KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — On the eve of the Battle of the Arroyo, the San Benito Greyhounds had a night to reflect on what has been a season to remember.

Half of their story has been written with a dominating district run, but their story continues tonight when they host Harlingen High.

A win would see the Hounds hoist an outright district title and set their sights on the playoffs.

This season, the Hounds offense has run through and around opposing teams. On the other side of the ball, coach Dan Gomez has seen his defense emerge as one of the more physical units in the Valley.

The Hounds boast one of the top pass rush units, but their anchor of the defense lies with the hard-hitting senior line backing corps of Payne Guajardo, Pedro Gomez and Ryan Castillo.

“Ever since we started our offseason last year, we built a great team bond and everything has flowed into this season,” Guajardo said. “This rivalry with Harlingen is great. It’s intense and I love being a part of it.”

Guajardo has 53 total tackles and has a knack for finding the ball with nine tackles for loss. Castillo, meanwhile, has checked in 66 total tackles and averages 7.3 tackles per game. Gomez, on the other hand, has been a tackling machine with a team-high 79 total tackles and 9.9 tackles per game.

This year’s senior group has an opportunity to complete an unblemished regular season and have shown no signs of slowing down.

“Each day I go out and practice hard, and that translates over to the field,” Gomez said. “My coaches have helped and taught me a lot this year and every time I go out there I do my job and this year has been big for me, and I’m ready to help my team win a district title.”

The chemistry between the defense unit is a testament to defensive coordinator Michael Mull.

“I think our chemistry goes back to Coach Mull and the schemes he puts together,” said Castillo. “He has us working together and knows where to put us. A lot of these guys have been playing together since we were little. I’ve played with Ryan Reza since I was 6 years old and to see us on the verge of a district title is rewarding, and we’re excited.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — The San Benito Greyhounds have passed every test they have faced this season.

Tonight’s Battle of the Arroyo will conclude a regular season that Hounds fans won’t forget as they have seen their home team tear through District 32-6A and are the cusp of an outright district title.

The Hounds’ up-tempo offense has been flawless this season. Built with a strong offense line and a bevy of weapons, the offense has averaged 267 yards on the ground and 159 yards through the air.

Senior signal caller Erick Retta orchestrates the offense with mastery and has posted solid numbers over the regular season. He’s thrown for 1,391 yards and has 18 touchdowns to just one interception. Moreover, he has a strong 132.9 QB rating and is looking forward to playing in his final Battle.

“I have to start by thanking my offensive line, they’re amazing,” said Retta. “They’re a veteran group and I’m thankful to have them blocking for Tyrone (Harper) and I. Without them we wouldn’t be here. Coach (Dan) Gomez has done a good job of keeping us healthy and it’s important that we’re all healthy. Our big game experience is a key for us; we have been here before. We know what’s at stake and we are confident that we can get the job done.”

In his second year as a Greyhound running back, Tyrone Harper has made San Benito his home and has had a breakout senior season.

“I’m from San Antonio and I have seen some big teams, but there is nothing like San Benito football. The fans and the community here is amazing,” Harper said. “I have really enjoyed my time here. It’s going to be a great feeling being able to take the field for the Battle one last time with my brothers. I’m ready to play my heart out.”

Harper leads the district with 1,391 yards on 141 carries and has reached pay dirt 18 times. The most impressive stat is yards per carry where he is averaging 7.9 yards a carry.

Senior wide receiver Isaiah Trevino has served as Retta’s go-to target and has hauled in 33 passes for 670 yards and eight touchdowns this year. He has also provided the offense with the ability to run the ball with 20 carries for 229 yards and two touchdowns.

“I feel like we’re ready,” Trevino said. “We have had a great week of practice and everyone is focused on Friday night. This is what you remember and this is how you get remembered. It’s our senior year and we tell the younger guys to keep focused and to not get distracted by any outside noise, and to remember what we have worked hard for.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Cardinals are in uncharted waters as they enter their final game of the 2017 season.

Despite not qualifying for the playoffs, Harlingen will aim to end the season on a winning note. That will be a tall order, however, as the Cards travel to Bobby Morrow Stadium to meet their longtime rival San Benito in this year’s Battle of the Arroyo.

Senior free safety Nathan Martinez has checked in a solid senior year and enters the final week with two interceptions and 56 total tackles.

“It’s been an emotional ride, but we’re going to give it our best shot. It’s all about overcoming and we’re focused on San Benito,” Martinez said. “This last game means everything. I have come a long way from when I was just a little kid. This is all we have done since we were kids and all we knew was Cardinal football. I’m excited to go out and play with my brothers.”

The Cardinals have dropped three straight and are out of the postseason for the first time since1999 and for the first time under head coach Manny Gomez, who made the playoffs in his first 10 seasons.

Last season, Harlingen saw Giovanni Guillen boot a 52-yard game-winning field goal to give the Cards a Battle win and the district title. This year’s battle has a different twist. The Cards will be playing for pride and looking to spoil San Benito’s perfect season. A loss for San Benito and a win by Brownsville Hanna would see the district title shared between the two.

In the past five years, Harlingen has won the Battle twice in 2016 and 2013. It will take a full effort from Big Red if they want to pull off the upset against the Greyhounds.

“We are going to play our hearts out because it’s our last game,” said senior right tackle Grant Drabek. “The emotions are high, it’s the Battle of the Arroyo and it’s always fun. This season my best memory was the Reagan game. We lost to them our sophomore and junior year, and this year was sweet to be able to beat them at home. It was a game I won’t forget.”

Seniors Garrison Medley and Sam Alonzo will guide the Cards’ defense one more time as they wrap up their high school careers. Medley leads the team in tackles and has served as the quarterback of the defense with a bright mind for the game. Alonzo, meanwhile, currently has four sacks and 70 tackles on the season.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The 2017 season wasn’t what Harlingen hoped it be. However, the Cards still have some of the Valley’s best talent. Senior defensive end Sam Alonzo was a key factor to the Cardinals’ defense. Alonzo will play in his final game as a Cardinal in Friday’s Battle of the Arroyo. The Valley Morning Star had a chance to catch up with him.

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Q: How has the final week of practice been for you?

A: It’s been really great. I feel like we have had a great week, and we have prepared physically and mentally for this week. We will finish our season strong.

Q: The season went by quickly. When did it hit you that this was your senior season?

A: Once the offseason started last year it hit me knowing it’s going to be my last season as a Harlingen Cardinal. Once I saw the seniors leave, I knew it was my turn to step up and lead the team for this season and also to never have any regrets while on the field.

Q: Looking back, what has been the best memory you have had as a Cardinal?

A: To me it’s creating a brotherhood knowing that no one will break it because we will always have each other’s backs. Not just on the field, but also off the field.

Q: Friday will be the last time you play San Benito. How much fun has it been to be a part of such a historic rivalry?

A: It has been such a rush knowing you have such a big rivalry game coming up, you just get really excited to play and it is a wonderful experience.

Q: What’s the best part of playing San Benito?

A: It is a big rivalry so there will be a lot of fans on both sides of the field, and just running out of the helmet and seeing all of the fans is honestly the best part about playing your rival.

Q: What’s the environment like when you play San Benito?

A: There is a lot of tension between the two cities, but we just try to ignore it and focus on what we have to do and our assignments.

Q: Who is your favorite defense end in the NFL and why?

A: I would have to say J.J. Watt. He is a beast and he never quits on anything. I really look up to him as my role model when I play football and he never backs down from anything.

Q: If you could have dinner with anyone in history who would it be and why?

A: I would have to say (boxer) James J. Braddock. He was very aggressive in the ring and he fought for his family to stay alive. That was his motivation to keep going and keep fighting.

Q: What will be your message be to the underclassmen?

A: Keep fighting, never give up and don’t ever quit on your team because they aren’t just your team. It is a bond that you make with them that only you will understand and keep it strong; never stop grinding and always strive for greatness.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — On the football field it’s not hard to spot Brandon and Brady Bennett.

The two brothers both stand 6-foot-3. Brandon plays defensive end for the Harlingen South Hawks while Brady plays tight end.

The 2017 season has been one to remember for the Bennett family as they saw the brothers take the field together for the Hawks.

The brothers grew up playing football, however they were never able to play together on the same team. Brandon is 18 and currently a senior while little brother Brady is 15 and is a sophomore.

“I was always in the older group growing up,” said Brandon. “Growing up we weren’t able to play together until we got to the varsity. I remember hearing that he was getting moved up and I was excited because I always knew my brother could play at the varsity level, and having him here with me has been fun.”

The brothers also play basketball for the Hawks. Last year, Brady, who was a freshman, was on the varsity team and was able to play with Brandon.

On the football field, Brady made his varsity debut against Harlingen High at the beginning of the district season and had his first career start against Brownsville Hanna a few weeks ago.

“I get excited playing under the Friday night lights. It gets me pumped,” Brady said. “It’s exciting to see the crowd and I feed off that energy. The speed at the varsity level is a lot faster and everyone is a lot bigger. I have learned a lot from my brother and every time I make a play, I can hear my brother shouting my name and that motivates to me keep making plays.”

On Friday, the Hawks will host Brownsville Rivera in their final game of the season. It will also mark the final time the Bennett brothers will take to the football field together.

Brandon has provided the Hawks with a solid high school career and has been a sack master this season. Meanwhile, Brady has provided quarterback David Torres with a presence over the middle.

“I’m proud of my brother,” said Brandon. “I always knew he could play at this level. I have goals to keep playing at the college level, and I know one day he will be able to follow my footsteps and play at the next level, too.”

Brady had been waiting for the opportunity to play at the varsity level and when he got the news his big brother was the first person he told.

“My first reaction was to tell my brother because I’ve always wanted to play with him,” he said. “I was excited because I fulfilled my dream of playing with my brother, and being able to show him what I got and to play at his level. It has been fun and we’re ready to take the field.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen South Hawks will have an opportunity to finish off their season on a high note.

South closes out the 2017 season against Brownsville Rivera at Boggus Stadium on Friday.

Both Rivera and South haven’t won a game since their season openers and both teams would like to head into the offseason with some confidence.

The Hawks will graduate 24 seniors this season, including defensive end Brandon Bennett, defensive tackle Sky Tatum, quarterback Dylan Carreon and running back Jorge Alicea.

“We can’t dwell on the past and we have a challenge Friday night, and the kids are excited,” said Hawks coach Brian Ricci. “We are going to practice like we always do and I want our seniors to enjoy it. This will be their last high school football game and I know they will be ready to go.”

Senior right guard Aaron Limas has enjoyed his two years under Ricci and looks to end his career with a win. Last season Limas played right tackle but moved to right guard this season.

“Everyone wants to end the season with a bang,” Limas said. “I know we didn’t have the season we planned, but we’re excited and really taking this week in. It hit me a couple of weeks ago that my senior season is coming to an end. I enjoyed playing for Coach Ricci. He knows his football and he had a great coaching staff to work with. It’s something I’m going to miss.”

Looking forward the Hawks will see nine returning on offense and seven returning on defense. Quarterback David Torres and running back Emilio Quiroz will return to guide the offense. On defense, meanwhile, safety Kaleb Solis and linebacker Cole Cooley will lead the defense.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — The McAllen Rowe Lady Warriors made it clear that they’re one of the top teams in the Valley when it comes to volleyball.

On Saturday, Rowe completed a 25-20, 25-20, 25-20 area-round playoff sweep over San Benito and advanced to the Class 6A regional quarterfinals.

“It’s always tough to play on the road, especially in the playoffs,” said Rowe coach Magda Canales. “There are always adjustments that need to be made, but I thought our girls came out strong and performed today.”

Rowe will play Laredo United at 7 p.m. Monday at Alice High School.

Despite the loss, San Benito head coach remained positive and optimistic about her team’s future.

“All season long our girls played hard and this is an accomplishment to make the second round for the first time since 2011,” said Medina. “Our girls played well against a tough team in Nikki Rowe. We struggled with some of the rotations and missed on some opportunities, but I’m proud of my girls on how they played.”

The Lady Warriors came out swinging in the first set and took an early 16-10 lead and then Rowe saw junior Jackelyn Alanis take over the contest. Alanis fueled the Lady Warriors’ attack with a team-high 34 kills and 35 digs.

Rowe took early leads in all three sets and never looked back. Adrianna Martinez finished the day with three kills and 18 digs.

San Benito has a successful 2017 season led by veteran coach Medina. The Lady Hounds will lose their top three hitters to graduation, Kayleen Reyes, Krystal Ibarra and Arlene Lucero. However, they’ll have plenty of key pieces returning next season with Sarah Garcia, Ariel Garcia, Alysa Naranjo and Andrea DeLeon all slated to return to the lineup.

“We set the pace for the younger girls coming up,” Medina said. “I told the younger girls to keep their heads up because this is something we hadn’t done since 2011. Next year we want to come back strong and aim for a district title and go on a playoff run. This year, I had a lot of sophomores so defensively we will be strong, I’ll have to replace my hitters, but we will be OK.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

One week remains in the regular season and in District 32-6A the playoff picture is almost fully complete.

On Friday night, Weslaco East, Brownsville Hanna and San Benito all locked up playoff spots. Los Fresnos, meanwhile, clinched the playoff spot with a win on Saturday over Brownsville Rivera.

The final week of the regular season will determine seedings for the bi-district round.

Hounds clinch a share of 32-6A crown: The San Benito Greyhounds’ offense was at full force Friday night and with the Battle of the Arroyo on the horizon, the Hounds kept their focus and took care of Weslaco 64-14 on Friday to capture at least a share of the district title.

QB Erick Retta continued to shine, throwing for four touchdowns. He now has 18 TDs through the air this season. On the night, Retta was flawless going 12 for 16 for 250 yards.

Retta connected with fellow senior Isaiah Trevino for a pair of scores from 57 and 9 yards out.

The Hounds also saw their defense chip in with a pick six from John Gonzales.

San Benito will now prepare for the Battle of the Arroyo at home. A win would secure the district title outright.

Cards drop third straight, miss postseason: For the first time since 1999, the Cardinals will not be in the playoffs. The absence from the postseason is a first for head coach Manny Gomez, who has qualified for the playoffs in each of his 10 seasons.

The Cardinals dropped their third straight Friday night against Brownsville Hanna. The Eagles’ defense held the Cards offense to a season-low 195 total yards.

Harlingen will now prepare for the Battle of the Arroyo. A win for the Cards would send them into the offseason with confidence heading into 2018.

South aiming for strong finish: Despite a strong effort against Weslaco East, the Hawks are still in search for their first district win. Week 11 will provide that opportunity for the seniors to end their high school careers with a win as they host Brownsville Rivera, which is also winless in league play.

Both Derrick Delgado and Brady Bennett checked in solid outings through the air. Delgado reeled in a season-high seven catches for 130 yards and a score while Bennett caught four passes for 59 yards and a score.

With running backs Jorge Alicea and Emilio Quiroz sidelined with injuries, Corban Hendrick led the backfield with 13 attempts and 82 yards rushing.

David Torres aired it out against a stout East defense. Torres went 23 for 36 with 239 yards. The Hawks’ offense was able to post 378 total yards.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Cardinals could not overcome a slew of turnovers, saw their losing streak extend to three games and put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, Hanna continued its storybook season with a 32-6 District 32-6A win Friday night at Boggus Stadium in the Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week.

The Golden Eagles (7-2, 5-1) rebounded in a big way after a rough Week 9 loss to San Benito. With the victory, Hanna clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2009 and beat Harlingen for the first time since 1993.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, dropped to 5-4 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Hanna will meet Weslaco East while Harlingen will prepare for San Benito in the final week of the regular season.

“I hate to go back in time, but last week we struggled but I believe we belong where we are,” said Hanna head coach Mark Guess. “We knew if we wanted to make the playoffs we had to win here in Harlingen and take care of business. This week we had a great week of practice and it showed. The kids came in with the right mind set and much credit to Harlingen. They’re a heck of a team and program.”

After a turnover-filled first half, Hanna held a slim 3-0 lead after a 50-yard field goal by Miguel Payan at the buzzer.

Both offenses struggled to find the end zone with Hanna turning the ball over twice while the Cards coughed it up three times in the first half.

After a 33-yard touchdown run from Ceasar Mancias, however, the momentum fully shifted with Hanna leading 10-0. A muffed punt saw Hanna recover the ball at the Cardinal 1-yard line and sophomore Quarterback Victor Campos gave the Eagles a 17-0 lead after a 1-yard touchdown run with 3:36 left in the third quarter.

Hanna’s offense then exploded for 29 second-half points behind their workhorse running back Mancias. Campos added a touchdown through the air on a 19-yard strike to Rolando Ramirez while teammate Joe Cavazos added to the onslaught with a 49-yard touchdown run that capped off the 32-6 win.

Despite the lopsided score, Harlingen got a strong effort from its defense, which yielded just three first-half points and forced turnovers led by Garrison Medley and Sam Alonzo.

But on the night, Harlingen just could not get out of its own way with four turnovers missed chances.

“You can’t make mistakes against a good offensive club like Hanna,” said Cards head coach Manny Gomez. “They just whipped us and my hat’s off to Coach Guess and their coaching staff. They’re doing a great job.

“Tonight was one of those things where it’s hard to keep the kids focused and positive when you’re behind because we’re not used to it, but it is what it is and it’s just part of it.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

vOne key factor will be senior wide receiver Ethan Martinez, who has provided the Cards an aerial attack with 41 receptions, 588 yards and six touchdowns. The Valley Morning Star had a chance to catch up with Martinez on the eve of the VMS Game of the Week.

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Q: It’s your senior year. Has it hit you that it’s your final season?

A: Yes, it has hit me, especially because it is flying by so fast. It’s almost the end of the season.

Q: You’re having a solid season. What where some things you worked on in the offseason?

A: I worked on my work ethic, which needed some repairs. I fell off the platform last year and that upset me because I did it to myself, so I knew I needed to work hard and keep grinding.

Q: What motivates you to play football?

A: Seeing my older brother play is what motivated me to go out and play football.

Q: How much does it mean to play for the Harlingen Cardinals football program?

A: I’ve wanted to play for the Cards ever since I was in elementary school. Now that I’m here, I want to make the most of it and play as hard as I can, and also to gain the most I can out of it and not just in football. I feel like I have acquired a lot.

Q: As a leader of the team, how do you help guide the underclassman?

A: I always tell them they will get out what they put in and to understand the expectations of the program.

Q: Talk about the connection you have with quarterback Daniel Ramirez?

A: Before the season, our connection wasn’t as strong. However, we both got better and progressed, and learned how to read defenses better.

Q: Who is your favorite NFL receiver and why?

A: It would have to be Dallas Cowboys Terrence Williams because when his number is called he steps in and makes big plays when he’s needed.