslaco East 3-3

Rio Grande City 24, PSJA Memorial 20

PSJA Memorial 0 9 7 4 — 20

RGC 4 6 3 11 — 24

psja memorial (20) — Alex Soto 5 pts.

rgc (24) — Chelsea Amaya 8 pts; Gina Villarreal 5 pts.

RECORDS: Rio Grande City 4-2

McAllen Rowe 51, Hidalgo 44

Rowe 15 12 6 18 — 51

Hidalgo 5 12 13 14 — 44

rowe (51) — Vanessa Leal 2 pts; Jovanny Solis 2 pts; Sierra Spear 3 pts; Victoria Tarbutton 7 pts; Jewel Membrere 27 pts; Ryela Rodriguez 8 pts; Carolina Rodriguez 2

hidalgo (44) — Stephanie Espinoza 5 pts; Yanelli Flores 10 pts; Arianna Ramirez 5 pts; Carla Cantu 4 pts; Vivian Escalon 9 pts; Makayla Rodriguez 10 pts

RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 1-0

SHARYLAND HIGH 67, IDEA QUEST 32

IDEA Quest 10 11 6 5 — 32

Sharyland 19 20 12 16 — 67

IDEA quest (32) — Not reported

SHARYLAND (67) — Ayme Carretoro 2, Sophia Reyes 12, Elizabeth Hernandez 2, Brianna Flores 2, Natalia Portillo 10, Brianna Rodriguez 2, Jessime Ramirez 4, Sonia Trevino 5, Ana Marshall 18, Maddie Garza

RECORDS: Sharyland 4-2.

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES 34, MISSION VETERANS 33

Economedes 11 6 11 6 — 34

Mission Vets 5 12 7 9 — 33

ECONOMEDES (34) — Emily Suarez 11, Maritza V. 6, Kimberley Barrientos 1, Sylvia Perez 16

MISSION VETS (33) — Rosa Silva 6, Audrey Villarreal 2, Andrea De La Garza 2, Ashley Smith 11, Lindsey Garza 4, Maria Torrres 7, Hannah Davis 1

RECORDS: Edinburg Econodmedes 3-2, Mission Vets 3-3

EDINBURG VELA 63, LOS FRESNOS 42

Edinburg Vela 27 6 15 13 — 63

Los Fresnos 4 9 11 19 — 42

EDINBURG VELA (63) — Ariel Rodriguez 19, Bianca Cortez 18, Jaida Muhammad 12, Alyssa Garcia 4, Brittany Escobar 2, Tatiana Guerrero 2, Emma Villarreal 2

LOS FRESNOS (42) — Kristy Garza 13, Emily Pena 10, Chelsea McDowell 6, Tanya Leos 5

RECORDS: Edinburg Vela 1-1, Los Fresnos 0-2

EDINBURG NORTH 50, DONNA 30

Edinburg North 11 10 15 14 — 50

Donna 5 2 15 8 — 30

EDINBURG NORTH (50) — Melissa Morjarro 11, Stephanie Flores 10, Kimberly Cantu 6, Klarissa Lopez 5, Natalie Alinaz 4, Tiffany Chapa 4, Brianna Garza 2, Nikki Rodriguez 2, Pamela Cantu 2

donna (30) — Marina Martinez 10, Aileen Garza 5, Marina Martinez 3, Emily Cavozos 2, Melanie Arenas 2, Ivonne Soto 2.

RECORDS: Edinburg North 2-5, Donna 3-3

McAllen High 56, PSJA High 28

McHi 11 10 15 14 — 50

PSJA 5 2 15 8 — 30

Mcallen high (56) — Savanna Weaver 27, Kathy Maravilla 12, Janette Herrera 7, Sydney Pemelton 4, Erika Mora 2, Saray Castillo 2, Heaven Wilbanks 2.

psja high(28) — Hanna Martinez 9, Dionne Villarreal 6, Elisa Garcia 5, Jacqueline Torres 4, Mariah West 2, Deanna Rocha 2

RECORDS: McHi 4-2, PSJA High 1-1

San Benito 40, Sharyland pioneer 21

San Benito 16 9 8 7 — 40

Pioneer 4 3 9 5 — 21

San Benito (40) — Melissa Morjarro 11, Stephanie Flores 10, Kimberly Cantu 6, Klarissa Lopez 5, Natalie Alinaz 4, Tiffany Chapa 4, Brianna Garza 2, Nikki Rodriguez 2, Pamela Cantu 2

pioneer (21) —Amanda Alvarado 5, Marie Aguilar 5, Miranda Ramos 4, Kazzie Chambers 3, Chelsea Chandler 2, Melissa De Leon 2.

RECORDS: San Benito 1-1, Pioneer 1-5

LA JOYA PALMVIEW 72, VALLEY VIEW 33

La Joya Palmview 19 12 15 26 — 72

Valley View 4 5 12 12 — 33

PALMVIEW (72) — Samantha Gutierrez 25 points, Monica Noyola 21 points, Brittany Cano 10 points, Cyndar Magallon 6 points, Marta Bocanegra 6 points, Ariana Ramirez 2 points, Edna Ovalle 2 points.

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

DONNA — The Edinburg North Lady Cougars controlled every facet of Tuesday night’s girls basketball game against the Donna High Bravettes. Whether it was a suffocating press defense, productive post play or fast-break layups, the Lady Cougars ran away to a comfortable 50-30 non-district win.

“We have a lot of speed, so we use that to our advantage,” Edinburg North coach Jenny Garcia said.

The Lady Cougars (2-5) controlled the pace from start to finish and never trailed during the game. Edinburg North employed a swarming trap defense early and often, which led to easy turnovers and transition buckets. Forward Natalie Alinaz led the team with four steals.

“Coach always talks about pressing,” junior Melissa Mojarro said. “If our offense isn’t going well, we can let our defense become our offense.”

Mojarro led the team in scoring with 11 points in addition to four rebounds and three assists.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Lady Cougars were balanced and efficient. Every player that stepped on the court scored.

“Since (Donna) was playing a 2-3 (zone),” Mojarro said. “So we were looking at getting a layup or cutting inside or getting the ball inside, because whoever was inside was usually open.”

Edinburg North exploited Donna’s nonexistent interior presence throughout the night. Center Stephanie Flores scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting in addition to three boards, two steals and an assist.

“(Stephanie) is very strong and very physical,” Garcia said. “She helps us tremendously.”

Though the starting five for the Lady Cougars struggled to score in the second quarter, a pair of bench players in Kimberly Cantu and Tiffany Chapa answered their coach’s call, scoring all 10 of Edinburg North’s second quarter points.

“We just go with everybody working together,” Mojarro said. “Coach always tells us, ‘If you’re on the court, you make a difference.”

The win was the first for the Lady Cougars since returning from a tournament in Corpus Christi last weekend. Though the team played well enough to secure a victory, Edinburg North knows there is still plenty of basketball left on the schedule.

“We just need to get better offensively and communicate more,” Mojarro said.

For Donna, coach Kevin Cromer knew exactly what the Lady Cougars wanted to do.
“They’re always a very quick team,” Donna coach Kevin Cromer said. “We just weren’t making good decisions with the basketball.”

The Bravettes (3-3) never settled into a groove offensively and had no answer for Edinburg North’s trap defense. The lack of reliable post player meant many perimeter passes which were easily intercepted by the Lady Cougars.

Donna was without starting point guard Lauren Williams, who will miss at least three weeks with a right knee injury suffered during a game against McAllen High in last week’s Weslaco tournament.

“We don’t have a floor general right now,” Cromer said. “So that’s what happens when you get pressed.”

[email protected]

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — The clock kept ticking, much to coach Griselda Fino’s surprise.

Her Weslaco Lady Panthers had the ball and a 29-28 lead over Brownsville Veterans Memorial in the final 40 seconds of Saturday’s Weslaco tournament championship game.

“I told the girls that (Brownsville) was going to go after the basketball,” Fino said. “I said they’d try and foul and put us on the line.”

Fino’s coaching intuition was proved wrong by the Lady Chargers, who never attempted to foul and instead opted for a press defense that never delivered a much-needed takeaway.

“We tried to play defense and stay fundamental,” Brownsville Veterans coach Valentin Paz said. “But we just couldn’t stop the next pass and stay on the ball.”

The game clock continued to run as the Lady Panthers played keep-away until senior guard Angela Villarreal committed an over-and-back violation with 1.1 seconds remaining, turning the ball over to Brownsville Veterans.

“We were looking for a back-cut or a pop-out (3-pointer),” Paz said. “We wanted something close to the basket.”

But the Lady Charger’s never attempted a final shot as Weslaco’s defense forced an awkward pass as time expired.

“Our girls knew what to do out there in that situation,” Fino said.

Weslaco’s tournament championship win means a 5-0 start to being the seaosn. Despite the win, Fino isn’t satisfied.

“I thought we played really awful,” she said. “Shots weren’t falling for us. We were kind of rattled out there. For some reason, we didn’t play very well.”

The Lady Panthers completed just 30 percent of their attempts, going 12-of-40 from the field. Senior guard Angela Villarreal led Weslaco with 10 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Though Villarreal couldn’t get her shots to fall, she still impacted the game with seven boards, three assists and a pair of steals. Villarreal was named tournament MVP.

“She is the best player on the planet, as far as I’m concerned,” Fino said. “She had a horrible game, but I told her it’s a good thing her teammates pulled through.”

One of those teammates was freshman guard Briana Peña, who scored 8 points, including two 3-pointers in the third quarter. Peña was named to the All-Tournament team.

“I told her the growth I saw from her was great,” Fino said. “We’ll be able to do a lot of things with her on the court.”

Weslaco out-rebounded the Lady Chargers by a margin of 24-18, with many of those boards leading to second chance points.

The Lady Chargers were led by sophomore guard Jordan Rudd, who scored 11 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had four assists. Rudd suffered a leg injury after colliding with a Weslaco defender in the fourth quarter, but finished the game.

Brownsville Veterans kept the game close by getting to the line, where they went 9-of-12. Weslaco attempted just six foul shots, making four.

“We’re just so fast.” Fino said. “We’re so aggressive on defense and we want that ball. Sometimes it was over-aggressiveness that got us in trouble, but we’ll fix that. That’s what practice is for.”

[email protected]

JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

LAREDO — Blood, sweat and tears. An otherwise hackneyed sports phrase was all too real for McAllen Memorial running back Trevor Speights.

Speights’ upper-right arm was bleeding from a small cut, his navy blue uniform was marred with chalk from the field, his face was wet with the mixture of perspiration and emotion. Speights didn’t want to believe the scoreboard. Del Rio 35, Memorial 20.

After the Mustangs were upset by the Rams in Friday night’s Class 6A bi-district contest at Shirley Field in Laredo, Speights, the face of the team, quietly hid away in the rear of postgame huddles.

“I don’t think they were the better team,” Speights said. “But they wanted it more than we did. They whooped our butts, basically.” The junior running back politely declined further comment.

A simple glance at the box score would indicate a great game from Speights, the Valley’s leading rusher. He led all running backs with 188 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, in the process setting a new school record with 2,655 yards for the season. He broke the mark of 2,633 yards, set by Bradley Stephens in 2005. But Speights’ trouble was also his team’s trouble – the big play never came when it mattered most.

The loss marks the end of an otherwise terrific year for the Mustangs, who finish with an overall record of 9-2, including perfect 6-0 mark in District 30-6A.

“We have to remember the good times,” coach Bill Littleton said. “We have to remember the good games and not dwell on this one.”

The Mustangs jumped out to an early 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter after quarterback Fabian Pedraza connected with receiver DJ Johnson for a 21-yard score immediately following a Del Rio fumble.

The Rams, however, responded with a clock-eating 10-play drive that resulted in a seven-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Walt Ashley to wideout Aldo Chapa to take a 7-6 lead.

For every Memorial score, Del Rio matched. After a six-yard Speights touchdown run late in the first quarter made it 12-7 in favor of the Mustangs, the Rams answered again with a seven-yard score from fullback Cesar Escajeda. It was a one-point contest at halftime as Del Rio led 13-12.

The Mustangs looked determined to put the game away at the beginning of the second half, taking a 20-13 lead on a 4-yard run from Aaron Villarreal capped by a successful two-point conversion from Speights.

The Rams (6-4-1, 3-2 District 29-6A) took the lead for good in rapid-fire fashion. Within 11 seconds, Del Rio scored 15 points. First came a one-yard rushing score from Ashley followed by a two-point conversion from Escajeda. The Rams followed with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Ashley to receiver Gus Rodriguez after a successful onside kick with 2:35 left in the third to take a 28-20 lead.

“I knew we were in trouble after that,” Littleton said. “We got the ball back, but we just couldn’t get into a rhythm offensively.”

Memorial never recovered. Though the offense moved the ball well in the game’s final period, a pair of drives stalled at midfield. The Mustangs failed to convert on a key fourth down play and Speights committed a costly fumble.

Del Rio’s Ashely scored a final touchdown on a 31-yard run with 2:35 left in the game to seal the victory.

[email protected]

JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

LAREDO — You always remember your first time.

So will McAllen High’s Adrian Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, a sophomore placekicker, hadn’t attempted a field goal all season. His debut came in dire circumstances for the Bulldogs. The team trailed Laredo Alexander 14-13 with 11.7 seconds remaining in Thursday’s Class 6A bi-district game at Bill Johnson Student Activity Center.

Facing a fourth-and-nine with the season on the line, McHi coach Kevin Brewer pegged Rodriguez, whose name wasn’t even on the roster sheet, to extend the team’s postseason run with a 44-yard field goal attempt.

“I knew that when Coach called my number that my brothers would believe in me,” Rodriguez said. “I knew I could make it.”

And make it he did, by mere inches, just inside the right upright at the south end of the stadium. The successful conversion effectively sealed the win for McHi, which secured a safety on the last play of the game to win 18-14.

“We have another kicker, but (Rodriguez) has a better leg,” Brewer said. “It was a dandy.”

Rodriguez, once a nameless figure on the sideline, was immediately propelled to celebrity and was hoisted into the air by his teammates.

“Just to have the guts to be so cool, calm and collected like that and to push us to the second round of the playoffs like that, it’s an awesome feeling,” McHi quarterback Fred Hover said.

Rodriguez’s score capped off a 10-play drive that began on McHi’s 40-yard line with two minutes left on the clock.

“It’s kind of ironic,” Hover said. “Because we work two-minute drills in practice every day, and it’s ball on the 40, two minutes, two time-outs and that’s exactly the situation we had.”

Hover worked the sideline, completing throws to junior receiver Randy Ivie and senior Ryan Puente, notching eight yards here and six yards there. Puente led McHi with 74 receiving yards on eight receptions.

Though McHi came away with a win, the offense was inconsistent throughout the game. Where the unit looked unbeatable on clock-killing drives which ended in scores, they seemed out of rhythm on four drives which ended in three-and-outs.

The biggest reason for McHi’s offensive woes was lack of an effective running game. Team-leading rusher Rick Rodriguez was held to just 21 yards on 19 carries.

“(Alexander) schemed for him,” Brewer said. “They loaded the box and frustrated him all night.”

Another scare for McHi came in the third quarter when Hover was sidelined for two drives after aggravating an injured ankle he suffered against McAllen Memorial three weeks ago. Backup Caleb Youngblood filled in before Hover’s eventual return in the final quarter.

“(The ankle) feels good,” Hover said after the game. “It got rolled on and got tweaked, but if feels pretty good.”

Hover’s status was uncertain heading into Thursday’s contest. The quarterback looked refreshed and healthy in the early going however, scoring on a 34-yard run late in the first quarter to give McHi a 7-0 lead. Hover finished the game with 182 passing yards on 20-of-35 attempts and a pair of interceptions. Hover also lost a fumble on the team’s first drive.

“We have some things we still need to work on,” Brewer said. “We have to protect the ball more.”

McHi’s defense performed well despite the extra possessions gained by Alexander. Aside from a pair of rapid-fire Alexander drives which resulted in scores in each half, McHi forced five punts and held Alexander quarterback Aaron Swain to 151 passing yards on 11-of-23 attempts.

“The defense played outstanding today,” Hover said. “They gave us a lot of chances on offense.”

[email protected]

BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

ROMA — Gladiators football coach Max Habecker Jr. would rather not talk about himself.

“I don’t like doing this,” Habecker said. “It shouldn’t be about me.”

On a chilly evening at Roma’s practice field, the seven-year coach is bundled up in black running pants and a gray sweatshirt. His hood is pulled over a baseball cap, hiding his young face from a cold wind.

Roma (5-4-1, 3-3 District 31-5A) has never practiced this late in the year before. While the shifting autumn air signals a seasonal change, it also marks a historic moment for Gladiators football.

Habecker is preparing his team for Friday’s bi-district game against the Mercedes Tigers, the first playoff appearance in Roma football’s 24-year history.

You won’t hear the coach openly boast about his role in the Gladiator’s historic season. Instead, he’ll reflect his success toward others, be it the kids or his coaching staff.

But it isn’t farfetched to say Roma’s rise from obscurity to postseason upstart doesn’t occur without Habecker.

“He carries this program,” senior right tackle Ruben Hinojosa said. “The way he bleeds white and red is the same way the student-athletes bleed white and red.”

The bond between coach and team runs especially deep for the Gladiators. Habecker grew up in Roma and played both tight end and linebacker for the Gladiators varsity unit for two seasons beginning in 1997.

“I worked hard,” Habecker said. “I was a gym rat. I had to be if I wanted to be on the field.”

At the time the Gladiators were a team on the brink. They went 5-5 during Habecker’s sophomore season, narrowly missing the playoffs. However, any semblance of momentum was halted after a coaching change began a decade’s long coaching carousel.

Habecker took over in 2008, having worked various assistant jobs in the Laredo area prior to his homecoming. Though Roma was an after thought at the time of his hiring, the hometown coach didn’t see much that needed to be fixed.

“Every coach comes in and talks about wanting to change a culture,” Habecker said. “But we didn’t need to change the culture. I’m from here. I know the culture. It didn’t need changed. It just needed to be enhanced.”

Habecker instilled a year-round regiment for his players, preaching the ways of better fitness and a healthy diet. He also implanted the importance of commitment.

“I think I’ve developed an identity for the program,” Habecker said in a brief moment of personal recognition. “It’s not an X’s and O’s philosophy. It’s a way of life. It’s the way we work 365 (days).”

The Gladiators have sniffed the postseason for three straight years. The team went .500 in 2011 and 2012 and posted their first winning record last season with a mark of 6-4. However, tiebreakers left Roma the odd team out.

“I tell the kids to work hard and we’ll achieve success,” Habecker said. “Well, we did everything we were supposed to and still we didn’t achieve what we wanted. So apparently we weren’t working hard enough.”

Roma doubled-down on its march to the postseason this year, and secured its first playoff berth last week in a 28-0 shutout over Valley View.

“It felt surreal for awhile,” Hinojosa said. “I don’t even know how to put it. It’s amazing. We’re that team.”

Though the Gladiators have already accomplished what others before couldn’t, the team has every intention of continuing their season Friday night against Mercedes (9-1, 7-0 District 32-5A).

“We’re not going to play like we’re happy to be there,” Habecker said. “I keep telling the kids it’s a whole new season. We want to be 1-0.”

[email protected]

JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — McAllen High girls basketball coach Roy Gonzalez fancies an inside-out game. It only took half of that equation to beat the upstart Sharyland Pioneer program Thursday night at Pioneer gym.

The Lady Bulldogs basketball team drained long-range jumpers throughout the evening, cruising to a 63-21 win over the Lady Diamond backs in a season-opening game for both teams.

McHi (1-0) opened the first half by hitting six 3-pointers, amassing a 21-point halftime lead and never looked back.

Senior shooting guard Kathy Maravilla was instrumental for the Lady Bulldogs. She led her team in scoring with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Marravilla also sunk a pair of buckets from behind the arc in addition to collecting three rebounds, two steals and two assists.

Though a single win does not define a long season, Maravilla is nonetheless pleased with the early results.

“We take a lot from this,” Maravilla said. “We see it as a learning experience. This is another step.”

The Lady Bulldogs shot 57 percent from the floor, converting 29-of-51 attempts. Even though the offense was humming for McHi, the team stumbled out of the gate, missing many of their early shots.

“We started a little slow,” Gonzalez said. “Our first quarter was a little rough. Then we got things going from the outside.”

Maravilla wasn’t the only deep threat for McHi. Guard Stacie Solis scored all nine of her points from behind the arc, and back-up guard Erika Mora added a pair of 3-pointers as well.

“Coach talked about us getting our rhythm,” Maravilla said. “Once I start hitting threes, or Stacie hits threes and our whole team comes together, things start happening.”

Despite the sharp-shooting ways of the Lady Bulldogs perimeter players, the team’s interior presence was inefficient. Though senior forward Savanna Weaver scored 15 points, she attempted 14 shots.

“We’re still missing our other big,” Gonzalez said. That other big is Sydney Pemelton, who is in the midst of helping McHi’s volleyball team in post season play. “It’s easy for defenses to key on (Savanna) when it’s just her, but, when you add Sydney; you have to respect all of them.”

Weaver finished the game with six rebounds, one assist and went 6-of-7 from the foul line.

“We’re more of an outside team right now,” Maravilla said. “But once the whole group gets back, we’re going to start getting those shots inside.”

For Pioneer (0-1), it was a different kind of learning process. The Lady Diamondbacks have little in the way of varsity experience, and it showed throughout the evening with sloppy passes leading to easy turnovers, and shots which never touched the rim.

Amanda Alvarado led the team with six points in addition to six boards.

[email protected]

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

Here are The Monitor predictions for the 2014-15 girls basketball season:

District 30-6A Picks

Favorite: Mission High
Senior forward Daniela Perez is the district’s best player and the Lady Eagle’s greatest asset. Perez averaged 14 points in addition to a Valley-leading 14 rebounds per game a season ago. Mission balances their offense with help from senior guard Amanda Garza, who last year posted 9 points, 2.3 assists and 5.3 steals per game. “It’s going to be a very challenging district,” coach Raquel Carmona said. “We’re making the jump from 4A to 6A, and we’re with all of the McAllen Schools. It will be very hard for us.”

Spoiler: McAllen High
Redistricting moved McAllen High out of the same district as the heavy hitting Weslaco programs, but coach Roy Gonzalez isn’t taking the new competition lightly. “You don’t even want to say that another district will be any easier. Every team’s goal is to make it to the playoffs.” The Lady Bulldogs will look to do just that behind the play of senior guard Kathy Maravilla, and the rebounding prowess of forwards Sydney Pemelton and Savannah Weaver. “We have some good athletic shooters and some decent size. We’ll be able to do a combination of inside and outside,” Gonzalez said. “We should be able to compete with anyone.”

The rest of the District: La Joya High, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, La Joya Palmview, McAllen Memorial, McAllen Rowe

District 31-6A Picks

Favorite: Weslaco High
The Lady Panthers ran the table a season ago with an unblemished 16-0 record in District 31-5A. Despite the perfect run, just four games separated the top three teams (Weslaco East and Edinburg High). Things get even tougher for the Lady Panthers in their quest for another district crown with the addition of Edinburg North and Edinburg Economedes, which each made the playoffs last year. Look for senior Weslaco guard Angela Villarreal to lead the charge toward the postseason.

Spoiler: PSJA North
The Lady Raiders know what they are. “We like to run the floor,” coach Randy Bocanegra said. “We’ll use our shooting to equalize things. We don’t have an inside presence.” PSJA North’s equalizers are senior guard Cynthia Martinez and her teammate Belle Velasquez. Both led the team in scoring last year. “We like to press full court and shoot the three,” Bocanegra said. “My philosophy is to get more possessions and apply pressure.” The Lady Raiders will have their work cut out for them in the Valley’s toughest district. “Weslaco, they have some really good guards. If we can keep up with them, I feel like that’s a good measuring stick,” Bocanegra said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge.

The rest of the district: Edinburg Economedes, Edinburg High, Edinburg North, PSJA Memorial, Weslaco East

District 31-5A Picks

Favorite: Roma
The Lady Gladiators are seen as a District benchmark to which all other 31-5A teams compare their success. “It speaks volumes of the program from where it’s been to where it is right now,” coach Romeo Rios said. “It speaks to how hard our players and coaches have been preparing.” Roma has averaged 20 wins a season since 2012, and are led by a pair of seniors in Kassy Rocha and Luz Gonzalez, whom Rios describes as the team’s respective offensive and defensive MVPs. “I do believe we have the best athletes in girls basketball,” Rios said.

Spoiler: Sharyland High
Tenured coach Dale Whitaker wasn’t concerned about the new district. “I’m an 18-year coach,” he said. “I’ve played against all these teams before.” What affected Sharyland more than redistricting, however, was the program’s split, which created a first-year Pioneer team. “We used to choose between 60 and 70 kids,” Whitaker said. “And now we have 30.” Despite losing several younger players, Sharyland’s varsity crew essentially remains intact. “We’re fortunate to keep our veterans,” Whitaker said.

The rest of the district: Edinburg Vela, Mission Veterans Memorial, Valley View, Rio Grade City, Sharyland Pioneer

District 32-5A

Favorite: Mercedes
The Lady Tigers should make an easy transition after redistricting. The team won the 32-4A championship in 2013, and Mercedes is joining a 5A district which only saw one other team post a winning record in district play.

Spoiler: Donna High
The Bravettes have speed and shooting thanks to Emily Cavazos and Marian Martinez, an athletic pair of senior guards. But Donna also has a renewed inside presence with center Aileen Garza. “She’s got a nice shot and is a good rebounder,” coach Kevin Kromer said. “She also got some playoff experience as a freshman.” The Bravettes will also have a unique advantage at a crucial position thanks to point guard Lauren Williams’ 5-foot-9 frame. “When you get a taller point, that’s what you want,” Kromer said. “The press shouldn’t affect her.”

The rest of the district: Brownsville Pace, Brownsville Porter, Donna North, Edcouch Elsa, PSJA High, PSJA Southwest