KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

The 24th annual Mission Fastpitch Tournament will host 32 teams from across the Valley, Corpus Christi and Laredo this weekend. Local teams, Rio Hondo, Harlingen South, San Benito and Harlingen High will all take the field this afternoon.

Rio Hondo opens play against Weslaco East with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. The winner will meet either McAllen or Sharyland Pioneer at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

“The Lady Cats enjoy playing in the Mission Tournament,” said Rio Hondo coach Brett Esparza. “The ladies are working hard and are going to accept the competition.”

District 32-6A will get a good look at each other as Brownsville Hanna, Brownsville Rivera, Weslaco and Weslaco East join Harlingen and South in the event. Los Fresnos is the only league team not entered as the Lady Falcons will be at the Smithson Valley Tournament.

The Lady Hawks will kick things off against PSJA Southwest. First pitch is slated for 2:30. The winner there will meet either Rivera or McAllen Memorial at 9 on Friday morning.

Harlingen, meanwhile, will square off against Mercedes at 5:30 and will see either Laredo Alexander or PSJA North at 1:30 Friday.

San Benito, which has won the tournament the last two years, returns a majority of its starters in 2018. The Lady Hounds kick things off against Laredo Nixon at 7 p.m. and will face the winner between PSJA and Laredo United South at noon Friday.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to play some solid competition and watch some of our district opponents,” said San Benito coach Denise Lira. “Our plan is to take it one game at a time.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Brownsville Rivera Raiders are heading to the postseason for the first time since the 2011 season. The Raiders fended off a late Harlingen rally to seal a 68-62 win Tuesday night.

Despite the loss, the Cardinals still qualified for the playoffs after Harlingen South lost to Los Fresnos, also on Tuesday. The Cards will go in as the No. 4 seed.

“It’s exciting for the kids,” said Harlingen coach Greg Yates. “Considering we didn’t make the playoffs last year and seeing the kids fight through a tough district and win 27 games, this year is a tribute to their efforts. One of our goals was to make the playoffs and we reached that goal.”

Rivera will meet Edinburg Vela or Edinburg Economedes in the opening round of the playoffs while Harlingen has a date with District 31-6A champ Edinburg North next week.

“You want to make it into the tournament and we made it. Now we will see what will happen from here,” Yates said. “There is no doubt our district was tough, so we hope that competitiveness will aid us in the playoffs. We look to try and win every game, but we came in knowing Rivera is a tough team and Oscar (Lozoya) is a player and he showed it tonight. Rivera did a great job this year on making the playoffs.”

The Cards raced out to an early lead in the first quarter, but it was in the second quarter where the momentum shifted in favor of the Raiders. Lozoya dished eight of the 18 points scored in the quarter for the Raiders.

In the third period Rivera began to run away with the lead. A quick 5-0 run put the Raiders ahead 32-22 as they took control of the boards and outscored Harlingen 19-11.

Rivera extended its lead 52-39, but Harlingen used a big 29-point fourth quarter behind Riley Sauceda to cut the lead to 10. Sauceda came off the bench and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter.

“We’re not happy with the loss tonight, but we’re happy with making the playoffs and the kids get to experience the playoffs,” said Yates. “The last several games we have played have been intense. Riley is defensive minded and he has the speed and quickness. He made some big plays for us late in the game.”

Michael Arellano hit back-to-back 3s to trim the lead to 59-55 with 1:30 left, but that was as close as Harlingen got.

On the night, Harlingen missed 12 free throws and couldn’t capitalize down the stretch while Rivera hit late free throws to help seal the win.

In the loss, Arellano finished with 27 points while Sauceda netted 10 points.

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

PHARR—Harlingen High’s junior combo of Alyssa Cervantes and Taegan Dickey proved to be too much for PSJA North on Monday night.

Cervantes scored the first five points of the evening and set the tone for the contest as the Lady Cards used a strong, complete effort to breeze past the Lady Raiders 66-41 in a Class 6A bi-district playoff game.

The Lady Cards will now await the winner between McAllen Memorial and South San Antonio in the area round later this week.

The Lady Cardinals executed on all phases and put forth their best team performance of the season.

“The bottom line is the girls went out there and played for each other,” said Harlingen coach Ashley Moncivaiz. “They had great ball movement, they blocked out and just got it done on both ends of the court. One of the things we lacked earlier in the year was we didn’t play a complete game, but tonight the girls played a complete game.”

Three Lady Cards finished in double figures. Senior Nadia Flores had 12 points, Dickey netted 14 and Cervantes poured in a game high 21 points.

“I knew I had to come out and play strong, and help my team in any way,” Cervantes said. “Tonight we played together as one and we knew we needed a strong start and we got one. Coach (Moncivaiz) wanted us to finish the second half just as strong. She and the coaches did a great job on preparing us all week.”

Harlingen outmuscled PSJA North inside and won each quarter. Cervantes got the offense rolling by scoring seven of the 11 points Harlingen scored in the opening period. The Lady Cards led at the half 27-11.

“Both Alyssa and Taegan were huge tonight,” Moncivaiz said. “They had big nights for us and other girls stepped in and contributed. We know Alyssa can shoot and tonight she played big for us. It was her night.”

Harlingen’s monster quarter came in the third period when the Lady Cards outscored the Lady Raiders 24-9. The offensive onslaught put the game out of reach 51-20 midway through the third period.

Moncivaiz, who is in her fourth year at the Lady Cards’ wheel, won her fourth bi-district title. The Lady Cards will now look to get past the area round for a second time under Moncivaiz. The last time the Lady Red Birds reached the third round was in during the 2015-16 season.

“It’s an amazing feeling to win a playoff game but we always want to win the next one, that is the bottom line,” Moncivaiz said. “That’s why we keep playing and work on getting better. It’s an amazing feeling and it’s also humbling to do with this group of girls.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

On Friday, both Harlingen High and Weslaco High took another step toward the postseason.

With just one game remaining in the regular season, four teams are fighting for three playoff spots. A week ago, Los Fresnos clinched the Dis-trict 32-6A title leaving the three spots up for grabs.

Harlingen completed the season sweep against Harlingen South on Friday and jumped a game ahead of South and Brownsville Rivera. Big Red can clinch a playoff berth with a win Tuesday against Rivera, which is currently on the outside looking in with an 8-5 record.

Weslaco also picked up a win Friday so both the Panthers and Cards are in control of their own destinies with 9-4 records. Weslaco can seal a playoff spot with a win against San Benito on Tuesday.

South, meanwhile, is still in the playoff mix at 8-5, but needs a win at Los Fresnos on Tuesday and a Rivera loss to put the Hawks in as the fourth seed.

RIO HONDO STILL EYEING POSTSEASON: Despite the Bobcats losing to Raymondville 86-63 on Friday, Rio Hondo is still alive in the play-off race with one district game remaining.

La Feria picked up a 44-41 win against Hidalgo on Friday, putting the Lions in tie for fourth place with Rio Hondo at 6-7.

The case is simple for the Bobcats as they need a win against Grulla on Tuesday and a La Feria loss to Zapata to clinch the fourth seed. The Lions, meanwhile, need a win and a Rio Hondo loss to seal the final spot in playoffs.

The team that clinches the fourth seed will meet West Oso in a Class 4A bi-district playoff contest.

SAN PERLITA, SANTA ROSA LOCK UP DISTRICT TITLES: Santa Rosa locked up their 14th straight district title on Friday and now looks to finish the regular season with a perfect 8-0 league record at Lyford on Monday.

On Friday, the Warriors defeated Edinburg IDEA Quest 90-60.

San Perlita, meanwhile, finished the regular season on a high note as they completed an 8-0 league mark with a 71-56 win against San Isidro on Friday. Jaime Zallar led the way with 22 points while Victor Galvan and Tige Johnson scored 14 points each.

The Trojans will now await their bi-district opponent.

BULLDOGS GET TAMED: Lyford dropped a close 59-56 game against Brownsville IDEA Frontier on Friday. The loss put the Bulldogs at 3-3 in District 32-3A play.

Chase Hinojosa finished with 14 points and Julian Romero scored 12 points in the loss. Despite the defeat, the Dogs are in the playoffs as the three seed and will more than likely face Santa Getrudis in the bi-district round.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — In their final Bird Bowl meeting on the season, both Harlingen and Harlingen South needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

In front of a packed house at the Hawks gym, Cardinals junior point guard Michael Arellano stepped up with a 10-point fourth quarter performance and helped seal the game with four late free throws to complete the Red Birds’ 53-46 comeback victory.

“This is a big win for us. Against a great team like South and to win on the road is huge,” Arellano said.

The Cards now sit in a tie with Weslaco for second place with both teams holding a 9-4 record and one game left in the regular season. The Hawks, meanwhile, dropped to 8-5 and are tied with Brownsville Rivera for fourth place at 8-5 with one game remaining.

After a slow start offensively from both teams, Harlingen South’s Grant Lowery caught fire from beyond the arc and gave the Hawks their biggest lead of the night at 23-12. Lowery was the X-factor for the Hawks, who hit four 3-pointers in the first half and held a 23-14 lead at the break.

The second half was a different story, as the Cards found their grove and raced out to a 6-0 run to take a 34-29 lead on an Arellano 3 ball midway through the third period.

“In the second half we needed to slow down Lowery because he was hitting 3s and made the difference in the first half,” said Harlingen coach Greg Yates. “I told the kids that the best way to keep a scorer from shooting is to not let him catch the ball. At one point we were fouling him (Lowery) as soon as he caught the ball and we were pleased with that, and were able to contain him.”

Late in the contest, Arellano took control and finished with a game high 24 points. South managed to trim the lead to 49-46 in the final two minutes, but Arellano hit all four of his free throws to put the game out of reach in the final seconds.

“He (Michael) has been making plays for us all year,” Yates said. “He is a great offensive player, he just needs to get on a role and once he does he is able to close out games and hit free throws, and that was evident tonight.”

The Cards also got a solid performance from Kameryn Gonzalez, who scored nine points. Harlingen also welcomed back senior Matthew Sesler, who missed the last few weeks with an injury.

For the Hawks, Lowery finished with 18 points and senior Aaron Briones finished with seven.

Harlingen South will play at Los Fresnos on Tuesday and need a win, and some help in order to make the postseason.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — A day after national signing day, San Benito senior Hector De Jesus Jr. secured his future by signing his name on the dotted line.

De Jesus will play football for Texas State this fall.

“I’m excited and I can’t wait to get to Texas State and get to work,” he said Thursday. “When I went on my visit, I felt at home. From the coaching staff to the players it all felt like a brotherhood. Another thing I liked was they talked to me about their academics and that is one thing I take pride in.”

De Jesus spent three years on the Greyhounds varsity and was a part of a playoff team each of his three years. This past season he was one of four seniors along the offensive line that helped pave the way for quarterback Erick Retta and running back Tyrone Harper. This year he was named to the Valley Morning Star All-STAR first team offense.

Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas Lutheran University in Seguin were also a potential landing spot for De Jesus, but Texas State won out.

“I want to wish everyone the best of luck with their signings,” he said. “I have talked to some of the guys and I know they have been working hard just like me. We all share the same excitement on being able to compete at the next level. This has always been a goal of mine. Ever since I was a kid I knew I could do this so long as I worked hard.”

Hounds head coach Dan Gomez had high praise for De Jesus.

“The relationships we build with our athletes is key for us and a No. 1 priority for us as a coaching staff,” Gomez said. “To have him take his talents to the next level is gratifying for us as a staff. He also takes care of business in the classroom. My message to him would be to not forget where he came from and to remember what got him there, which is hard work and self-confidence.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

The Harlingen South Hawks basketball team is in the middle of the District 32-6A playoff race with just two games remaining and have won two straight.

Senior Sean Turrubiates has had a hand in the Hawks’ success this season and has played a vital role in their past two games.

He has contributed on both sides of the floor and thanks to his efforts was named the Valley Morning Star’s boys Player of the Week.

“Winning this award at this time of year means we’re all clicking as a team,” Turrubiates said. “Right now we’re all doing our part and we’re taking it one game at a time, and are focusing on making the playoffs.”

The Hawks currently sit at 8-4 in league play and are tied with Harlingen High and Weslaco High. Tonight, Turrubiates and the Hawks will face the rival Cardinals at home.

“The competitiveness of this district is great and it prepares us for the playoffs,” Turrubiates said. “We have been tested each night. It’s our crosstown rival that is always exciting. It’s going to be tough because we’re familiar with each other and the game has a lot weighing on it with the playoffs.”

Against Weslaco East last week, Turrubiates scored five points and against Brownsville Rivera on Tuesday he netted 21 points. In both games his defense also made a difference.

“Sean has done really well over the past few games,” said Hawks coach Brian Molina. “His shot selection has gotten better and has done a good job on letting the game come to him. What most people don’t realize is that he is a great defender. He has been given a few big tasks on having to guard either a point guard or defend down low, but he has done a great job and I’m proud of him.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

RIO HONDO — The second half of the 2017-18 high school basketball season has been quite the turnaround for the Rio Hondo Bobcats.

After a slow start to district play, the Cats have now won four straight and five of its last six to become playoff contenders.

“Our main focus is to finish the season strong,” said Bobcats coach Mike Alvarez. “We’re riding a four-game win streak and it would be a great confidence booster for these boys to finish off the season on a six-game win streak to end the regular season. Right now our mentality is to take it one game at a time.”

During their winning streak, the Bobcats have wins against Zapata, La Feria, Progreso and Port Isabel.

“The intensity and the attention to detail is there along with the 50-50 balls and kids fighting for rebounds and limiting our turnovers,” said Alvarez. “Those have been some key things to winning our last four games. Those small things are what make the difference. We know in this game it’s about runs and I tell the kids if we can finish with a run before the half and at the end of the game we will be in good shape.”

Senior point guard Oscar Cabello is looking to keep the win streak going and hopes to clinch a playoff berth. Against the Tarpons in their last meeting, Cabello netted 17 points in the win.

“It feels great to get some wins together,” Cabello said. “We never gave up on the season, we kept working hard and our minds are focused on basketball. We’re taking our practices more serious and we encourage each other. In our games we have been playing better defense and have been playing as one.”

On Friday, the Bobcats are at Raymondville and a win along with a La Feria loss would clinch the Cats the fourth spot in District 32-4A.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

RIO HONDO — The Rio Hondo Bobcats 2017 football season was one to remember for Erik Pizarro. And on Wednesday, the senior wide receiver sealed his college future by signing a letter of intent to play football at Lamar University next fall.

“This day means a lot to me. Ever since I was younger I have always wanted to play at a Division I school,” Pizarro said. “I envisioned myself doing this and here like I am today, but my best memories (from high school) are playing with my teammates, being able to play for such a great coaching staff and just putting out for the city of Rio Hondo.”

Pizarro was a part of one of the best offenses the Bobcats have ever seen. This year they averaged 45 points per game en route to a perfect district record along with a district and bi-district title.

Pizarro racked up huge numbers this past season as he hauled in 89 catches for 1,660 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. He also averaged 18.7 yards per catch and for a career had 132 catches for 2,454 yards and 30 touchdowns.

His strong 2017 campaign earned him first-team all-state, District 16-4A Offensive Player of the Year and he was named to the Valley Morn-ing Star’s All-STAR first team offense.

“I’m going to miss him personally. I have a great relationship with him,” said Rio Hondo coach Rocky James of Pizarro. “He left it all on the field with his team and from day one when we got him he wanted to play at the Division I level, and he will get that chance at Lamar. He had been looked at by a few schools, but once Lamar gave him an offer he knew he wanted to go there.”

Last year Pizarro was a part of the Blue-Grey All American game and was named the game’s offensive MVP. Pizarro plans on majoring in biology while at school.

“Lamar just felt like home. The coaching staff is great,” Pizarro said. “I got a warm welcome from the players as well and it just felt right. They recruited me to play receiver and their offense is similar to what I ran here in Rio Hondo so I’m excited to have the opportunity to play for the Cardinals.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Cardinals needed a win and got one in convincing fashion against San Benito on Tuesday, 70-40.

The Cards got a 21-point performance from junior Michael Arellano as Big Red kept their playoff hopes intact with an 8-4 District 32-6A record.

Harlingen entered Tuesday’s game missing three of its senior starters to injury in Matthew Sesler, Jeremy Vasquez and Rene Castillo. The Cards managed to get a strong 16-point performance from Diego Bazaldue and Kameryn Gonzalez finished in double figures with 10 points.

The Cards won each quarter and pulled away early in the second quarter leading 29-14. In the third period, Harlingen’s defense clamped down and yielded just eight points.

With the win, Harlingen remains tied with Harlingen South and Weslaco, which all won on Tuesday and have 8-4 records.

Up next is the Bird Bowl on Friday at South. The contest has major playoff implications with just one game remaining afterward.

“We approach every game with a winning mentality because everyone in this district is in control of their own destiny,” said Harlingen head coach Greg Yates. “We don’t have to worry about anyone else. We just worry about ourselves and getting better.”

SAUCEDA MAKES SEASON DEBUT: On Sept. 15, Harlingen senior Riley Sauceda went down with a season-ending injury during football season against San Antonio Reagan.

He suffered a knee injury and missed the remainder of the football season. Four months later, Sauceda made his basketball debut and got a warm welcome from the Cardinal faithful.

“I had been waiting to see when I could come back. The coaches wanted me to get a few minutes tonight to see how I would do,” Sauceda said after Friday’s game. “I feel great and I feel healthy. To see the crowd and my teammates support me the way they did means a lot.”

Sauceda’s original recovery was set for six months to a year, but that didn’t slow down Sauceda as he worked twice as hard to get back on the court.

“It was great to see Riley back. He has gone through a lot,” Yates said. “He busted his tail to get back. I told him we would be able to use him if he was able to defend and do something for us. I’m happy for him.”