VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Tuesday, Oct. 11

District 30-6A

McAllen High def. McAllen Memorial 25-22, 25-18, 23-25, 25-19

Mission High def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-10, 25-5, 25-14

McAllen Rowe def. La Joya Palmview 25-6, 25-9, 25-12

District 31-6A

Edinburg High def PSJA Memorial 22-25, 28-26, 25-17, 21-25, 16-13

Edinburg Vela def. PSJA Southwest 25-6, 25-10, 25-11

Edinburg North def. PSJA North 25-21, 25-20, 25-15

Edinburg Economedes def. PSJA High

District 32-6A

San Benito def. Rivera 25-16, 26-28, 25-20, 25-13

Los Fresnos def. Weslaco East 25-11, 25-6, 25-15

Brownsville Hanna def. Harlingen South 25-19, 21-25, 25-12, 25-22

Weslaco High def. Harlingen High 25-19, 25-19, 25-16

District 31-5A

Sharyland Pioneer def. Rio Grande City 25-11, 25-8, 25-13

Sharyland High def. Laredo Cigarroa 25-19, 25-17, 25-19

Mission Veterans Memorial def. Laredo Nixon 25-16, 25-17, 25-20

Valley View def. Roma

District 32-5A

Brownsville Veterans Memorial def. Edcouch-Elsa 25-17, 25-18, 25-21

Brownsville Pace def. Mercedes 25-20, 25-23, 15-25, 25-19

Donna North def. Brownsville Porter 25-18, 25-19, 25-14

Donna High def. Brownsville Lopez

District 32-4A

La Feria def. Port Isabel 17-25, 16-25, 25-51, 27-25, 15-10

Hidalgo def. Zapata, 25-15, 20-25, 25-18, 25-21

Raymondville def. Progreso 22-25, 25-15, 25-15, 23-25, 15-9

Rio Hondo def. Grulla

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Saturday, Oct. 8

District 30-6A

McAllen High def. La Joya High

McAllen Memorial def. Mission High 25-15, 25-5, 25-14

La Joya Palmview def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 22-25, 25-22, 25-14, 25-21

District 31-6A

Edinburg Vela def. Edinburg High 25-17, 25-18, 27-25

PSJA Memorial def. Edinburg Economedes 25-17, 25-19, 25-17

Edinburg North def. PSJA Southwest 15-25, 19-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-9

PSJA North def. PSJA High

District 32-6A

San Benito def. Weslaco East

Brownsville Rivera def. Harlingen High

Los Fresnos def. Harlingen South

Brownsville Hanna def. Weslaco High

District 31-5A

Mission Veterans Memorial def. Sharyland Pioneer 25-19, 25-21, 25-23

Sharyland High def. Roma 25-16, 25-17, 25-20

Valley View def. Laredo Martin

Rio Grande City at Laredo Cigarroa, not reported

District 32-5A

Brownsville Lopez def. Donna North 25-14, 25-22, 26-24

Brownsville Pace def. Brownsville Porter 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 14-25, 15-12

Brownsville Veterans Memorial def. Mercedes 25-18, 25-11, 25-23

Edcouch-Elsa def. Donna High 25-6, 22-25, 25-19, 25-20

District 32-4A

Grulla def. Zapata 25-17, 20-25, 23-25, 25-15, 15-9

La Feria def. Progreso 25-18, 25-20, 25-22

Hidalgo def. Port Isabel

Raymondville def. Rio Hondo

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SUMMARIES

Saturday’s Matches

District 30-6A

McALLEN MEMORIAL def. MISSION HIGH

25-15, 25-5, 25-14

McALLEN MEMORIAL — Valeria Trevino 2 kills; Jocelynn Everage 12 kills, 4 digs; Lanie Nitsch 8 kills; Taylor Marbarger 9 kills, 8 digs, 6 assists, 1 ace; DD Ibarra 4 kills, 14 digs, 1 assist; Emily Whitworth 3 assists; Alexa Kruse 4 digs, 26 assists; Abrianna Saenz 14 digs; Morgan Bialaszewski 4 assists.

MISSION HIGH — Emily Alvardo 4 kills, 3 blocks; Maria Garcia 4 kills, 5 digs; Lissete Vela 4 blocks; Clarissa Gonzalez 3 kills, 2 blocks; Anyssa Aguilar 10 assists; Jazmine Sustaita 13 digs.

RECORD — Mission High 19-11, 4-4.

McALLEN HIGH DEF. LA JOYA HIGH

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 1 ace, 2 kills, 3 digs, 1 block, 38 assists; Victoria Rodgers 6 kills, 2 digs; Julia Monday 7 kills, 3 digs; Sydney Pemelton 2 aces, 5 kills, 1 dig.

LA JOYA HIGH — Not reported.

RECORD — McAllen High 6-1 in district.

District 31-6A

EDINBURG VELA DEF. EDINBURG HIGH

25-17, 25-18, 27-25

EDINBURG VELA — Jaida Muhammad 16 kills, 11 points, 15 digs, 1 stuff block; Nicole Avelar 18 kills, 14 points, 1 ace, 15 digs, 2 stuff blocks; Julissa Cuellar 21 assists, 7 kills, 11 points, 7 digs, 2 stuff blocks; Cynthia Hernandez 15 assists, 10 points, 5 digs; Bianca Cortez 7 kills, 11 stuff blocks, 8 points; Dylann Guerra 18 digs, 9 points.

EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 2 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace, 26 assists, 20 digs; Marissa Arce 11 kills, 14 digs; Tianna Howard 12 kills, 7 blocks, 1 ace, 1 dig; Natalie Martinez 6 kills, 5 blocks, 1 dig; Elizabeth Olivarez 19 digs; Maria Reyes 2 kills, 17 digs; Renee Ponce 2 blocks, 2 assist, 10 digs; Lorissa Gonzalez 4 digs.

RECORD — Edinburg High 28-7, 7-2 in district.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. EDINBURG ECONOMEDES

25-17, 25-19, 25-17

PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristy Gomez 12 kills, 3 digs, 3 blocks, 1 ace; Deserey Gomez 3 kills, 5 digs, 1 block; Stephanie Flores 6 kills; Victoria Hernandez 3 kills; Valerie Guajardo 5 kills, 6 assists; Victoria Maldonado 22 assists, 4 digs; Mireya Martinez 5 digs; Kristy Alanis 12 digs.

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported.

District 31-5A

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. ROMA

25-16, 25-17, 25-20

sharyland high — Norma Quintanilla 4 kills, 3 solo blocks, 4 digs; Estefania Hinojosa 3 kills, 1 dig; Megan Jimenez 3 kills; Caleigh Hausenfluck 6 kills, 37 digs; Hannah Kirby 8 kills, 2 digs, 1 solo block; Melanie Lazos 12 assists, 3 assists, 8 digs; Elise Townsend 11 digs, 5 assists; Aydee Hinojosa 4 digs, 11 assists; Paola Chapa 3 digs;

roma — Not reported.

RECORD — Sharyland High 20-14, 8-2 in district.

MISSION VETERANS MEMORIAL DEF. SHARYLAND PIONEER

25-19, 25-21, 25-23

MISSION VETERANS — Makenzie Gerlach 4 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs; Iliana Contreras 3 kills, 35 assists, 9 digs; Karyna 5 digs; Andrea De La Garza 8 kills, 9 digs; Alex Jimenez 9 kills, 10 digs; D’Iyza Medina 2 kills; Dariana Garza 10 assists, 4 blocks; Jackie Howell 15 kills, 13 digs.

SHARYLAND PIONEER — Audrey Smith 11 kills, 9 assists, 21 digs; Brianna Ramos 16 digs, 1 ace; Caitlyn Cottrell 4 kills; Christina Ybarra 17 digs; Daizy Coronado 8 kills; Samantha Roberts 3 kills, 24 assists, 12 digs, 1 ace; Savannah James 8 kills, 9 digs.

RECORD — Mission Veterans .

District 32-5A

BROWNSVILLE LOPEZ DEF. DONNA NORTH

25-14, 25-22, 26-24

DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 9 kills, 1 block; Nicole Rodriguez 20 assists; Vanessa Alonzo 6 kills, 2 aces.

BROWNSVILLE LOPEZ — Not reported.

RECORD — Donna North 9-15, 2-7 in district.

District 32-4A

GRULLA DEF. ZAPATA

25-17, 20-25, 23-25, 25-15, 15-9

grulla — Delma Ozuna 2 aces, 6 kills, 2 blocks, 28 digs; Caitlyn Rodriguez 4 aces, 2 kills, 2 blocks, 19 digs; Larissa Martinez 1 kill, 4 assists,5 digs; Analuz Velasquez 2 kills, 1 assist, 38 digs; Eveline Saenz 1 ace, 3 kills, 6 digs; Ilani Solis 1 ace, 4 assists, 8 digs; Maxine Solis 2 kills, 2 assists, 10 digs; Amarayza Huerta 1 kill, 2 digs.

ZAPATA — Not reported.

RECORD — Grulla 15-16, 3-7 in district.

LA FERIA DEF. PROGRESO

25-18, 25-20, 25-22

LA FERIA — Isis Bernal 9 assists, 4 digs; Karina Diaz 14 assists, 11 digs; Myah Salas 9 kills, 24 digs; Anelli Rodriguez 11 kills, 8 digs, 2 blocks; Syerra Montalvo 2 kills, 2 aces, 26 digs; Donna Garcia 2 kills, 1 assist, 10 digs; Camryn Lopez 3 kills, 1 assist, 17 digs; Destiny Martinez 11 digs; Natalie Gonzalez 2 kills, 4 digs; Alyssa Martinez 1 assist, 2 digs.

PROGRESO — Not reported.

RECORD — La Feria 8-2 in district; Progreso 8-2 in district.

RGVSPORTS.COM

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln continued a run of strong defensive play, pitching a shutout in the second half to knock off Mission High 21-7 on Friday at La Joya ISD Stadium.

“They’ve stepped it up a notch defensively,” Huskies coach Tommy Garcia said. “I think Joseph Valdez has stepped up his game at linebacker. He had some strikes today that I hadn’t seen this year.”

Elias Gutierrez was also key for the defense, which is giving up an average of 12.7 points through three District 30-6A games.

Juarez-Lincoln improves to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in district, while Mission falls to 1-6 and 0-3.

“The biggest thing is that the kids knew we were playing for our playoff lives,” Garcia said. “Overall, everybody picked it up a notch offensively, and we were able to move the chains, and that was the reason why we won the game.”

Gutierrez scored a rushing touchdown for the Huskies, and quarterback Andrew Rodriguez connecting on scoring passes to Albert Martinez and Harley Vargas.

DISTRICT 31-6A

EDINBURG VELA 61, PSJA SOUTHWEST 8: At Pharr, Cristian Flores rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns and Marcos Santos hauled in 77 yards and two more scores as the SaberCats won their fourth straight game.

Vela (5-1, 3-0) took a 31-0 halftime lead and never looked back as it remained undefeated in 31-6A play. The SaberCats tallied 486 yards (268 in the air), more than doubling Southwest’s output (188 yards).

EDINBURG HIGH 14, PSJA MEMORIAL 0: At Edinburg, Saul Ramirez and Angel Salinas scored on the ground during the second quarter and the Bobcats won for the third time in four game.

Edinburg (3-3, 2-1 in district) will take on PSJA High next week. PSJA Memorial (0-6, 0-3) remains winless on the year.

“It was a hard-fought game,” Bobcats coach J.J Leija said. “Kids played well defensively this week. PSJA Memorial came out pretty good defensively. It was a tough battle. Our offense had a tough time moving the ball, but we were lucky to get two touchdowns.”

DISTRICT 31-5A

SHARYLAND HIGH 35, LAREDO CIGARROA 7: At Laredo, five Rattlers reached the end zone as Sharyland High improved to 5-1 overall, 4-0 in District 31-5A, and won its fifth straight game.

“Our boys came out, played hard and took care of business,” Sharyland High coach Ron Adame said. “It’s always a challenge whenever you come to Laredo. But we stayed focused and we played to our ability. The main thing was staying on that roll.”

Quarterback Alan Alvarez threw three touchdowns and rushed for another. He found Blake Klein, Edgar Alanis, and Luis Franco on scoring passes.

Now the Rattlers look forward to the third annual “Snakeskin Classic” and a bout against little brother Sharyland Pioneer next week. The Diamondbacks are 3-1 in 31-5A and coming off big wins over Mission Veterans Memorial and Rio Grande City.

“It’s always exciting,” Adame said. “This year’s no different. It’s a friendly rivalry and it seems to be a great one.”

ROMA 48, VALLEY VIEW 7: At Roma, the Gladiators won their first district game after four consecutive losses.

Roma improved to 3-4 overall, 1-4 in 31-5A as it hangs on to its playoff prospects.

DISTRICT 32-5A

MERCEDES 41, BROWNSVILLE PACE 13: At Mercedes, the Tigers were sound in all three aspects of the game in improving to 3-0 in 32-5A.

“Anytime you can get a district win, it’s a plus,” Mercedes coach Roger Adame Jr. said. “There were a lot of good things I saw. Our defense continues to play at a high level, from our front to our secondary. Offensively, we moved the ball well and scored points quick.”

The Tigers led 21-0 after the first quarter and never looked back.

Fabian Ledesma ran for a touchdown. Marc Ledesma ran for two touchdowns. His brother Matt caught a touchdown.

Matt Gracia ran for another TD, and defensive tackle Rolando Rincon had a scoop-and-score for the final TD.

Now the Tigers get Edcouch-Elsa, which is now 2-1 after a big 50-20 loss to Brownsville Veterans Memorial on Friday.

“District 32-5A is a huge tough district and we have to keep our players focused,” Adame said of keeping his team from looking ahead this week. “Our motto is 1-0 every week. We can’t control what’s behind or in front of us. I know there’s still talk about a big game like Edcouch-Elsa, but we try and keep this about ourselves and I like the way we responded.”

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL 50, EDCOUCH-ELSA 20: At Elsa, the Yellowjackets were down and out early as Brownsville Vets built an early 36-13 lead late in the first half.

It was a redemptive win for the Chargers, now 2-1 in 32-5A and coming off a loss to Mercedes. The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Yellowjackets, who are now 2-1 in 32-5A heading into next week’s meeting with Mercedes.

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

PHARR — Before her team could become too predictable, PSJA Memorial’s Angie Gonzales called for changes throughout her lineup. She moved Victoria Maldonado from libero to setter, and switched setters Deserey Gomez and Valerie Guajardo outside hitters.

The Lady Wolverines have not only continued to win, but their defense has also seen improvement, as evidenced by their latest victory, a 25-15, 25-19, 25-19 sweep of PSJA North on Tuesday.

Kristi Gomez led the way with 22 kills, five digs, two aces and one block. Guajardo had three kills, two digs, one ace and eight assists. And Maldonado picked up 25 assists and five digs as PSJA Memorial (27-7, 6-2 in district) won it second straight game since adjusting their rotations.

“We just wanted to shake things up and throw people off because sometimes people expect things from certain players,” Gonzales said. “So we want to be unpredictable. … It also helps to move key players around who could do good in other positions and give players rest.”

For Maldonado, that meant utilizing her speed to set up teammates for kills. Players like Guajardo, who has played a multitude of roles this season, have reaped the benefits. Even though they’ve spent a relatively short time together in the setter-hitter role, they appeared in sync throughout the night Tuesday, especially in Game 3, when they turned a 16-9 lead to a 20-10 advantage.

“We practice our lineups and make sure it works, and it did,” Maldonado said. “We’ve been liking it. Honestly, it just clicks. All the passes, I get under them. I set them up and they bring it down. Kristi, I know I could trust her with it.”

Though the team returned 11 players, PSJA Memorial has tinkered with rotations, especially with four new players in the mix. After graduating its setter, Gonzales auditioned a few players for that role, which she describes as “the quarterback of the team.”

PSJA Memorial found that with their previous lineups, but plugging in Maldonado has given the team a spark, given her speed and agility.

Regardless, Gonzales said, every player is expected to be able to fill any position. Never has that been more apparent than the last two matches, since the Lady Wolverines have altered their attack. They went the distance Saturday, beating PSJA High 16-14 in Game 5, and they pounced on PSJA North early on Tuesday.

“I love this lineup better because there’s a lot of hitters and a setter running around,” Guajardo said. “(Maldonado) is really fast. She won’t give up for any ball. She dives everywhere. Every time, we’re just becoming more fearless, more aggressive. We’re not giving up.”

The Lady Wolverines are again on pace for another playoff berth, trailing only Edinburg Vela and Edinburg High for the district lead

PSJA North (21-13 overall), which dropped to 2-6 in district, was led by Carla Muro (nine kills, two blocks) and Stephanie Crispin (eight kills, two aces). Ashley Garza contributed five kills and one block. Melissa Palacios added 13 digs. And Samantha Enriquez posted 25 assists.

[email protected]

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Tuesday, Oct. 4

District 30-6A

McAllen Memorial def. La Joya Palmview 25-5, 25-6, 25-5

Mission High def. La Joya High 25-8, 25-9, 25-16

McAllen Rowe def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 25-9, 25-3, 25-5

District 31-6A

Edinburg High def. Edinburg Economedes 25-4, 25-12, 25-8

Edinburg Vela def. Edinburg North 25-11, 25-17, 25-16

PSJA Southwest def. PSJA High 25-15, 29-31, 26-24, 25-18

PSJA Memorial def. PSJA North 25-15, 25-19, 25-19

District 32-6A

Brownsville Rivera def. Brownsville Hanna

Los Fresnos def. San Benito

Harlingen High def. Harlingen South

Weslaco East at Weslaco High, not reported

District 31-5A

Sharyland Pioneer def. Laredo Nixon 25-23, 16-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-10

Sharyland High def. Laredo Martin 25-3, 25-20, 25-14

Mission Veterans def. Laredo Cigarroa 25-11, 25-5, 25-6

Roma def. Rio Grande City

District 32-5A

Edcouch-Elsa def. Donna North 25-16, 25-9, 25-12

Donna High def. Mercedes

Brownsville Veterans def. Brownsville Pace

Brownsville Lopez def. Brownsville Porter

District 32-4A

La Feria def. Hidalgo 25-23, 25-14, 23-25, 25-19

Port Isabel def. Grulla 25-21, 25-23, 25-14

Progreso def. Rio Hondo

Raymondville vs. Zapata, not reported

VOLLEYBALL-VALLEY SUMMARIES

Tuesday’s Matches

District 30-6A

MCALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. LA JOYA PALMVIEW

25-5, 25-6, 25-5

MCALLEN MEMORIAL — Alexia Kruse 5 kills, 12 assists, 3 blocks, 2 digs; Abrianna Saenz 7 digs, 1 assist; Samantha Perez 10 assists; DD Ibarra 6 kills; Lanie Nitsch 7 kills; Taylor Marburger 4 kills, 1 assist; Morgan Bialaszewski 4 kills, 2 digs.

LA JOYA PALMVIEW — Not reported.

RECORD — McAllen Memorial 33-3, 7-0 in district.

MISSION HIGH DEF. LA JOYA HIGH

25-8, 25-9, 25-16

MISSION HIGH — Lissete Vela 11 kills, 5 blocks; Maria Garcia 5 kills, 7 digs; Emily Alvarado 5 kills, 7 points, 12 assists; Clarissa Gonzalez 4 kills, 3 blocks; Anyssa Aguilar 3 kills, 17 points, 6 aces, 14 assists; Jazmine Sustaita 4 points, 2 aces, 17 digs.

LA JOYA HIGH — Not reported.

RECORD — Mission High 19-10, 4-3 in district.

MCALLEN ROWE DEF. LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN

25-9, 25-3, 25-5

mcallen rowe — Amanda Martinez 6 kills, 8 aces, 4 digs, 3 blocks; Andrea Gomez 2 aces, 9 digs; Karina1 ace, 7 digs, 1 assist; Renee Alonzo 5 kills, 4 aces, 7 digs; Jackelyn Alanis 18 kills, 6 digs, 1 block; Adrianna Martinez 2 kills, 4 digs, 1 block, 4 assists; Isabella Lopez 3 kills, 1 ace, 5 digs, 5 assists; Brianna Chaidez 1 ace, 10 digs; Kayla Cruz 13 digs; Vanessa Lopez 1 ace, 1 dig, 23 assists; Victoria Galindo 3 kills, 3 digs, 1 block.

juarez-lincoln — Not reported.

RECORD — McAllen Rowe 25-14, 5-2 in district.

District 31-6A

EDINBURG HIGH DEF. ECONOMEDES

25-4, 25-12, 25-8

EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 4 kills, 11 aces, 25 assists, 17 digs; Marissa Arce 7 kills, 1 ace, 10 digs; Tianna Howard 15 kills, 2 digs; Natalie Martinez 8 kills; Maria Reyes 4 kills, 3 aces, 13 digs; Renee Ponce 5 kills, 4 aces, 8 assists, 6 digs; Elizabeth Olivarez 15 digs, 1 assist.

ECONOMEDES — Not reported.

RECORD — Edinburg 28-6, 7-1 in district.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. PSJA NORTH

25-15, 25-19, 25-19

PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristi Gomez 22 kills, 5 digs, 2 aces, 1 block; Deserey Gomez 8 kills, 11 digs, 3 assists; Valerie Guajardo 3 kills, 2 digs, 1 ace, 8 assists; Vanessa Martinez 3 kills; Victoria Maldonado 5 digs, 25 assists; Mireya Martinez 9 digs; Kristy Alanis 7 digs.

PSJA NORTH — Stephanie Crispin 8 kills, 2 aces; Carla Muro 9 kills, 2 blocks; Ashley Garza 5 kills, 1 block; Melissa Palacios 13 digs; Samantha Enriquez 25 assists.

RECORD — Not reported.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. EDINBURG NORTH

25-11, 25-17, 25-16

EDINBURG VELA — Jaida Muhammad 20 kills, 4 points, 18 digs, 1 stuff block; Nicole Avelar 16 kills, 12 points, 1 ace, 17 digs, 1 stuff block; Julissa Cuellar 21 assists, 7 kills, 3 points, 8 digs; Cynthia Hernandez 8 assists, 5 points, 2 digs; Bianca Cortez 8 kills, 6 stuff blocks; Dylann Guerra 18 digs, 11 points; Chery Chavez 12 digs, 7 points.

EDINBURG NORTH — Not reported.

RECORD — Edinburg Vela 30-8, 8-0 in district.

District 31-5A

SHARYLAND PIONEER DEF. LAREDO NIXON

25-23, 16-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-10

sharyland pioneer — Audrey Smith 16 kills, 1 ace, 27 assists, 29 digs; Caitlyn Cottrell 7 kills; Daizy Coronado 3 kills; Mikayla Zimmerer 17 kills; Samantha Roberts 7 kills, 3 aces, 22 assists, 27 digs; Savannah James 9 kills, 20 digs; Christina Ybarra 1 kill.

laredo nixon — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported.

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. LAREDO MARTIN

25-3, 25-20, 25-14

SHARYLAND HIGH — Estefania Hinojosa 7 kills; Montse Giron 5 kills; Megan Jimenez 5 kills; Hannah Kirby 6 kills, 2 assists, 4 digs; Melanie Lazos 4 kills; Caleigh Hausenfluck 3 assists, 24 digs; Paola Chapa 11 digs.

LAREDO MARTIN — Not reported.

RECORD — Sharyland High 19-14, 7-2 in district.

MISSION VETERANS MEMORIAL DEF. LAREDO CIGARROA

25-11, 25-5, 25-6

MISSION VETERANS — Makenzie Gerlach 3 kills, 1 assist, 1 dig, 1 ace; Iliana Contreras 1 kill, 17 assists, 8 digs, 6 aces; Karyna Lozano 7 digs, 4 aces; Andrea De La Garza 2 kills, 1 assist, 2 digs; Alex Jimenez 6 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs, 1 block; Dariana Garza 9 assists, 4 digs; Jackie Howell 11 kills, 10 digs, 2 blocks, 3 aces; Valerie De La Fuente 4 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs, 1 ace.

LAREDO CIGARROA — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported.

District 32-5A

EDCOUCH-ELSA DEF. DONNA NORTH

25-16, 25-9, 25-12

DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 11 kills, 1 ace, 1 block; Nicole Rodriguez 15 assists.

EDCOUCH-ELSA — Maddie Acevedo 3 kills, 5 aces, 18 digs, 1 block; Sieanna Ortiz 7 kills, 2 digs, 1 block; Ale Martinez 1 kill, 1 dig, 6 blocks; Ashley Galarza 1 kill, 3 aces, 3 digs, 2 blocks; Paloma Ybarra 14 kills, 2 digs, 2 blocks.

RECORD — Donna North 9-14, 2-6 in district; E-E 6-2 in district.

District 32-4A

GRULLA DEF. PORT ISABEL

25-21, 25-23, 25-14

grulla — Delma Ozuna 4 kills, 2 blocks, 23 digs; Caitlyn Rodriguez 3 kills, 1 block, 9 digs; Larissa Martinez 2 kills, 3 assists, 15 digs; Amarayza Huerta 1 ace, 1 kill, 8 digs; Eveline Saenz 2 kills, 8 digs; Ilani Solis 3 assists, 4 digs; Analuz Velasquez 21 digs; Jennifer Anzaldua 4 digs; Abigail Flores 3 digs.

port isabel — Not reported.

RECORD — Grulla 14-16, 2-7 in district.

LA FERIA DEF. HIDALGO

25-23, 25-14, 23-25, 25-19

LA FERIA — Myah Salas 19 kills, 14 digs; Anelli Rodriguez 8 kills, 7 digs, 2 blocks; Camryn Lopez 8 kills, 16 digs, 1 assist, 2 blocks; Isis Bernal 24 assists, 8 digs, 1 kill; Karina Diaz 18 assists, 3 digs; Syerra Montalvo 8 kills, 17 digs, 1 assist; Donna Garcia 2 kills, 3 digs; Destiny Martinez 13 digs; Alyssa Martinez 3 kills, 1 assist; Natalie Gonzalez 1 kill, 2 digs.

HIDALGO — Not reported.

RECORD — La Feria 7-2 in district.

BY MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

Having graduated eight seniors and seeing a 14-player roster reduced to nine, Sharyland Pioneer has encountered a string of challenges in its third varsity season.

But coach Laura Cavazos believes her Lady Diamondbacks have managed just fine. They’ve had to develop players’ all-around skills in hopes that they could fill needs both in the front and back rows, and they’ve been able to give reps to players who might not have had a chance to play as much last season.

“The girls seem to be working well together,” Cavazos said. “Although we don’t have some of the depth as last year, the girls are more versatile. They’re switching positions to throw their opponents off, and they have good leadership and mesh well together.”

With losses to only Mission Veterans Memorial and Sharyland High in district this year, Pioneer (23-7, 7-2 in district) is on pace to make the playoffs once again. Last year, they finished fourth in district and advanced to the second round of the postseason. Now they find themselves in third place, despite switching districts (from 31-5A to 31-6A) with nine teams instead of seven.

Having a smaller roster has presented its share of hurdles, however. The Lady Diamondbacks are no longer able to practice six-on-six, as they used to. So Cavazos has been tasked with devising drills that can simulate game-like scenarios.

It’s been a challenge, she said, but players like Audrey Smith and Caitlyn Cottrell have stepped up. Smith, a junior setter, has flourished on the right side, and Cottrell has found her niche at middle blocker, after seeing limited time playing behind upperclassmen in the past.

Mikayla Zimmerer, a JV player last year, has provided a spark with her aggressiveness. And Savannah James, a senior outside hitter, has made the most of her opportunities. Previously a bench player, James has brought a calming presence to the team and has been one of its most consistent players, thriving in either the front or back rows.

The next two weeks will bring its share of tests for Sharyland Pioneer, which hosts Mission Veterans Memorial on Saturday and Sharyland High the following week in matches that could ultimately influence the top order of the district standings.

MAKING STRIDES

With eight new players to its roster, Grulla coach Cita Jimenez understood the 2016 season would bring its share of challenges.

Ushering in an entirely new team, Jimenez has tested a variety of lineups in hopes of finding the right combinations. Players like Delma Ozuna and Caitlyn Rodriguez have done their part to keep the Lady Gators in matches. Ozuna, a senior middle blocker and three-year letterman, has established herself as the team’s go-to hitter, and Rodriguez has adjusted from defensive specialist to middle blocker.

Together they’ve helped lead the way for a roster that consists of only one freshman, three sophomores and four juniors, in addition to Ozuna and Rodriguez, the seniors.

“It’s been very energetic, and a learning season for us,” said Jimenez, who has coached the program since 2010. “With a whole new group, we try to make every session about trying to teach them something different. And that’s one thing that I’m very happy about that the girls have been able to do. They want to learn. The passion is there. We just have to put it all together.”

She added: “It’s just learning what it take to compete at the varsity level. The committment, the time that goes into it. … But you see they’ve been able to manage their time wisely, and they’re understanding that with 10 girls on the team, it’s a team effort.

[email protected]

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — For all but one match this year, McAllen Memorial had played without Lanie Nitsch, a 5-foot-11 middle blocker and outside hitter, who was nursing a knee injury.

On Saturday, the Lady Mustangs inserted their big hitter and emotional leader back into the lineup, and they appeared as strong as ever as they dispatched McAllen Rowe 25-16, 25-18, 25-23 to wrap up the first half of their District 30-6A schedule with an undefeated record.

Nitsch picked up six kills and one block in only her second match of the season, and Memorial (32-3, 6-0) remained hot, having swept all but one of its opponents.

“Any time you get a player back, it’s about going back and working on the team chemistry again and the lineup,” Lady Mustangs coach Lorena Lopez said. “It’s good for us, though. Midpoint is a good time to start working on that.

“Lanie brings us a huge block, a lot of offense and a lot of fire. She’s really competitive, and she gives the lineup a good confidence boost.”

With Nitsch out, Memorial lacked one of its more competitive players and another scoring threat to pair with Jocelynn Everage and Taylor Marburger. The Lady Mustangs hardly seemed to show any negative side affects from the lost, however, earning the top spot in the latest RGVSports.com top 10 rankings, after beating McAllen High and handing the Lady Bulldogs their only loss of the year to a Valley program.

Memorial showed the same resiliency Saturday, fending off a pesky Rowe attack in Game 3, scoring five straight to tie it at 10 before taking the lead momentarily. After trading points, Memorial finally created some separation at 22-20 before securing its 12th straight victory.

“She’s brought the fire that she’s been holding in this whole season,” Everage said of Nitsch. “The fire, the energy, everything.”

It was Nitsch, in fact, who came away with the final kill to completed the sweep, set up by Alexia Kruse, who finished with 41 assists and 10 digs. Everage had 11 kills, three digs and one block. Marburger added 11 kills, seven digs and five assists.

“It’s all because of our positivity,” Everage said. “We went into this game expecting a good game. Just because McHi beat them (and Memorial beat McHi), we didn’t expect it to come easy. We worked hard and put everything into it.

“Game 3, we were a little tired. But we pushed through. We managed. We just need to keep our endurance up the whole time.”

For Rowe, it was yet another challenge in what is considered a rebuilding year, after losing some key players from their 2015 squad that advanced to the fourth round of the playoffs.

Even with the turnover, the Lady Warriors (24-14, 4-2 in district) has remained competitive, finding themselves in the playoff mix with a third-place standing in district behind McAllen Memorial and McAllen High.

“We’re coming along,” Rowe coach Madga Canales said. “We’ve had a few struggles here and there. Not only with combinations, but positions on the court, trying to find the right people in the right place. We’ve accomplished that. Now we just have to keep playing strong.”

[email protected]

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — For the first time in three years, Edinburg Vela fielded a roster without Robert Guerra’s name on it.

The senior running back has sat out games in the past, but never has his future with the team been in doubt as it has this week, after he and three other teammates were charged with criminal mischief in connection to vandalism on the campus of Edinburg High, days before the rival schools were set to face one another at Richard Flores Stadium.

On Friday, the teams met for only the third time on the football field, and Vela won handily, 42-14, without Guerra, the District 31-5A MVP in 2015, in action.

The SaberCats recovered a string of turnovers to score a 28-0 first-quarter lead, improving to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in district. What lies ahead remains uncertain after Daniel Elizondo, Guerra, Ryan Javier Rios and Samuel Valenzuela were arraigned before a judge Wednesday and charged with criminal mischief, a state jail felony.

They were accused of spray painting “RV” and “Robert Vela” on the Edinburg High practice field and press box earlier this week. They were issued three-day suspensions but remained enrolled at the school.

Asked if the players would suit up for the team again, should they get absolved of the charges, Edinburg Vela coach Michael Salinas suggested it was out of his control.

“Obviously we don’t condone anything that happened,” Salinas said. “Apologies now to all of EHS and all of their administration and staff, on behalf of our football program. Our guys continue to battle. This is a district issue, and I’m going to leave it in their hands.”

In their absence, the SaberCats turned to a familiar scoring source in Cristian Flores, the sophomore running back who filled in nicely in Guerra’s one-game absence earlier in the month. Flores ran 18 times for 130 yards and three touchdowns on Friday, with two of those coming on the SaberCats’ first two drives.

Going forward, Flores could see a spike in carries, especially if Guerra does not rejoin the team. Through three games, Guerra was the district’s rushing leader with 825 yards and 13 touchdowns, including 96 receiving yards and two scoring hauls. He also totaled nine TDs in the season opener, breaking a Valley record and tying him for third all-time in Texas high school football history.

With Guerra sitting out the third game of the year, Flores became only the second other player for Vela to score, after the senior back had been responsible for 12 of their first 13 touchdowns. Friday’s output again emphasized Flores’ value to the team, given their aspirations of capturing a District 31-6A crown.

Vela trails just PSJA North (5-0, 2-0) for the district lead.

“We talk about next man up, and I think our guys understand that,” Salinas said. “We talk about no player being bigger than the program. They understand this is going to be a team effort. I think they truly understood that this week. They came together. They understand the standard around here is the best, and tonight we got the best out of each one of these guys.”

IMPRESSIVE ‘D’

The SaberCats culminated a week marred by off-field distractions with one of their better defensive efforts of the season. They held Edinburg High to 47 plays (compared to Vela’s 70) and just 170 yards, 159 on those on the ground. They recovered two interceptions and three fumbles, four of those turnovers picked off on the Bobcats’ first four drives.

Vela scored in each of those instances with Flores punching in scoring runs of 2 and 48 yards, respectively, on consecutive sequences. Timothy Ellington then returned a fumble for a 72-yard touchdown, and Vela used another fumble to set up a 17-yard scoring strike from Nathan Garcia to Marcos Santos for a 28-0 cushion with 4:51 left in the first quarter.

“Coach told us from the very beginning we had to come out and hit them in the mouth,” rover Ryan Rodriguez said. “He said we had to hunt as a pack, and we did. Better than ever, I think.”

He added: “We just stayed together as one. We blocked out all the noise. We know it was more than each other. It was more of a team thing, and we had to focus on staying together.”

ON THE MARK

Garcia enjoyed his best game as Vela’s starting quarterback, completing 19 of 22 passes for 140 yards and two scores. He also ran 13 times for 26 yards.

Despite an injury that caused him to miss a drive during the second half, Garcia returned to close out the game. Backup Marc Buhidar, a sophomore, filled in for Garcia and came up empty on two passing attempts. With Garcia back under center, Buhidar was utilized as a running back and he picked up 55 yards on 12 carries.

UP NEXT

Vela travels to take on PSJA Southwest on Oct. 7. Meanwhile, Edinburg High (2-3, 1-1 in district) stays at home to take on PSJA Memorial.

[email protected]

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Saturday, Oct. 1

District 30-6A

McAllen Memorial def. McAllen Rowe 25-16, 25-18, 25-23

McAllen High def. Mission High 25-19, 25-21, 25-9

La Joya High def. La Joya Palmview, 25-15, 25-14, 25-15

District 31-6A

Edinburg High def. PSJA North 25-9, 25-14, 23-25, 25-10

Edinburg Vela def. Edinburg Economedes 25-10, 25-16, 25-11

PSJA Memorial def. PSJA Southwest 25-13, 25-23, 25-21

Edinburg North def. PSJA High 25-8, 25-18, 20-25, 26-24

District 32-6A

Los Fresnos def. Weslaco High 25-14, 25-7, 25-18

Brownsville Hanna def. Weslaco East

San Benito vs. Harlingen High, not reported

Brownsville Rivera def. Harlingen South 25-17, 25-10, 25-20

District 31-5A

Valley View def. Sharyland High 25-20, 25-20, 25-21

Mission Veterans Memorial def. Roma 25-14, 25-7, 25-20

Laredo Nixon def. Laredo Cigarroa

Rio Grande City at Laredo Martin, not reported

District 32-5A

Brownsville Veterans def. Donna High 25-12, 20-25, 25-14, 25-20

Brownsville Pace def. Brownsville Lopez 27-25, 26-24, 25-19

Donna North def. Mercedes 25-6, 25-22, 25-11

Edcouch-Elsa def. Brownsville Porter

District 32-4A

Progreso def. Hidalgo

Zapata def. Rio Hondo

Port Isabel vs. Raymondville, not reported

Non-District

Lyford def. Monte Alto

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SUMMARIES

Saturday’s Games

DISTRICT 30-6A

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. McALLEN ROWE

25-16, 25-18, 25-23

McALLEN MEMORIAL — Valeria Trevino 9 kills, 2 digs; Jocelynn Everage 11 kills, 1 block, 3 digs; Taylor Marburger 11 kills, 7 digs, 5 assists; Lanie Nitsch 6 kills, 1 block; DD Ibarra 9 digs, 8 kills, 1 assist; Emily Whitworth 3 assists, 1 kill, 3 digs; Alexia Kruse 41 assists, 10 digs; Abrianna Saenz 5 digs.

McALLEN ROWE — Amanda Martinez 13 kills, 2 aces, 4 digs, 2 assists; Andrea Gomez 3 digs; Renee Alonzo 3 kills, 28 digs, 2 blocks; Jackelyn Alaniz 18 kills, 9 digs, 7 blocks; Adrianna Martinez 23 digs, 1 block, 10 assists; Isabella Lopez 1 kill, 2 digs; Brianna Chaidez 22 digs; Kayla Cruz 23 digs; Vanessa Lopez 1 kill, 1 ace, 9 digs, 22 assists.

RECORDS — McAllen Memorial 32-3, 6-0 in district; McAllen Rowe 24-14, 4-2 in district.

McALLEN HIGH DEF. MISSION HIGH

25-19, 25-21, 25-9

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 6 kills, 2 digs, 2 blocks, 26 assists; Victoria Rogers 2 aces, 7 kills, 3 digs, 1 block; Julia Monday 8 kills, 2 blocks; Sydney Pemelton 1 ace, 11 kills, 1 dig, 7 blocks.

MISSION HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

DISTRICT 31-6A

EDINBURG HIGH DEF. PSJA NORTH

25-9, 25-14, 23-25, 25-10

PSJA NORTH — Ashley Garza 8 kills; Stephanie Crispin 7 kills, 1 block, 1 ace; Carla Muro 5 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace; Melissa Palacios 14 digs; Sam Enriquez 23 assists.

EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 5 kills, 1 block, 13 aces, 35 assists, 13 digs; Elizabeth Olivarez 2 aces, 30 digs, 1 assist; Tianna Howard 17 kills, 1 block, 2 aces, 4 digs; Natalie Martinez 8 kills, 4 blocks, 2 digs; Maria Reyes 20 digs, 6 kills; Renee Ponce 5 assists, 2 digs, 1 kill, 2 aces; Lorissa Gonzalez 4 digs; Brianna Sanchez 1 kill, 1 block; Marissa Arce 14 digs, 2 assists, 16 kills, 3 aces, 1 block.

RECORDS — PSJA North 21-12, 3-4 in district; Edinburg High 27-6, 6-1 in district.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. EDINBURG ECONOMEDES

25-10, 25-16, 25-11

EDINBURG VELA — Jaida Muhammad 13 kills, 11 points, 11 digs, 1 stuff block; Nicole Avelar 14 kills, 3 points, 1 ace, 5 digs, 2 stuff blocks; Julissa Cuellar 18 assists, 5 kills, 5 points, 3 digs; Cynthia Hernandez 13 assists, 17 points, 7 digs; Bianca Cortez 5 kills, 10 stuff blocks; Karina Castillo 3 digs, 10 points, 2 aces; Chery Chavez 4 digs, 7 points, 1 ace;

ECONOMEDES — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg Vela 29-8, 7-0 in district.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. PSJA SOUTHWEST

25-13, 25-23, 25-21

PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristy Gomez 10 kills, 2 aces, 2 blocks; Deserey Gomez 6 kills, 6 digs, 4 ace, 2 blocks, 2 assists; Stephanie Flores 7 digs, 3 kills; Valerie Guajardo 3 kills, 2 digs, 6 assists; Victoria Maldonado 6 digs, 13 assists; Victoria Hernandez 6 kills; Mireya martinez 9 digs; Brittney Salcido 7 digs; Kristy Alanis 7 digs.

PSJA SOUTHWEST — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

EDINBURG NORTH DEF. PSJA HIGH

25-8, 25-18, 20-25, 26-24

PSJA HIGH — Myranda Garza 16 kills; Karima Gardumo 7 kills; Sydney Escobar 32 assists; Ashley Lopez 24 digs.

EDINBURG NORTH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

DISTRICT 31-5A

VALLEY VIEW DEF. SHARYLAND HIGH

25-20, 25-20, 25-21

VALLEY VIEW — Kumary Castañeda 17 kills, 22 digs; Mariela Gaytan 7 kills, 5 blocks; Evelyn Saenz 41 digs; Ashley Arteaga 30 assists; Iris Uribe 5 kills.

SHARYLAND HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

MISSION VETERANS DEF. ROMA

25-14, 25-7, 25-20

MISSION VETERANS — Makenzie Gerlach 4 kills, 3 digs; Iliana Contreras 1 kill, 23 assists, 4 digs, 3 aces; Karyna Lozano 7 digs, 3 aces; Andrea De La Garza 4 kills, 11 digs, 1 block, 7 aces; Alex Jimenez 10 kills, 5 digs, 1 block; D’Iyza 5 kills, 1 dig; Veronika Cantu 2 assists; Dariana Garza 2 assists, 4 digs; Jackie Howell 12 kills, 11 digs, 3 blocks, 1 ace; Thalia Espinoza 1 kill.

ROMA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Mission Veterans 10-0 in district.

DISTRICT 32-5A

DONNA NORTH DEF. MERCEDES

25-8, 25-22, 25-11

DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 9 kills, 3 aces, 1 block; Evelyn De Leon 6 kills, 1 ace; Nicole Rodriguez 25 assists, 2 aces; Vanessa Alonzo 9 kills, 1 block.

MERCEDES — Not reported.

RECORDS — Donna North 9-13, 2-5 in district.

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

Robert Guerra was one of four Edinburg Vela football players arraigned Tuesday at Edinburg Municipal Court, accused of vandalizing Edinburg High School property, according to media reports.

Guerra, the District 31-5A MVP in 2015, along with teammates Daniel Elizondo, Samuel Valenzuela and Ryan Javier Rios are accused of having spray painted the Edinburg High football practice field with “RV” and “Robert Vela” early Tuesday morning, according to ValleyCentral.com. The four are being charged with criminal mischief (a state jail felony), according to the site.

The rival schools are scheduled to play each other Friday.

Edinburg Vela football coach and athletics coordinator Michael Salinas did not return calls seeking comment. Edinburg CISD director of athletics Rogelio R. Garza could not be reached before business closed Wednesday.

“They are suspended through Friday, so, which means that, I imagine, by default they would not be playing Friday,” Robert Flores, an attorney for three of the players, told reporters outside the courtroom Wednesday.

Their status with the school and the football team remains unclear going forward. Edinburg CISD told ValleyCentral.com it could not comment on any disciplinary action, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Guerra entered this year with plenty of promise after coming off a junior season in which he captured the District 31-5A MVP. He rushed for 1,321 yards and 20 touchdowns in the regular season, earning a spot on The Monitor’s All-Area Football second team. In the process, Edinburg Vela advanced to the third round of the playoffs.

The senior running back opened the 2016 campaign scoring nine touchdowns in a 63-62 double-overtime win over Victoria East on Aug. 26. That broke the Valley’s single-game scoring record, while putting him in an eight-way tie for third all-time in Texas high school football history. Only Pilot Point’s Jiggs Ray (11 TDs, 1937) and Spur’s Jim Hahn (10 TDs, 1930) have totaled more touchdowns in a single game.

Guerra finished that night with seven rushing touchdowns (359, yards, 33 carries) and two more receiving (three catches, 70 carries). His rushing yardage, in fact, was the fifth-most ever recorded by a Valley player.

His scoring output broke the previous Valley single-game record set by Rio Grande City’s Bernie Anzaldua, who scored seven touchdowns in a game against La Joya High in 1989.

For his performance, Guerra was named Mr. Football Player of the Week.

In three games this year, Guerra totaled 825 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He also hauled in 96 yards and two receiving TDs.

Edinburg Vela holds a 3-1 overall record, including 1-0 in district play after beating Edinburg North last week.

The SaberCats, who are ranked No. 3 in the latest RGVSports.com top 10 poll, take on Edinburg High at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Richard R. Flores Stadium. It marks the second district game of the season for both teams.