KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

LOS FRESNOS — With the first half of district nearing, the race for the 32-6A title is beginning to take shape.

While there is plenty of time left in the season, the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons made a statement Saturday afternoon by defeating Harlingen 25-8, 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 on their home floor.

With the win, Los Fresnos (5-0) remains perfect in league play and will now shift its focus to Brownsville Rivera, which also won Saturday and is 5-0 as well. The two will meet Tuesday at Rivera.

Meanwhile, Harlingen (3-2) will host Brownsville Hanna (2-3) on Tuesday.

After a dominating first set by Los Fresnos, Harlingen settled down and answered back throughout the match. Midway through the second game, the Lady Flacons held a slim 15-13 lead, but pulled away for the 25-20 win.

A large part of the Los Fresnos fire power came from Giselle Ibarra and Emma Stambaugh. The duo pounded away to combine for 31 kills. Stambaugh led the team with 16 kills while Ibarra finished with 15. Stambaugh also finished the match with 10 digs and Ibarra finished with 15. Isis Delgado led the way with a team-high 29 digs.

“We came out on fire in the first game; it was a strong start,” said Los Fresnos coach Becky Woods. “In the second game, I thought we played well, but they (Harlingen) warmed up and in the third set they really warmed up, but our girls responded.”

Harlingen was able to accomplish something no other district opponent had done before this season and win a set against the Lady Falcons.

Prior to their loss in the third match, Los Fresnos had swept its opponents in each of their first four conference matches.

“I told the girls, ‘OK you lost your first set; it’s not a big deal.’ I told them to focus and settle down, and play like they played in the first two sets,” said Woods. “It’s good we took that one loss because it shows that we’re human. These kids, every now and then, need a reality check, but I’m proud of them on bouncing back and getting the win.”

For Harlingen, Yazmine Martinez led the way with 18 kills and seven digs. Kristen Kattan, Taegan Dickey and Monique Gonzalez finished with seven kills each. Meanwhile Julissa Munivez led the team in digs with 32 and Alina Prado finished with 37 assists and 12 digs.

“We had a slow start in the first set and that was the one thing we didn’t want to do,” said Harlingen coach Joslynn Torres. “I kept reminding the girls we couldn’t play catch-up, but I’m proud of their effort.

“In the third set we got off to a good start and we won. In the fourth set, I had confidence that we would win but they’re (Los Fresnos) a good team. We just had too many mistakes and missed serves, but we will regroup and get ready for our next game.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

RIO HONDO — On their homecoming night, Rio Hondo wasn’t going to let Hidalgo spoil the festivities. Tyler Bush and Erik Pizarro made sure of that.

Bush and Pizarro dominated the first half en route to a 59-0 win Friday night at Bobcat Stadium.

“When they (Hidalgo) came out, they picked up three first downs,” said Rio Hondo coach Rocky James. “They ran eight minutes off the clock in the first quarter. That’s Coach (Monty) Stumbaugh’s style and I was a little worried at the beginning. Once we got going and hit our stride, I knew we’re going to be OK.”

The Bobcats (2-1) have now won two in a row and their offense continues to roll as it has scored 30 or more points in all three of the Cats’ games this season.

Rio Hondo will now prepare for their Week Five matchup at Grulla, which beat Lyford 34-21 on Friday.

“They’re a very good football team,” said James of Grulla. “Last year we got the best of them here in Rio Hondo and now we go to Grulla and I know they are going to be ready. Offensively, they like to run the ball, but I know we will be ready for the challenge.”

Junior running back Jesus Garay had quite the second half for Rio Hondo as he scored four touchdowns highlighted by a 50-yard and 26-yard score.

BUSH TO PIZARRO: After a defensive stop in the second quarter, Pizarro made it 14-0 on a 55-yard punt return. Pizarro finished with three scores in the first half.

The Cats didn’t just get the job done through the air as Bush displayed his ground game with a 46-yard touchdown run to open up the scoring. Bush later escaped for a 53-yard scamper that set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Troy Macias that gave Rio Hondo a 21-0 lead with 5:20 left in the second quarter.

“We came out strong tonight and carried last week’s momentum into this week,” said Bush. “Our offensive line did a great job blocking up front and opened holes for us. My chemistry with (Pizarro) is great. We have been playing together since we were little and it has just grown as we’ve gotten older, and it’s picked up even more this season.”

The senior combo lit up the Friday night lights and made it look easy. Bush hit Pizarro for 7- and 16-yard touchdowns in the second quarter. The 16-yard score was Pizarro’s third of the night and extended the lead to 28-0.

“I feel this is what our offense is capable of doing. Hopefully, with some luck and God’s prayers we will be OK this season,” James said.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

RIO HONDO — Football in the Ortega family just comes natural. This season the Rio Hondo Bobcats’ defense has a pair of brothers in sophomore middle linebacker Joey Ortega and junior safety Josiah Ortega. Both siblings have contributed to the Bobcats’ D, which despite being young is beginning to take shape.

Both Ortegas have followed in the footsteps of their older brother, Joseph, who played cornerback for the Cats and graduated last year.

But the Ortega football bloodline doesn’t stop there as they have a younger brother, Jonah, who is the quarterback on the Bobcats’ freshman team.

“It’s a lot of fun playing together and it means a lot to our family to see all of us on the field,” said Josiah. “Our dad is always getting us ready for the season. He is big on high school football; he’s always pushing us to get better each day.”

While Josiah has experience at the varsity level, it was younger brother Joey who had to step in as a sophomore and learn on his feet while also adjusting to the speed of the varsity level.

“Over the summer when I found out I was going to be on the varsity, I was excited and anxious,” said Joey. “I have played football all my life and I have been waiting for this moment to be on the varsity. The biggest challenge for me has been the speed of the varsity and getting ready for bigger linemen. I’ve also had to work on my endurance and speed to not get craps, and keep in shape.”

Two weeks ago Joey made his varsity debut at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln and checked in 12 total tackles followed up by a 20-tackle performance in their Week Three win at Brownsville St. Joseph. Joey currently leads the team in tackles with 32.

HERNANDEZ PROVIDES VETERAN LEADERSHIP IN SECONDARY: The Rio Hondo secondary has the most experience on the defense and senior Ruben Hernandez is the main catalyst. Through two games, Hernandez has 19 total tackles on the season.

“As one of the leaders on defense, I’ll watch film and go over it with the younger guys on what to watch for and how to pick up on different things,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez is teamed up with Josiah Ortega in the secondary and has been quite the combo for the Bobcats. Ortega has 23 tackles on the year and one interception.

Hernandez does enjoy playing alongside the Ortega brothers.

“It’s kind of fun,” Hernandez said. “They get all pumped up and excited when they make a play and it’s all good. I enjoy playing with those guys.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

After getting swept by Brownsville Rivera on their home court, the Harlingen Lady Cardinals rebounded with back-to-back wins and their loss to the Lady Raiders feels like a distant memory.

On Tuesday, the Lady Red Birds swept Weslaco East 25-15, 29-27, 25-20 to improve to 3-1 in District 32-6A play. Their biggest game to date comes this Saturday when they travel to Los Fresnos (4-0) for a matinee match.

“As coaches, we’re doing everything we can to prepare our girls to be successful,” said Lady Cards head coach Joslynn Torres.

Lady Hounds gaining steam: San Benito needed a win and got one in convincing fashion Tuesday night. The Lady Hounds dominated their district opponent Harlingen South in three sets.

Alyssa Naranjo led the way with 11 kills, Kayleen Reyes had 10 kills and Sarah Garcia had 23 digs.

Much like football, District 32-6A is shaping up to be one of the toughest in the Valley. Currently, San Benito sits at 2-2 and is tied with Brownsville Hanna for the fourth seed. The two teams will do battle Saturday in what will be an important contest as the halfway mark of league play quickly approaches.

Lady Falcons, Lady Raiders leading 32-6A: There’s something to be said for living in the moment.

The Brownsville Rivera Lady Raiders and Los Fresnos Lady Falcons are doing just that as they are focusing solely on their next matches and not looking ahead.

Understandably, neither team’s coach wants to say all that much about next Tuesday’s league showdown between each other. That’s because the Lady Falcons and Lady Raiders first have to win matches on Saturday if they want to go into their showdown with unblemished conference records.

The focus for both teams remains on winning Saturday as neither coach wants her squad to get caught looking ahead.

That goes for Becky Woods at Los Fresnos and Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra at Rivera.

“I’m thinking,” Woods said when asked for her thoughts about Tuesday, but then opted not to comment further. Avelar-Guerra had a similar non-response to the question, indicating there would be no looking beyond Saturday’s matches for either team.

Lionettes, Lady Kats taking control of 32-4A: La Feria and Raymondville continue to roll with their latest wins on Tuesday.

La Feria defeated Zapata 25-15, 25-19, 25-16 to improve their District 32-4A record to 5-0 in league play.

Meanwhile, the Lady Kats routed Grulla to also boost their conference mark to 5-0.

The Lionetts got a strong performance from Karina Diaz, who finished with five digs and 13 assists on Tuesday. Alyssa Martinez also finished with five digs and wound up with 10 assists. Destiny Martinez led the team in digs with nine. Myah Salas had a team-high 14 kills along with six digs.

La Feria and Raymondville face off on Tuesday night at La Feria.

Roy Hess of the Brownsville Herald contributed to this report

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The question on whether Harlingen South head softball coach Elias Martinez was returning to San Benito was answered Wednesday evening.

“Coach Martinez has not turned in his resignation and he is the coach of the Harlingen South Lady Hawks softball team,” said Harlingen CISD athletic director Randy Creators on Wednesday.

Throughout the week there were rumors that Martinez was heading back to San Benito, where he had coached the softball team for 18 seasons and guided the program to two state tournament appearances.

Martinez has spent the last two seasons at Harlingen South and returned the Lady Hawks back into a contender in District 32-6A. This past season, the Lady Hawks finished third in league play, but reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013.

Meanwhile, the San Benito softball job remains open. The vacancy became available after Kristy Leal, who had been the Lady Hounds’ head coach since 2016, left for Mercedes after this past season.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — Coach Ruby Medina wanted her Lady Greyhounds to bring some intensity to their match against Harlingen South on Tuesday and she got her wish as San Benito swept Harlingen South 25-10, 25-10, 25-21.

The Lady Hounds (2-2 District 32-6A) are back at the .500 mark after falling to Brownsville Rivera over the weekend. San Benito’s offense brought the boom and was led by Kayleen Reyes and Alyssa Naranjo. The duo combined for 21 kills with Reyes finishing with 10 kills and Naranjo 11.

“The girls played totally different from the way they played Saturday and I’m proud of them,” said Medina. “It got close in the third set and we were in the lead, and we let them come back. I told them we can’t let teams come back on us. It’s important we finish.

“I told them coming in that we had to take it one set at a time and we want to win every match, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way and we can’t focus on the past, and tonight they came out to play and wanted to win, especially at home.”

It didn’t take long for San Benito to get rolling in the first set. Junior libero Sarah Garcia kept the offensive attack going with 23 digs. The Lady Hounds raced out to a 12-2 lead and didn’t look back from there.

The second set was much like the first as San Benito executed on offense and took advantage of the Lady Hawks’ miscues. San Benito led by as much as 19-6. Both Reyes and Naranjo wrapped up the second set with ease.

“We wanted to come out tonight and win all three sets, and we did that tonight,” said Reyes. “The last set got a little close, but we managed to adjust and get the win. We needed this win tonight. I’m proud of the way we came out and played. We knew we had to be prepared because we have had a habit of starting off slow, but tonight I think we changed that. We started and finished strong.”

San Benito remains in the district hunt and will now shift its focus to Brownsville Hanna on Saturday at Hanna. Harlingen South (0-4), meanwhile, will welcome in Weslaco High, also on Saturday,

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Heading into Week Four, a majority of the Valley’s bigger schools have a bye week, including Harlingen, Harlingen South and San Benito, who have two weeks to prepare for their district openers.

The Cardinals pulled off an upset win against San Antonio Reagan and have momentum in their favor heading into the bye week. A late safety by Eladio Flores gave the Cards at 22-20 win over San Antonio Reagan.

Senior quarterback Daniel Ramirez went 20 for 29 for 212 yards and two touchdowns with just one interception. Senior wide receiver Joe Reyna finished with six catches for 91 yards and a score while Ethan Martinez hauled in four catches for 49 yards.

Ramirez’s two biggest passes of the night came on a pair of touchdown passes. He hit Reyna for a 43-yard score that gave Harlingen a 13-7 lead at halftime and his second touchdown pass went to Martinez on a 7-yard strike that put Big Red up 20-7 in the third quarter.

The Cards have won two in a row and will prepare for Harlingen South in their district opener on Sept. 29.

HOUNDS CONTINUE TO WIN: Running back Tyrone Harper made his presence known Friday night against McAllen Memorial.

The senior returned the opening kickoff for a score en route to a 31-7 win over the Mustangs. Harper set the tone and finished the night with 24 carries for 182 yards and a score.

San Benito’s defense once again did a number against the Mustangs, holding their offense to seven points for a second year in a row. Memorial running back Campbell Speights finished with 21 carries for 91 yards, which was a season low.

The Hounds’ defense was led by Ryan Reza and Pedro Gomez. Reza finished with 14 tackles while Gomez was a force with 19.

San Benito rolls into the bye week as RGVSports.com’s No. 1 team and opens district play against Los Fresnos at home on Sept. 29.

HAWKS LOOKING FOR ANSWERS: Harlingen South is still looking for a complete performance this season. The Hawks fell behind the eight ball against Edinburg North last Thursday and couldn’t catch up as they lost the game 24-7 and dropped to 1-2 overall.

Over the first two weeks, a strong rushing attack fueled a relentless pass rush. However, that just wasn’t the case Thursday night.

Harlingen South struggled to find its passing game while the Cougars’ defense held their own against the run.

Hawks running back Jorge Alicea’s 1-yard touchdown run cut the lead to 10-7 early in the third quarter, but he finished the night with 21 carries for just 72 yards.

On the bright side, sophomore cornerback Enrique Alvarado picked off his third interception of the season and senior defensive end Brandon Bennett added to his sack total by finishing the night with three.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — In what is being pegged their biggest upset since defeating Abilene in 2011, the Harlingen Cardinals did what no Cardinal team has done before: Beat San Antonio Reagan.

On Friday night there was just that magical feeling that something special was brewing.

With less than a minute left, Cardinals quarterback/punter Daniel Ramirez pinned the Rattlers at their own 1-yard line. On the very next play, pure nirvana happened as senior linebacker Eladio Flores sacked Reagan quarterback Cade Cogburn for a safety giving the Cardinals a 22-20 lead with 43 seconds left.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Rattlers muffed the ball and Harlingen’s Jaime Galvan recovered the loose ball to seal the Cardinals’ win and send Boggus Stadium into a frenzy.

“I’m very happy right now; to be the first team to beat Reagan,” said Flores “On that last defensive play I went 100 miles per hour and I didn’t think, I just rushed in and got the sack. It was surreal and I didn’t think I could get it but I did. This win brings up our confidence because we’re a young team. This is something we can build on.”

Cards coach Manny Gomez was just as thrilled.

“That is what you call a 48-minute game,” said Gomez. “Honestly, I’m glad they (Reagan) didn’t start throwing the ball earlier and they had a lot of size. They discovered something late, but thank God it was late. Other than that, I’m super ecstatic for our kids. They have been working really hard and they have had to grow up. They competed tonight and I’m proud.”

CARDS DIDN’T BACK DOWN: Harlingen made the early statement on third and long as Nathan Martinez picked off a Cogburn pass to set up the Cardinal offense at the 41-yard line.

The Cards, led by Ramirez, directed the offense and cashed in on a pair of Jacob Garza field goals that gave Harlingen a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter.

After giving up the lead at 7-6 with under two minutes left in the half, on third and long Ramirez hit Joe Reyna for a 43-yard strike that gave the Cards a 13-7 lead at the half. Reyna had quite the night hauling in seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

In the third quarter, Ramirez hit Ethan Martinez on a 7-yard strike to extend the Cards’ lead to 20-7 late in the third quarter. Ramirez finished the game with 202 yards, two touchdowns while going 19 for 26 through the air.

“They (Reagan) can compete; it was tough,” said Reyna. “We stayed strong for four quarters and I thank my team for keeping me focused and my quarterback for trusting me to make plays. I’m excited right now to be able to beat a San Antonio team in Harlingen. It’s surreal.”

RED BIRDS HOLD OFF LATE RALLY: At the start of the fourth quarter, Reagan trailed 20-7, but Cogburn hit Konner Fox for a 33-yard touchdown that pulled the Rattlers within a touchdown at 20-13 with 6:05 left. Reagan wasn’t done as it forced a three-and-out on its next drive. Cogburn again showed off his arm on a 52-yard strike to Drew Ureste that tied the game at 20 with 2:57 remaining.

Harlingen (2-1) will enter its bye week on a high note and will have two weeks to prepare for Harlignen South (1-2) on Sept. 29.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — For the past four seasons, San Benito and McAllen Memorial have squared off and split the series. This season’s game, which marks the fifth meeting between the two, should not disappoint as both squads sit at 2-0.

“We had a physical week of practice, just like all the other ones,” said San Benito coach Dan Gomez. “Week to week it’s all the same. We get ready to face the best team each Friday and it’s business as usual.”

Gomez has had the challenge of facing both star running back Trevor Speights and now Campbell Speights over the last few years.

“At this point it’s just a matter of size. The running abilities are similar. They’re difficult to prepare for and all we can do is prepare the best way we can, and have a physical practice and be ready Friday night,” said Gomez.

Battle of the Minds: Not only will this game feature some of the Valley’s sharpest athletes, but two of the most successful coaches in the Valley. Coach Bill Littleton has led the Mustangs for 14 seasons and recently won his 100th career game. His counterpart, Dan Gomez, also ranks among the best in the game. Gomez is in his fourth year at San Benito. It should be a chess match between the two brilliant minds tonight.

Feed Em’: Tyrone Harper is back for his senior year at the running back position for the Hounds and offensive coordinator Gilbert Leal will most likely give Harper a heavy dose of carries tonight. In the Hounds’ Week Two win over SA East Central, Harper rushed for 176 yards on 19 carries.

Harper’s counterpart, Campbell Speights, will look for some redemption. Last season the Hounds’ defense held him in check as he rushed for only 75 yards on 22 carries.

Air it out: San Benito quarterback Erick Retta has gotten off to a solid start this season. The senior has thrown for 331 yards and four touchdowns with just one interception. Last season in the Hounds win over Memorial, he threw for 182 yards on just 13 attempts with three scores.

Defensive keys: Strong safety Kelechi Nwachuku has been a force in the Mustangs’ secondary. The senior has 25 tackles, two forced fumbles and is averaging 12.5 tackles a game. Nwachuku will patrol the secondary against Hounds wide receivers Tyler Solis and Isaiah Trevino.

Another match up to watch is between Hounds cornerback Payne Guajardo and Memorial wide receiver Josh Sanchez, who provides the Mustangs with size and the ability to stretch the field.

San Benito defensive ends Ryan Reza and Avelino Garcia will look to bring the heat off the edge and put pressure on the ‘Stangs offense, which is led by junior quarterback Sean Skaugen, who threw for 187 yards and four TDs in a win over Weslaco East last Friday.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — Edinburg North spoiled Harlingen South’s home opener with a 24-7 win Thursday night at Boggus Stadium.

The Cougars marched their way to their first win of the season behind the legs of sophomore quarterback Iziaah Rangel.

“We played really well on defense at times, then the offense isn’t clicking, then the defense doesn’t play well,” said Hawks coach Brian Ricci. “We haven’t been able to put it all together at the same time and that is where we want to go.”

After Edinburg North starting quarterback Frankie Zuniga left the game with an injury in the second quarter, Rangel stepped in and led the Cougars to 21 points. Rangel ran for a 60-yard touchdown that gave the Cougars a 10-0 lead with three minutes left in the first half.

South was unable to get its running game going. Jorge Alicea finished the night with 18 carries and 55 yards and a score.

On the opening drive of the second half, South marched down the field and scored on a 1-yard Alicea run. The Hawks cut into the lead at 10-7, but that is as close as the Hawks got.

“I tip my hat to him (Rangel), he is a heck of an athlete and can run the ball really well. They (Cougars) executed and we didn’t,” said Ricci.

Edinburg North answered with a pair of long touchdown runs in third quarter. Cristian Flores ran in for a 34-yard score followed by a 32-yard touchdown run from Rangel that sealed the win for Edinburg North.

The Cougars (1-2) will enter their bye week before they open district play against Edinburg Vela Sept. 29.

HAWKS’ D HOLDS ITS OWN: In the first half, the Hawks’ defense kept them in the game with a pair of stops led by Brandon Bennett, who finished the game with three sacks. He now has seven on the year.

On 2nd and third, Bennett came up with a tackle for a loss and a sack on third down that forced Edinburg North to kick a field goal.

Edinburg North went for it on 4th and 2, leading 3-0 with 4:57 left in the second quarter. Bennett came off the edge and sacked QB Frankie Zuniga. Enrique Alvarado added to his interception total with his third interception of the season.

“We started flat tonight and there is no excuse for that,” Ricci said. “We have two weeks to prepare and we need to go back to fundamentals from blocking to tackling that’s what football is.”

The Hawks (1-2) will now enter their bye week and will open district play against Harlingen in the annual Bird Bowl on Sept. 29.