KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN—-Relentless and passionate are words often used to describe Harlingen High senior linebacker Gabriel Martinez. The hard-hitting linebacker has taken the keys to the Cardinal defense and has been a key cog for Big Red.

Martinez is a three-year letterman and is the leading the team in tackles with 59 total and 35 solo. Martinez also has a knack for finding the quarterback, as he is second on the team in sacks with two.

Over the last few seasons, Harlingen has leaned on the sturdy play from the linebacker position. Guys like Garrison Medley, Eladio Flores and Marcos San Miguel have all provided Cardinal coach Manny Gomez with some fire power.

“He has a motor on him for sure,” Gomez said of Martinez. “He is very smart, is in the top 10 of class and has a passion for the game. He says he wears 32 for a reason. I wore the same number but I tell him, he can be better — he can be better than me. He is just a great kid that has a lot of love and passion for the game.”

Martinez attended his first Battle of the Arroyo when he was 6 years old.

“It was a great experience, being able to see all the fans,” Martinez said. “It is a great rivalry and now, we get to be a part of it. It was a lot to take in during my first Battle of the Arroyo. I remember it was hot that night, but it was supposed to be cold. It was nerve-racking; this is a much bigger rivalry that people think it is.”

The twist to it all is the Martinez family is from San Benito and Martinez is a first generation Cardinal.

“It means a lot for me to be a Cardinal,” Martinez said. “My family attended San Benito, but my parents are Cardinal fans now because of me and my dad and I talk about football all the time; that is our thing. He will ask me how practice went; he made me fall in love with the game and I thank him for that.”

Martinez’s grandparents still live in San Benito, but have converted to Cardinal red for Martinez.

“My grandparents still live there but my mom aunt and uncles are all here in Harlingen,” he said. “It is tense, but they are all Cardinal fans now, so it is all good.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN—-Sometimes, there are things bigger than football.

For Harlingen High senior William Herring, football is a passion, but something that he knows will only be a snapshot in his life.

Herring, who was born in Houston but grew up in Harlingen, is taking in his senior year and enjoying every second of playing football for the Cardinals.

“My older brother was a Harlingen Cardinal,” Herring said. “It means greatness. It means to compete. So being a Harlingen Cardinal is that. We compete; we are tough and are strong minded.”

Herring lost his father due to heart problems when he was 11-years old. The senior sees football as a way to honor his late father and plays the game with a passion and takes pride in the Cardinal red.

“This is my only sport and it means a lot to me,” Herring said. “My dad got me into football as a kid and I have played the game my whole life and I play for him. I think we all played for him. My sister was a cheerleader here and my brother played football here. He was at all of our games and went to my sisters cheer practices, too. He lives through us and I know he is watching down. I try and go out there and make plays for him and my mom.”

During the game is when Herring feels his dad right by his side.

“Whenever I made a big play, my dad would always run down the sideline with me,” he said. “So when I ever make a big play, I just look up into the stands.”

Everything will be in the rearview mirror once Herrings graduates this spring. He and his family will be moving to El Paso, where his step father received a new job. Herring will attend the University of Texas next fall.

Herring, who is in his second year on the varsity and is one of the leaders in the secondary, enjoys the carb night with his team, which has become a tradition on nights before games.

He also wears the No.17 because of his birthday September 17 and has worn it ever since he first put on pads when he was in first grade.

These are the moments and memories Herring will leave behind once high school football has passed him, but he looks to make the most of them while he still can.

“It hit me the first day of practice that this could be the last time I ever play football,” Herring said. “So I’m going out there trying to make every day special and trying my best everyday.”

Herring is preparing for his second Battle of the Arroyo on Friday night. Herring saw his brother play in the rivalry game and is eager to take the field in the classic rivalry.

“At my first Battle, I saw my brother make a big tackle and I remember thinking I wanted to do the same thing,” Herring said. “The atmosphere is so loud, you can’t even hear the person next you because it is so loud and there is so much excitement.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

District 32-6A will kickoff with a bang in The Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week when Harlingen High hosts San Benito in 89th edition of the Battle of the Arroyo, slated for 7:30 p.m. tonight at Boggus Stadium.

Both teams are coming off a bye in Week 6, with San Benito (2-3) looking to snap a two game losing streak after a 63-12 loss at Midland Lee.

Meanwhile, Harlingen is (4-1) and have won two straight. The Cardinals only loss came at Converse Judson (39-0) in Week 3. The Cardinals beat Weslaco East and Midland High two weeks ago and are entering Friday night with some confidence.

“Football is football; it is about blocking and tackling,” Harlingen coach Manny Gomez said. “What they posses is a very shifty quarterback and if we can tackle him, we will have a chance. At the same time, he is elusive and is a great player. They also have great receivers.”

Across the board, both Harlignen and San Benito posses strong quarterback play. The Cards’ offense runs through senior Jaime Galvan, who has put together a strong senior year thus far. This will be Galvan’s third Battle and he has come up short in his first two attempts.

“When I look back at it, it makes me mad,” Galvan said. “I never wanted to lose to San Benito; I don’t like it but I’m using it as motivation for this year and I’m ready.”

Galvan will look to Rayden Berry out of the backfield, and through the air, Galvan will lean on his brother Justin Galvan. Defensively, the Cards will look to their playmakers ,Gabriel Martinez, Ezvyn Zuniga and Will Herring.

On the ground, Galvan has run wild for 473 yards on 57 attempts and eight scores. Through the air, Galvan has five touchdowns and has thrown five scores. Berry has been a force in the running game and in the passing game, rushing for 604 yards on 112 carries and six touchdowns and has hauled in nine catches for 184 yards and two more scores.

On the flip side, senior signal caller Smiley Silva will get his first start against Harlingen. Silva, who is dangerous with his legs, will look to junior running back Kyler Castilleja (43-266, 2 TDS). On the ground Silva has rushed for 670 yards on 84 carries and has scored eight times.

Through the air, Silva has found chemistry with senior wide out Juan Constante. Constante leads the team in receiving with 316 yards on 20 catches with four touchdowns.

The Greyhounds have won back to back Battles. Harlingen last win against San Benito was in 2016.

“We are talented on the offensive side of the ball,” Gomez said. “We have a talented quarterback, running back and receivers and our offensive line is getting better and they play physical. It sounds like a cliché, but whoever can block and tackle better in this game will come out victorious. The game is going to be physical and that is the intangible of this game. The past few years, the Battle of the Arroyo has been physical.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

The 89th Battle of the Arroyo will kick off Friday night at Boggus Stadium. Along with the Valley’s biggest rivalry comes the district 32-6A opener for both Harlingen and San Benito.

Harlingen leads the all-time series 59-25-5. Overall Friday marks the 91st Battle which includes two playoff matchups in 2009 and 2010 with Harlingen winning both postseason matchups.

Harlingen dominated the series for 27 straight years dating from the 1968 season all the way through the 1995 season where San Benito snapped the drought with a 15-6 win. In those 27 years, there were three ties in 1974 and in 1993 and 1994.

Despite the rivalry being one sided, upon current head coach Dan Gomez’s arrival in 2014, Gomez is 4-1 against Harlingen.

San Benito’s only loss to Harlingen under Gomez was in 2016 when Harlingen’s Giovanni Guillen nailed a 52-yard field goal with 3:51 left and sent the Cards to a 29-27 win.

On Friday San Benito has an opportunity to complete a three peat, something that hasn’t happened since the 1962 season when the Greyhounds beat the Cardinals 25-6 completing their second three peat. In 1960 San Benito won 29-6 and in 1961 the Hounds picked up a 30-6.

The first time San Benito beat Harlingen three years in a row was over the 1932-1934 seasons. The 32 season saw the Greyhounds win 6-0, in 1933 it was a 30-0 win and in 1934 San Benito won 13-0.

Most recently, San Benito is currently on a two game win streak against Harlingen. In 2017 the Hounds won 53-0 and walked away with a 42-28 win last season. The 53-0 blowout win was the largest margin of victory for the Greyhounds and the most points San Benito has scored against their rival.

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Seniors Jaime Galvan and Rayden Berry have been two key ingredients to the Harlingen High Cardinals’ offense this season.

Galvan, who lines up under center, and Berry, who takes the handoffs from Galvan, have not only produced on the field but have brought a work ethic and leadership to this year’s Cardinals team.

The work ethic is one thing that defines the Cardinals’ tradition, and Berry and Galvan have brought that to the table. It has become contagious throughout the Cardinals’ fieldhouse.

“You talk about hard work, and I can go on and on about the past with teams that were successful and having kids go above and beyond, but that is an example of guys like Jaime and Rayden,” Cardinals coach Manny Gomez said. “The list goes on, but those are the guys who go above and beyond, and go out there and make things happen. What is happening is kids are starting to see that, and it is rejuvenating that Cardinal tradition.”

Galvan, who was destined to be the Cardinals’ QB, grew up understanding the Cardinals’ way. Galvan is no stranger to the Battle of the Arroyo, either.

“I grew up into this, and grew up playing San Benito in TYFA,” Galvan said. “I also watched the older guys play, and this is just something I wanted to be a part of.”

Galvan’s first Battle was in his seventh-grade year, when he watched former Cardinals quarterback Jesse Castro.

“The game was here in Harlingen, and that was the place I wanted to be,” Galvan said. “There were so many people there, and I knew one day I wanted to be playing in the game. My brothers and I have all been involved in the game. In fact, we were just talking about it, and how we need to have our mind right and be ready to give it our all.”

Galvan has relied on Berry out of the backfield this year, and the two have helped fuel the offense to 29 points per game, becoming a strong 1-2 punch. Galvan has 473 yards on 57 attempts and has scored eight times. Berry has run for 604 yards and six touchdowns.

“All summer long, Jaime and I worked together,” Berry said. “So we know each other’s moves. He knows where I’m going to be, and I know where he will be.”

Berry moved from Los Fresnos to Harlingen his sophomore year and quickly fell into place in the Cardinals’ program.

“It took a little while to get used to (it), but the guys brought me in as one of their own,” Berry said. “They taught me what I needed to know, and I feel like I’m where I need to be. Over the offseason I worked on a lot of conditioning. I also felt I needed to work on my moves, so I worked on my footwork.”

Berry and Galvan will look to lead the Cardinals’ offense once more when they square off against San Benito in the 90th edition of the Battle of the Arroyo. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday from Boggus Stadium.

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — The second half of district play got underway Saturday, and it was an ideal start for the Hidalgo Lady Pirates as they swept Rio Hondo 25-13, 25-16, 25-16 to improve to 8-0 in 32-4A and remain in sole possession of first place.

“Today was a complete team effort and win,” Hidalgo coach KeyDee Benavidez said. “We had some good passes to our setters, and our setters were able to get our hitters set up and we were successful. This is a good start to our second half of district play.”

Hidalgo dominated the first set by jumping out to an early 8-1 lead and received an all-around effort from Jackie Garcia, who led the team in kills with seven. Carolina Carbajal finished with 12 digs, Erika Davila had 10 digs and Soleil Garza finished with a team-high 19 assists.

During the second set, Hidalgo shook off a scrappy effort from Rio Hondo. The Lady Cats trailed 8-2 early but battled back and cut the lead to 17-14. The Lady Pirates managed to adjust and used their aggressive offense to pull away late in the second set.

“I don’t know what it is when we play teams like Hidalgo, La Feria and Zapata,” Rio Hondo coach Lizzette Esparza said. “We have to have that winning mentality, and try and get these girls to believe that they can compete. I told the girls Hidalgo went into and blew them out of the water, and we stayed within five points and we were able to close the gaps on them, and we weren’t consistent.”

Alexis Rhyner paced the Rio Hondo offense with 10 kills and eight digs. Julie Delbosque finished with a team-high 28-digs, and Kelsey Pizarro checked in with 11 digs.

Hidalgo now shifts its focus to Progreso. As well as the Lady Pirates have been playing, Benavides feels her club has yet to play its best.

“I really don’t think we have peaked yet,” Benavides said. “I think we need to play a complete game as far as putting the ball in the right place. I think we are showing a lot of improvements in different areas, but, no, I don’t think we have peaked yet.”

As for Rio Hondo, the Lady Cats are 2-6 in district and still mathematically alive for the postseason with six games remaining in the regular season. Rio Hondo will play Port Isabel next.

“Right now, mathematically, it is anybody’s spot for the fourth seed,” Esparza said. “Progreso is ahead of us right now, but if they lose to La Feria then we will be even for the fourth spot. We just need to look at the playoff picture, and I know Grulla wasn’t far behind either.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — The La Feria Lions defeated the Rio Hondo Bobcats 49-28 for the first time since the 2012 season in the Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week.

The Lions are 6-0 as they head into district play next week. The big question mark moving forward will be the status of senior quarterback Dorian Hernandez, however.

Late in the second quarter, Hernandez injured his left forearm while stiff-arming a defender. Junior quarterback Dario Sanchez, who had been alternating drives with Hernandez before the injury, re-entered the game and led the offense on a scoring drive on the final possession of the first half.

Hernandez missed the remainder of the game. His status for next week’s district opener is questionable and will be evaluated further.

“We don’t know much right now,” La Feria coach Oscar Salinas said. “We will look at it tonight, and we just wanted to keep him out as a precaution. It is a left forearm injury, and we will see how it goes. We will send him to the doctor (today) and get it evaluated.”

On the Lions’ first drive, it took them three plays to find the end zone. A 25-yard TD run from Hernandez gave the Lions a 7-0 lead.

Sanchez, a seasoned backup who has started games in his career, filled right in for the Lions’ offense. On fourth-and-7, he threw a 29-yard touchdown to Caleb Flores in the back of the end zone to gain confidence and give his team a 14-0 lead.

Sanchez started for the Lions last year against Raymondville, so if he is needed next week in the district opener against Kingsville King, Salinas knows he can get the job done.

“Dario stepped in, and that is what we have talked about, is the next-man-up mentality,” Salinas said. “This year, we have done a good job early in the year with scrimmages and letting Dario work with the first-team offense. You never know with this game. He has some experience and he came in and was poised, and we were able to do the same things we would do with Dorian. But Dario does a great job with the offense.”

Rio Hondo cut the lead to 21-14 late in the second quarter after recovering a fumble. The second score of the night came on an 8-yard pass from Matt Trevino to Zachariah Rios.

With 51 seconds left until halftime, Sanchez hit Derek Perez on a screen pass that went 59 yards for the score, broke any momentum Rio Hondo had and gave the Lions a 27-14 halftime lead.

“It did, It did,” Rio Hondo coach Rocky James said. “I thought we played well. We spotted them 21 quick points, but we fought back and showed a lot of heart. That is something we had been missing, but I feel we have grown as a team from last week to this week.”

The Lions’ offense showed no signs of slowing down during the second half and outscored Rio Hondo 22-7. Sanchez threw a pair of touchdown passes to Flores.

Junior running back Avishai Dickerson ran for three rushing touchdowns on the night.

“We were going to run the ball a little bit more tonight,” Salinas said. “We just went run heavy, and it was there. All three of our backs ran really well, so why throw it? We struggled a little bit tonight on the back end, but it was just a game-plan situation.”

Rio Hondo has its bye week next week before it opens district play against Raymondville.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

RIO HONDO—-The time has come once again for one of the Rio Grande Valley’s biggest rivalry games. Rio Hondo hosts La Feria tonight at 7:30 P.M. with a little extra juice. With the 2019 season going as well as it has been for the Lions, this just might be the year La Feria to snap a seven year drought to the Bobcats.

The last time the Lions beat the Bobcats was back on Oct. 12, 2012 in a 28-21 decision that was ironically enough played in Rio Hondo.

“Overall, the kids’ spirits are high and obviously it is always big when we play Rio Hondo,” La Feria coach Oscar Salinas said. “This isn’t so much about last year, but it is about this year and the kids are excited. The kids know each other and have been playing against each other since junior high. It puts an extra pep in their step. It has been a while since we beat them and they have our number. I don’t remember the last time we beat them and coach James does a great job over there we just have to be ready.”

While the seven-year skid looms, this year’s La Feria squad — led by senior quarterback Dorian Hernandez and their stingy secondary led by Evan Avila — will have a chip on their shoulder when they arrive in Rio Hondo.

“This game is just as important to us as any other game,” Hernandez said. “But it would be good to come out with a win since we lost last year in a close one.”

The Lions offense, who is known for their speed, depth and athleticism, has been prolific through five games. The Lions are averaging 48 points per game and have scored over 40 points in four of their five games played this season.

“We like to start out fast,” Salinas said. “That always has been the key. We had been struggling, but last week we got off to a fast start against Rivera on both sides of the ball. The goal is to start fast and get ahead of them if we can. We have focused our kids that this will be a fourth-quarter game. They feel the same way and they know it won’t be an easy game.”

Last year, Rio Hondo slipped past La Feria 14-7. This year, the case is a bit different. If Rio Hondo wants to make it eight in a row, they will need plays from their young crop in Ethan Reyna, Smiley Rodriguez and Jonah Ortega.

“I think our practices this week have been some of the best we have had all year long,” Rio Hondo coach Rocky James said. “I’m excited about our potential and how we can play. We played well last week and we are looking forward to playing well again this week. This will be our toughest challenge to date and we are 3-2 right now, but this being a non-district game, it still has all the feel of a district game.”

The list of matchups is endless with La Feria running back Avishai Dickerson running between the tackles against Rio Hondo’s linebacker Joey Ortega to Rio Hondo’s receiving corps against La Feria’s secondary.

“They do a great job over there in La Feria, their QB Hernandez is phenomenal and we have to be ready for this challenge,” James said. “We have talked to the kids about this challenge and we hope they are up for it.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

RAYMONDVILLE—-Over the past couple of seasons, Raymondville has had some elite talent come through the program, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Despite losing some of those mainstays, the Bearkats have their solution in junior linebacker / defensive end Dylan Ramirez.

Ramirez grew up in Raymondville where he has played football his entire life and is really the only sport he has known. As a sophomore, Ramirez was on the varsity and quickly made an impact and found himself in a starting role.

Hat season, Ramirez was an all-district first-team selection as a defensive end. Ramirez was third on the team in tackles with 54 total and finished with 14 for a loss, where he ranked second. The big stat came with the sacks, in which Ramirez led the team with 14 on the year.

“From last year to now, I have done a lot of camps and kept working during the off season,” Ramirez said. “This is the only sport I have played and love ever since I can remember. This past offseason, I went to a lot of different camps and I feel I got a lot better and I’m just at another level.”

Last year, Ramirez teamed up with arguably the best linebacker duo in Cole Cooley and Noe Zambrano. Now, with both Cooley and Zambrano gone to graduation, Raymondville head coach Frank Cantu has given the keys to Ramirez and he has not disappointed.

This year, Ramirez feels himself and Thomas Zambrano (Noe’s younger brother) can emulate that duo on and off the field. Thomas Zambrano is currently sidelined with a broken ankle, but is expected to make a return to the lineup.

“We feel Dylan and Thomas can be those guys for us,” Cantu said. “Unfortunately, right now, Thomas is out with an injury. We have had to fill in and have guys step up, but Dylan just has a motor on him. He is big, quick, fast and strong and he is a great asset to have and we are happy he is on our side.”

So far, Ramirez has been a machine for the Raymondville defense. Through five games, Ramirez leads the team in total tackles with 56 and has 36 tackles. Ramirez has already passed last year’s tackle for loss total with 16, which is a team high. In the sack column, Ramirez also led the way with 8.5 on the year.

“We blitz a lot,” Ramirez said. “When I play linebacker I’ll step back in coverage. I’m trying to get to the college level and playing linebacker can get me there. I’m too small to play defensive end at the college level but I’m still learning the linebacker position.”

The Bearkats run a 4-2-5 defense and with an athlete like Ramirez, can put a hand in the ground and rush the passer or drop back in coverage much like an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

“Dylan is just a junior, he is the QB of the defense and he knows the calls,” Cantu said of Ramirez. “His technique is really good and he moves kids around and he is a great talent to have. When you have someone that athletic we want to be able to move him around and utilize his skills from end to backer.”

Ramirez and the ’Kats are currently riding a four-game win streak and are 4-1 on the year. Ramirez will look to continue his hot start as Raymondville will host Orange Grove Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN —When the season is all said and done, Tuesday night’s Bird Bowl will be remembered as the flu game.

Harlingen South senior Mya Aguirre took the court with the flu and shook off the illness, helping to spark Harlingen South to a 25-17, 25-14, 25-17 sweep over Harlingen High.

Aguirre, who was hit with the flu Monday night, woke up Tuesday and wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to play or not. Aguirre’s performance was one to remember, as she collected 13 kills, nine assists and 15 digs in the win.

“What really got me through tonight was my mom,” Aguirre said. “She loaded me up with medicine, but also my team and my coaches. They have all been so kind and helpful this whole time I have been sick, and this just happened all of a sudden. I had a feeling that I wasn’t going to be able to play, I really wasn’t feeling it this morning, but I knew I wanted to play regardless and especially because it’s Bird Bowl.”

Aguirre, along with senior Mikela Mireles, displayed their veteran leadership in front of a packed house at Harlingen High. Tuesday’s case was fairly simple for the Lady Hawks: They have played in big games before, and their seniors proved that Tuesday night.

“Our senior leadership is huge,” South coach Anissa Lucio said. “We feel that is our biggest plus, is our experience, and we knew we just needed to bounce back and we did that. I told the girls to just focus on us. Yes, everything going on around us is great, but we needed to focus on ourselves and control ourselves.”

The Lady Hawks flexed their muscles during the second set, jumping out to a 12-3 lead and controlling the tempo for the rest of the night. They received another strong performance from Mireles, who finished with a team-high 16 kills and 15 digs. Mia Zamorano led the team with 39 digs, and Zoe Garcia finished with 27 digs.

The win puts South back into the playoff mix and district title picture with a 2-2 record. It will meet Brownsville Hanna next Tuesday.

“I told the girls the loss to Rivera was a blessing in disguise, and we needed that to stay focused and grounded,” Lucio said. “We wanted to bounce back quick and we did that, and I’m proud of my girls for doing that.”

Harlingen High, which entered Tuesday with some momentum, took a step back and is now 2-2 in district. The Lady Cards just didn’t have an answer for Harlingen South but are still in good shape when it comes to the playoff race.

Against South, the youth and inexperience was evident, but it is something the Lady Cardinals can build on moving forward.

“I think that played a factor in the way they played,” Harlingen High coach Joslynn Torres said. “It’s not because they haven’t been a part of big games, its more of they have never had a crowd as big as we had here tonight. This is our home court and we made a lot of hype about it, which was OK.”

Harlingen High will look to rebound next Tuesday when it takes on Brownsville Rivera.

For the Lady Cards, Alexandria Ramirez led the offense with 10 kills and three blocks. Callie Cervantes led the team in digs with 28 and collected four kills. Emily Wyche finished with 17 digs, and Destiny Martinez collected 18 assists.

“In the second, it really wasn’t adjustments that they made, it was really just a tough loss,” Torres said. “I haven’t seen them play like this in a while. The girls were clicking right when it needed to happen, and unfortunately the game ended the way it did or we played the way we played, and all we can do is learn from it and get ready for them next time, and now it’s us preparing for Rivera.”