KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — Fresh off their win against Edcouch-Elsa on Saturday, San Benito entered Tuesday night’s matchup on a roll.

Meanwhile, McAllen High looked to rebound after its loss against Harlingen over the weekend.

The Lady Bulldogs answered the call and swept the Lady Hounds, 26-24, 25-23, 25-20.

McAllen High improved to 19-2 while the Lady Hounds post a 17-5 record. San Benito will now shift its focus to their District 32-6A opener against Los Fresnos on Saturday.

“We had some good spurts here and there, and we had the lead,” said San Benito coach Ruby Medina. “It’s definitely a tough loss; we have been playing really well, but sometimes you have to lose to get better. We will find out what our mistakes were and we will learn from them.”

San Benito’s offense got off to a solid start in the first set. Senior Crystal Ibarra led the team with 13 kills. The Lady Hounds led by as many as seven, but saw their 19-13 lead slip away as McHi rallied to win the set 26-24.

In the second and third sets, the Lady Bulldogs picked up the pace. Junior libero Sarah Garcia kept her offense going with 44 digs.

Ibarra rallied the Lady Hounds and they took their first lead in the second set at 14-13. Both teams went back and fourth, tying the score down the stretch, but it was McHi that had the last run to win the set 25-23.

Kayleen Reyes finished with six kills and seven assists.

In the third set, McHi fell behind early 13-8, but much like the first two sets, the Lady Dogs’ offense heated up and tied the score at 19.

A late 6-1 run put the Lady Dogs over the top as they completed the sweep.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — It was a matchup of two of the hottest teams in the Valley and the price of admission was worth paying.

McAllen High won the first two sets of the match, imposing its will with an aggressive approach.

But after falling behind, Harlingen rallied to win the next three sets to stun McHi, 25-15, 25-11, 25-18, 25-23, 15-11 Saturday afternoon at the Lady Cardinals gym.

The Lady Cards settled down and found their footing in the final three sets. Senior Yazmine Martinez guided the Lady Cards’ attack with 20 kills.

“We came out intimidated. I told the girls just because they won the first set, doesn’t mean it’s all over,” said Harlingen coach Joslynn Torres. “That’s the beautiful thing about volleyball, they give you a chance to win three out of five. I told my seniors before the third set that this will be the last time they play McHi on their home floor. It’s a privilege to play them. They’re a big school and they are always in the playoffs, so I challenged them to prove themselves.”

The Lady Cards turned the momentum in the third set by taking a 14-13 lead and did not look back, winning the set 25-18.

Over the course of the next two sets, the ball rolled Harlingen’s way and the Lady Cards looked like a fresh, calm and collected bunch.

Julissa Munivez kept the offensive attack going with a team-high 26 digs. Meanwhile, Kristen Kattan followed with 16 kills. Both Alina Prado and Ashlyn Suarez fed the hitters with a combined 36 assists. Prado finished with 22 and Suarez with 14.

“In Game 3 all the fundamentals we do in practice paid off. They did everything to a T,” said Torres. “After Game 3 we rode our momentum into the next two sets. Coming back like this says a lot about the kids’ character. They never gave up against one of the top teams in the Valley. They key was us getting off to a strong start and that’s what they needed heading into the final sets.”

After taking the third and fourth sets, Harlingen got off to a quick 5-0 lead in the fifth, but McHi answered back tying the score at five. But it was the Lady Red Birds who finished with the final run, sealing a 15-11 fifth set win.

In what could be a playoff matchup sometime down the line, Saturday’s atmosphere most certainty felt like a playoff game.

“We realized we needed to relax and play the game that got us here,” said Martinez. “We just got back to playing our style. At first, we were a little intimidated. They’re (McHi) a very good team, they just won the San Antonio tournament and came in ready to play. Coach (Torres) believed in us throughout the match and after the first two sets she told us we have three sets left. This is the craziest game I’ve been a part of. I’m excited to have been a part of it.”

Harlingen (13-4) has now passed their non-district test with wins over Los Fresnos, Edcouch-Elsa and now McHi. The grueling non-district schedule has been a measuring stick for what’s to come in a competitive District 32-6A.

“I told the girls that today was the biggest test for us,” said Torres. “We knew McHi was going to show up and play and it was a matter if we were going to show up and rise to the occasion. Our girls never quit and rose to that challenge.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

There is no doubt that Mission Veterans quarterback Landry Gilpin is the real deal. Gilpin rushed for 188 yards and one score, while throwing for 188 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-26 win against Harlingen on Thursday.

The Cardinals, who were ranked No. 3 in the Valley, couldn’t seem to get out of their own way by turning the ball over four times and trailed 14-0 at the half. Quarterback Daniel Ramirez went 24 for 41 with 321 yards, three scores and one interception.

A high note for the Cards was wide receiver Riley Sauceda, who hauled in 12 catches for 222 yards and three touchdowns. The Cards will look to regroup at Laredo United South on Thursday.

Hounds Rally Past Horns: Great teams find ways to win and that was the case Friday night for the San Benito Greyhounds.

Erick Retta drove the Hounds down the field on a 16-play, 78-yard game- winning drive that gave the Valley’s top-ranked team a 23-20 win. Retta finished the game 11 for 24 with 101 yards and a touchdown.

On the ground, San Benito rushed for 163 yards on 34 carries as six different Hounds carried the ball. Tyrone Harper led the backfield with 87 yards on 16 carries and a score. Retta ran for 35 yards on 10 carries as

The Hounds have now beaten Laredo United in back-to-back season openers and will now head north to meet San Antonio East Central.

Hawks rushing attack too much for Bulldogs: The question for Harlingen South heading into Friday night’s game versus McHi was how the Hawks would perform despite not having played a scrimmage. The answer turned out to be: Just fine.

Hawks running back Jorge Alicea ran wild for three scores and 225 yards on 19 carries en route to a 34-21 win.

Meanwhile, the Hawks defense was solid. Jose Lara had quite the performance on Friday as the junior cornerback picked off two passes. Lara’s first pick came in the second quarter when Lara cut off the route and returned it 61-yards for the score.

On the opening drive in the second half, Lara read the quarterback’s eyes and stepped in for his second interception. The turnover set up the Hawks deep in McHi territory and they took advantage with a touchdown.

The Hawks will have a tall order next week when they travel to PSJA Stadium to face Trey Guajardo and the PSJA High Bears. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Thursday. For the second year in a row the Hawks will shoot for a 2-0 start.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

McALLEN — If there was any question on how Harlingen South would fair in its season opener, the Hawks’ opening drive foreshadowed the outcome.

Senior running back Jorge Alicea and the Hawks marched down the field and scored on their opening drive via an Alicea 33-yard scamper. With the tone set, South ran over McAllen High 34-21 Friday night at McAllen Veteran Memorial Stadium.

The Hawks (1-0) have now beaten McHi (0-1) in consecutive seasons. Alicea ran for 225 yards on 19 carries and scored three times.

“We talked about not having a scrimmage, but our kids showed up and preformed,” said Hawks coach Brian Ricci. “I was extremely proud. (Jorge) is a really good player and our offensive line did a great job tonight blocking. They opened up some lanes for him.”

Harlingen South scored on each of its first three possessions. A 22-yard field goal from Jose Lerma gave the Green Birds a 10-0 lead with 4:06 left in the first quarter.

South continued to feed Alicea and on its third drive he sniffed the end zone from 11-yards out making it 17-0 Hawks with 3:21 left in the first quarter.

The Hawks defense added to the scoring with a 61-yard pick six by Jose Lara giving the Hawks a comfortable 24-0 lead early in the second quarter.

McHi’s Gunnar Henderson scored the first two touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Henderson’s first score made it a 24-7 game and his second score came through the air in the third quarter making it a 31-14 game.

On the first drive of the second half, Lara picked off his second pass of the night setting up the Hawks deep in Bulldog territory. Alicea found pay dirt for the third time, this time from 17-yards out, extending South’s lead 31-7.

“We played a great game, we stayed focused and did our job,” Alicea said. “Offensively, we took it one play at a time and as the game went, the ball just went our way. Overall, I feel great and I’m excited to get our first win. We did make some mistakes, but we will get better and get back to work Monday.”

In the second half, Alicea’s only blemish was a fumble in the third quarter. McHi’s Daniel Chiquito recovered the fumble and returned it for the score cutting the lead 31-21 with 11:15 in the fourth quarter. However that’s as close as the Bulldogs got.

“At halftime we had a little clock management issue so I told the kids there is a lot of football left and they (McHi) won’t quit,” said Ricci. “We had to keep the pedal to the metal and we did. I was very happy with that. They (McHi) have a lot of good athletes, they’re quick and I felt we did a good job on stopping the run, and our secondary did a really good job containing them.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — The San Benito Greyhounds kick off their season against the Laredo United Longhorns in the Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at Bobby Morrow Stadium.

The Hounds were fortunate to play a scrimmage against Corpus Christi Carroll two weeks ago, however they saw their scrimmage against McAllen High get cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey.

“We had a practice last Saturday the day after our scrimmage was cancelled and we got after it,” said San Benito coach Dan Gomez. “We look at what we do in practice and hope that intensity carries over into our games. Anytime you can get more reps at something you’re going to get better and we had that extra practice to get more reps, and our expectation is to execute much better than we did in our first scrimmage.”

Last season the Hounds picked apart the Longhorns en route to a 47-21 win. Tonight, San Benito will see a different Horns squad from 2016. United has turned to sophomore QB Wayo Huerta, who is entering his first year as a starter. Meanwhile, top rusher Isaac Velasquez, who rushed for 1,900 yards last season, returns to the Longhorn back field.

San Benito’s quick-tempo offense will be led by senior quarterback Erick Retta. Last season Retta played with mastery, going 18 for 26 through the air for 219 yards and three scores. Isaiah Trevino and Tyler Solis will provide Retta with soft hands and crisp route running come game time, not to mention running back Tyrone Harper, who leads the backfield.

Defensively, San Benito will face an offense that is in a transition year not only at the QB position but also scheme wise. United has been known to produce spread-like attacks with quarterbacks that like to sling it around the yard. This year, however, the Longhorns aim to be a run-first offense.

“It’s a great measuring stick to see where you stand as a football team,” Gomez said. “It gives you a chance to adjust as the season rolls on. United has a tradition-rich program, and they have a great coaching staff and athletes. It’s a great opportunity for us and we’re ready to get out there and play football.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen South Hawks hit the ground running this week after their scrimmage with McAllen Memorial got cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey.

Despite not being able to play a preseason contest, the Hawks have responded and will square off against McAllen High on Friday night at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m.

“The kids are ready to play,” said Hawks coach Brian Ricci. “They’re excited we had a longer practice than we normally would because we didn’t have that scrimmage. We took some time to go over a few things; the kids have had a great week of practice.”

Last season the Brian Ricci era got underway with a 21-14 win over the Bulldogs. This season the Hawks are looking to make it two in a row, this time at McAllen.

The Bulldogs are in the same boat as the Hawks as they also saw their scrimmage get cancelled last weekend and will enter the season with no preseason tuneup.

McHi will present various challenges for the Hawks. On offense the Dogs are led by running back/wide receiver Gunnar Henderson and running back Roy Gutierrez. Henderson will be a challenge for any opposing defense with the ability to line up in the slot and come out of the back field. Meanwhile, Aaron Nixon or J.R Cortez is expected to start at quarterback.

“We haven’t had a chance to see them this year, but we have looked at last year’s film,” said Ricci. “They’re big, they’re well coached and it’s going to be a tough test for us right out of the gate. I think the biggest thing for us is to not make mental mistakes or turn the ball over. It’s too early in the season to recover from those mistakes. We’re looking to play a mentally sound game.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

The Harlingen Lady Cardinals picked up another solid win Tuesday against a quality opponent in Edcouch-Elsa and improved to 12-4 on the year. Harlingen beat the Lady Yellowjackets 25-17, 25-14, 25-23 and was led by Alina Prado, who accounted for 31 assists. Meanwhile, Yazmine Martinez finished with 16 kills, Kristen Kattan wound up with 13 kills, Julissa Munivez collected 16 digs and Ashlyn Suarez finished with 18 assists.

Coach Joslynn Torres and her Lady Red Birds will have their toughest challenge yet when McAllen High comes knocking at noon Saturday at Harlingen.

“It’s going to be tough, but it’s another big game for us,” she said. “We did this to ourselves, we set up a tough non-district schedule to get us ready for those big (district) games.”

Hounds sweep PSJA: On Tuesday, the Lady Hounds’ road trip ended with a 25-10, 25-22, 25-8 win over PSJA High. San Benito hasn’t played a home game since their tri-scrimmage back on Aug. 8. However, that hasn’t slowed down the Lady Hounds, who upped their record to 16-4 after Tuesday’s victory.

San Benito got a strong performance from Kayleen Reyes, who posted nine kills, three aces, eight assists and 10 digs. Meanwhile, Sarah Garcia collected a team-high 35 digs, Ariel Garcia collected 13 assists, Arlene Lucero finished with six kills and Crystal Ibarra finished with 11 kills.

The Lady Hounds will finally return to their home floor as they welcome Edcouch-Elsa, which will be looking to rebound from its loss to Harlingen. The match is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

South looks to rebound vs Pace: Harlingen South fell shy on Tuesday against Sharyland Pioneer, 25-19, 25-23 and 25-17.

Despite the loss, the Lady Green Birds got a strong performance from Mikela Mireles, who finished with 12 kills and 14 digs. Annelle Rodriguez wound up with five kills and five blocks, Vanessa Santillan collected 10 assists and seven digs, Mya Aguirre had seven assists, Zoe Garcia wrapped it up with 18 digs, Janina Badon finished with six digs and Kaitlin Coronado had five digs.

Harlingen South will host Brownsville Pace at noon on Saturday.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Cardinals will begin their season after a rather strange ending to their preseason. Harlingen will meet Mission Veterans on Thursday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

The Cards’ season was already off to an odd start with their game originally scheduled to be played at Tom Landry Stadium in Mission. However, the stadium’s remodeling was not completed in time for kickoff. Secondly, Harlingen will look to shake off any potential rust they may have after its scrimmage against Sharyland got cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey.

“It’s been a long week; we haven’t had an opportunity to play,” said Cards coach Manny Gomez. “We have been working hard since last week when we were preparing for Sharyland, but that didn’t happen. However, we’re excited to play and ready to embrace the moment.”

The Patriots are fresh off an historic season that saw them advance to the third round for the first time in program history. This year’s squad, however, will have to step up to the challenge. Junior Landry Gilpin moved from wide out to quarterback, while the Pats are looking to avenge last year’s 44-14 loss to the Cards.

“Any coach Gilpin team is going to be physical,” said Gomez. Landry Gilpin is very elusive and they’re going to be excited to play, and it’s not time to relax. I know Mission Vets will be ready to play. It’s going to be fun.”

Daniel Ramirez will be the starting quarterback for the Red Birds in 2017. Given Ramirez has experience running the Cards’ offense has made it an easy transition to starter.

Meanwhile, Abel Castaneda is slated as the Cards’ starting running back.

HELPING HAND: As the Cardinals prepared for their season opener, they took time to reflect on Hurricane Harvey and decided to collect canned goods as well as personal hygiene and other household items to help out the victims of the historic storm.

“We started a relief fund for Houston and East Texas,” Gomez said. “Anything that we can do to make it happen; we have to do our part and we’re blessed to have missed it, but we have compassion for the people up there and we’re willing to do our part.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Lady Cardinals have shown their toughness so far this volleyball season with solid wins against tough opponents.

Most recently, the squad beat district foe Los Fresnos in a recent tournament and on Tuesday night the Lady Red Birds added another feather to their hat with a 25-17, 25-17, 25-23 win over Edcouch-Elsa.

Edcouch-Elsa, which is in District 32-5A, is a playoff team year in and year out. Tuesday’s game was a rematch from when the two squared off in the Donna tournament earlier this month. E-E got the best of Harlingen then, but this time around it was the Lady Red Birds who got the upper hand thanks to an aggressive approach.

“Tonight was about what team was going to show up,” said Harlingen coach Joslynn Torres. “Edcouch-Elsa is a tough team and every year they’re competitive. We knew every ball would be coming back, but tonight the Lady Cardinals showed up. E-E made some mistakes and we were able to take advantage of it.”

In the first set, Harlingen got off to a quick start offensively and took an early 13-7 lead. The Lady Cards never trailed in the first game.

In the back half of the first game, Edcouch-Elsa closed the cap and limited its mistakes and trailed 19-16. However, Harlingen regrouped and put the Lady Jackets away.

In the second set, Harlingen picked up where it left off and took the second set 25-14 behind hitter Kirsten Kattan.

In the third set, it was Harlingen that found itself in a battle. E-E went back and forth tying the score multiple times before taking a late lead.

With the set all tied at 23, the Lady Cards managed to score the final two points and completed the sweep.

“I think we have grown from then to now,” said Kattan. “We know what we need to work on and what needs to be done. In practice we have been practicing on the little things and it’s the little things that matter. We have been able to translate that onto the court and its shown.”

“We have been working hard with our hitters, I was a hitter and my coaching staff has experience in working with hitters,” Torres said. “The timing of the set and keeping the ball in front of them has improved since day one, so that consistency from practice has carried over into our games.”

Harlingen (12-4) will now prepare for perennial power McAllen High on Saturday.

“It gets me excited because all these teams are playoff teams and the girls know that,” Torres said. “Right now mentally we’re not where we need to be, but we’re getting there. We can’t be satisfied yet. Yes, we got the win tonight, but we have to win with class and with pride.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

With the Rio Grande Valley preparing for potential landfall as early Friday morning from tropical depression Harvey, football teams are left wondering if they will hit the field this weekend.

San Benito’s scrimmage at McAllen High remains scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, San Benito Athletic Coordinator Ramiro Partida confirmed.

Harlingen CISD athletic director Randy Creators also confirmed that Harlingen South’s trip to McAllen Memorial is still scheduled for Friday at 7:30 and Harlingen High’s scrimmage is still set for Friday at 7 p.m.

Weslaco East moved its scrimmage from Friday to today at 10 a.m. and Mercedes also moved its game against Port Isabel to today at 10.

Some teams had the option of moving up their scrimmages to today but other teams such as Sharyland and Harlingen South didn’t have that option due to UIL rules.