By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

LA JOYA — For as well as PSJA North has performed defensively this year, surrendering a Valley-best 163.5 yards per game heading into Week 4, coach Marcus Kaufmann had heard some friendly criticism about how his team still lacked a shutout victory.

In each of their first two games, the Raiders allowed at least one touchdown. But that changed Friday when they turned in a 31-0 win over La Joya High at La Joya ISD Stadium in both teams’ non-district finale.

PSJA North allowed just 88 yards while forcing six short drives, including four three-and-outs, along with two fumbles as it improved to 3-0 on the season.

“They played lights-out,” Kaufmann said. “They finally got their shutout.”

Bo Adams ran 23 times for 127 yards, scoring twice on the ground, and Rene Ramirez (75 yards on 14 carries) added another TD. The Raiders attempted only three throws all night, and they were successful each time to Sammy Badillo.

The senior wide receiver hauled in a 46-yard score on his first catch from Darren Fuentes, and then Badillo caught two more passes for 39 and 11 yards, respectively, from Randy Reyna.

PSJA North totaled 306 yards of offense — down from its 387 yards per game average — as it went up against La Joya (1-3), owners of the best defense in 30-6A in terms of yards allowed (201.7), along with La Joya Juarez-Lincoln.

“We feel pretty good about it,” said senior nose tackle Vicente Palacios, who forced and recovered a fumble Friday. “We just tell each other to focus. Don’t jack around. Stay on the go, and just make sure it’s a (shutout). We feel pretty confident, but we don’t want to boast too much. We’re going to go into (next week) humble. Hopefully everyone does their job and we go for a district title.”

The Raiders certainly remain in the conversation, along with unbeaten Edinburg Economedes and 2-1 Edinburg Vela, after posting a 3-0 record heading into their 31-6A opener.

North opened a 15-0 lead in the first quarter. Adams scored on 12-yard run to cap a six-play, 52-yard sequence. The senior back has been the Raiders’ primary weapon on offense this year, and it showed Friday as he carried the ball five times for 47 yards on that opening drive.

After forcing La Joya to punt, PSJA North scored four plays later on Ramirez’s 1-yard dive up the middle.

By halftime, the Raiders led 25-0 following a 35-yard field goal and a 46-yard TD pass from Fuentes to Badillo.

“I was actually worried about them because (La Joya was) getting better and better every week,” Kaufmann said. “I was worried about this being a ball game where we were looking ahead to district and they were just beginning to put it together. I wasn’t really trying to experiment. Just trying to win a ball game.”

ELIMINATING LAPSES

Despite a 3-0 record and convincing wins, Kaufmann said he was hoping his team would clean up its second-half lapses, a trend that has developed early in the year.

On Friday, the Raiders didn’t record a second-half touchdown until the 26-second mark of the fourth period. It came on a 16-play, 87-yard drive, which chewed up nearly seven minutes, when Adams punched in a 6-yard score.

“The first half was a great half of football,” Kaufmann said. “But it was like the last two games. Second half, kind of lost focus again. Started playing around. We still haven’t grown up. We have to hurry up. District starts next week, so we have to get going.”

UNDER CENTER

After four games of alternating between quarterbacks, La Joya High coach Reuben Farias said he still hasn’t decided whether he will switch between two signal callers going into next week’s district opener.

On Friday, the Coyotes threw the ball 14 times, with Irving Garcia finding the most success, completing 5 of 10 attempts for 48 yards. Jose Delgado connected on 1 of 5 tries for a loss of one yard.

“We’re still trying to find to see who’s going to be the one to take the lead,” Farias said. “They both bring two different things to the table. Right now, there’s certain things we’re going to try to do that one does better than the other. Whoever had a better game, that’s the one we’ll stick with.”

UP NEXT

PSJA North was the only District 31-6A team to play Friday, with every other team on a bye. The Raiders will take on PSJA Memorial at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 in both teams’ 31-6A opener.

La Joya plays its third straight game at home next week when it faces Mission High in both teams’ 30-6A opener.

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VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SUMMARIES
DISTRICT 30-6A
LA JOYA PALMVIEW DEF. LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN
25-18, 20-25, 20-25, 25-14, 15-4
LA JOYA PALMVIEW — Sarahi Zavala 6 assists, 8 aces; Giselle Ornelas 11 kills, 3 aces, 9 digs; Keyla Gutierrez 8 kills, 1 block; Megan Zamora 4 kills, 8 assists, 5 aces; Lori Esqueda 5 kills, 4 aces, 5 digs; Diana Moreno 1 block, 8 digs.
JUAREZ-LINCOLN — Not reported.
RECORDS — Not reported.

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. MISSION HIGH
27-25, 25-12, 20-25, 25-15
McALLEN MEMORIAL — J. Everage 12 kills, 3 aces, 10 digs; V. Trevino 3 aces, 6 digs; E. Whitworth 5 kills; T. Marburger 9 kills, 12 assists, 4 aces, 2 blocks, 13 digs; D. Ibarra 8 kills, 3 aces, 16 digs; A. Saenz 9 digs; A. Kruse 12 assists, 7 digs.
MISSION HIGH — Lissete Vela 8 kills, 9 blocks; Emily Alvarado 8 kills, 11 assists, 2 blocks; Clarissa Gonzalez 6 blocks; Jazmine Sustaita 10 points, 3 aces, 31 digs; Anyssa Aguilar 9 assists; Litzy Vivas 4 blocks; M. Bialaszewski 13 assists, 2 digs.
RECORDS — Mission High 16-8, 1-1 in district; McAllen Memorial 28-3, 2-0 in district.

DISTRICT 31-6A
EDINBURG NORTH DEF. PSJA SOUTHWEST
25-16, 25-21, 25-11
EDINBURG NORTH — Itzamar Rios 10 kills, 5 digs, 3 blocks; Amanda Cavazos 9 assists; Naila Garcia 9 assists, 11 digs.
PSJA SOUTHWEST — Not reported
RECORDS — Edinburg North 8-23, 1-1 in district.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. EDINBURG HIGH
25-20, 25-20, 25-18
EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 2 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace, 14 digs, 20 assists; Marissa Arce 7 kills, 11 digs; Tianna Howard 10 kills; Amber Reyes 6 kills, 2 blocks, 3 digs; Maria Reyes 3 kills, 8 digs; Elizabeth Olivarez 12 digs, 1 assist; Renne Ponce 4 digs, 1 assist.
EDINBURG VELA — Not reported.
RECORDS — Edinburg High 1-1 in district.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. EDINBURG ECONOMEDES
25-18, 25-9, 25-10
PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristi Gomez 8 kills, 7 digs, 1 block, 5 aces; Deserey Gomez 3 kills, 16 assists, 7 digs, 1 block; Valerie Gujardo 10 assists, 5 digs, 1 ace; Vanessa Martinez 1 kill, 4 digs; Victoria Hernandez 5 kills; Victoria Maldonado 14 digs.
ECONOMEDES — Not reported.
RECORDS — PSJA Memorial 23-5, 2-0 in district.

PSJA HIGH DEF. PSJA NORTH
18-25, 21-25, 25-15, 30-28, 15-6
PSJA HIGH — Myranda 16 kills, 3 blocks; Sara Jo Hernandez 6 kills, 3 blocks; Nat Lozano 3 kills, 2 blocks.
PSJA NORTH — Not reported.
RECORDS — PSJA High 4-8, 1-1 in district.

DISTRICT 32-6A
BROWNSVILLE HANNA DEF. WESLACO HIGH
25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11
WESLACO HIGH — Madelyn Ybarra 9 kills, 19 digs, 4 blocks; Jacqueline Moreno 21 kills, 6 aces, 15 digs, 3 blocks; Briana Gonzalez 9 kills, 3 aces, 14 digs; Ariel Amador 37 digs, 2 aces; Leslie Gonzalez 30 digs, 3 aces; Gabby Rivera 36 assists, 20 digs, 2 aces; Illiyah Cantu 4 kills, 9 digs.
BROWNSVILLE HANNA — Not reported.
RECORDS — Not reported.

LAREDO MARTIN — Not reported.
RECORDS — Roma 10-14 overall, 3-3 in district.

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. SHARYLAND PIONEER
21-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-22
SHARYLAND HIGH — Norma Quintanilla 8 kills, 4 blocks, 2 digs; Estefania Hinojosa 8 kills; Montse Giron 3 kills; Hannah Kirby 3 aces; Elise Townsend 3 aces, 6 digs; Caleigh Hausenfluck 25 digs, 2 assists; Paola Chapa 9 digs; Melanie Lazos 16 assists; Aydee Hinojosa 9 assists.
SHARYLAND PIONEER — Audrey Smith 7 kills, 27 assists, 19 digs; Caitlyn Cottrell 8 kills; Daizy Coronado 4 kills; Mariah Youngblood 10 kills; Mikayla Zimmerer 9 kills, 2 aces, 14 digs; Savannah James 10 kills; Samantha Roberts 11 digs, 20 assists.
RECORDS — Sharyland High 17-12, 5-0 in district; Sharyland Pioneer 18-6, 3-2 in district.

VALLEY VIEW DEF. LAREDO CIGARROA
16-25, 25-19, 25-13, 25-20
VALLEY VIEW — Kumary Castaneda 18 kills; Iris Uribe 2 kills; Mariela Gaytan 6 kills.
LAREDO CIGARROA — Not reported.
RECORDS — Not reported.

DISTRICT 32-5A
DONNA NORTH DEF. BROWNSVILLE LOPEZ
25-16, 25-15, 25-14
DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 6 kills; Evelyn De Leon 6 aces, 9 kills; Nicole Rodriguez 2 aces, 2 kills, 18 assists.
BROWNSVILLE LOPEZ — Not reported.
RECORDS — Donna North 8-9, 1-1 in district.

DISTRICT 32-4A
HIDALGO DEF. PORT ISABEL
25-13, 23-25, 25-10, 25-10
HIDALGO — Karla Cantu 30 kills, 8 aces; Barbie Gutierrez 13 kills; Vivian Chavez 10 kills, 3 aces; Stephanie Ysasia 39 assists.
PORT ISABEL — Not reported.
RECORDS — Not reported.

GRULLA — Delma Ozuna 1 ace, 9 kills, 1 block, 23 digs; Maxine Solis 1 ace, 3 kills, 9 assists, 23 digs; Caitlyn Rodriguez 1 aces, 24 digs; Eveline Saenz 2 kills, 1 assist, 6 digs; Analuz Velasquez 1 kill, 2 assists, 50 digs; Larissa Martinez 3 kills, 3 assists, 14 digs; Amarayza Huerta 2 kills, 7 digs; Abigail Flores 2 kills, 1 assist, 4 digs; Jennifer Anzaldua 1 kill.

PROGRESO DEF. LA FERIA
25-13, 25-23, 25-23
LA FERIA — Isis Bernal 7 assists, 8 digs; Syerra Montalvo 4 kills, 28 digs; Destiny Martinez 16 digs; Myah Salas 8 kills, 22 digs; Camryn Lopez 1 kill, 3 digs; Anelli Rodriguez 10 kills, 3 digs; Donna Garcia 23 digs; Karina Diaz 14 assists, 10 digs; Alysa Martinez 3 digs; Irma Valdez 1 kill, 1 dig.
PROGRESO — Not reported
RECORDS — La Feria 10-17, 2-1 in district.

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

Ofelia Griffith can recall only one other time in her 14 years at Edcouch-Elsa that her team has battled through more injuries than they have already heading into their second district game of the year.

In 2007, the Lady Yellowjackets had four players sidelined in the middle of district, and the team went on to qualify for the playoffs nonetheless.

This time, E-E has two players out for the year. One other player is coming back from injury after getting hurt in non-district. And two others are getting acclimated after offseason surgery.

“It’s been one of those seasons,” Griffith said. “But I tell you what: I give it up to the girls. They’re hanging in there. It doesn’t affect them. Other times might want to throw in the towel, but they haven’t. They’re looking good, and we’ve played tough teams and they’re playing well.”

The Lady Yellowjackets are 14-11 overall and 1-0 in district heading into tonight’s game against host Donna High at 7 p.m.

Over the weekend, E-E had two starters undergo surgery. Freshman Meagan Acevedo, a setter specialist, underwent surgery to repair three ligaments in her knee. Defensive specialist Odessa Mata had her procedure to take care of a bone spur.

The ailments have led to varying lineups for Edcouch-Elsa. Griffith, however, said the players have drawn inspiration from players like Jackie Alvarado, Jackie De Los Santos and Alejandra Martinez.

Alvarado was the district’s libero of the year, and has bounced back from a pulled hamstring at a tournament in Laredo a couple weeks ago. De Los Santos had two surgeries on the same knee during the offseason stemming from soccer injuries, and she’s made a smooth transition back. And Martinez, who had surgery on her shoulder in January, has had a strong showing at middle blocker.

“They’re doing a great job of showing how they can come back,” Griffith said. “All you have to do is hang in there, you persevere and you build yourself up. For some reason, these injuries, whether they’re sport-related or other, it just seems to be one of those years. But that’s just what happens. You get thrown a curveball, and we’ve been thrown a few.”

RECORD YEAR

PSJA Southwest is going into its second district game of the season tonight, but already it can take solace in one thing: this marks its winningest season since the varsity program started in 2010.

The Lady Javelinas (15-10, 0-1 in district) have never won more than 15 games in a year. Last season, they came close, posting a 13-22 overall record (3-11 in district). They also recorded a series of first-time accomplishments, such as winning their season opener, beating teams like Zapata and La Feria and advancing to the championship match of the gold bracket in the Zapata Tournament.

They also recorded back-to-back wins over La Feria and Port Isabel in the gold bracket of the P.I. Tournament.

“Every year we’re getting better,” coach Jackie Olvera said. “We’re a new school, and the girls coming in are coming in with more experience. The team chemistry has never been more united than it is now.”

Though Southwest is young with four freshmen, it has excelled nonetheless with seniors Andrea Jimenez and Hannah Perez leading the way. Jimenez, a 6-foot middle blocker, is the captain of the team and has made her presence with the manner in which she puts away balls and rallies her team. Perez, an outside hitter, has thrived in her role after initially serving and playing in the back row before taking on the outside hitter role last year.

In moving up to classifications to 31-6A, Olvera said the team has also benefitted from moving from a 4-2 set to a 6-2.

“With the 5As, we were able to get away with not having a right-side hitter because the game was slower,” Olvera said. “With the 6As, they’ll have their middle and outside camping on us because they know we have a middle and outside. So they’ll be waiting. But when we throw that right side out there, our setter can go outside and block or she can throw it down.

“That’s why we have to go 6-2 or we’ll get blocked all night. We won’t make their defense shift because we don’t have a right side. And those teams are quicker and their blocks are bigger. So we’ve had to make those adjustments.”

At 7 p.m. tonight, the Lady Javelinas resume district play when they travel to take on Edinburg North.

“We’re excited,” Olvera said. “We’ve never had crowds like we do now. The girls know what kind of team we have. They’re like, ‘Hey, it’s not like other years. We’re actually good, we’re actually OK.’ It’s just stepping up to the challenge and not being afraid.”

She added: “Nobody really expects anything from us, so it’s good to take people by surprise and be underdogs. It gives us more fire.”
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VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Saturday, Sept. 10

District 30-6A

McAllen Memorial def. La Joya Palmview 25-6, 25-8, 25-9

McAllen Rowe def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-9, 25-9, 25-4

Mission High def. La Joya High 25-15, 25-19, 25-20

District 31-6A

Edinburg Vela def. Edinburg North 25-13, 25-14, 25-13

Edinburg High def. Edinburg Economedes 25-16, 25-10, 25-14

PSJA High def. PSJA Southwest 25-21, 26-24, 21-25, 25-20

PSJA Memorial def. PSJA North 25-18, 25-22, 25-21

District 32-6A

Weslaco High def. Weslaco East 25-21, 25-14, 23-25, 25-19

District 31-5A

Sharyland Pioneer def. Rio Grande City 25-12, 25-5, 25-8

Mission Veterans def. Laredo Nixon 25-20, 25-16, 25-18

Sharyland High def. Laredo Cigarroa 25-17, 25-19, 25-20

Roma def. Valley View 25-23, 24-26, 21-25, 25-13, 16-14

District 32-5A

Donna High def. Mercedes 25-15, 25-6, 25-13

Edcouch-Elsa def. Donna North 25-16, 25-19, 25-17

District 32-4A

Grulla def. Port Isabel 25-19, 25-23, 25-21

Progreso def. Rio Hondo

La Feria def. Hidalgo 25-20, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SUMMARIES

Saturday’s Matches

DISTRICT 30-6A

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. LA JOYA PALMVIEW

25-6, 25-8, 25-9

McALLEN MEMORIAL — Valeria Trevino 4 kills, 5 aces; Jocelynn Everage 8 kills; DD Ibarra 5 kills, 4 aces; Abrianna Saenz 7 digs; Alexia Kruse 10 assists; Morgan Bialaszewski 11 assists

LA JOYA PALMVIEW — Not reported.

RECORDS — McAllen Memorial 27-3, 1-0 in district.

McALLEN ROWE DEF. LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN

25-9, 25-9, 25-4

McALLEN ROWE — Amanda Martinez 13 kills, 14 digs, 3 blocks; Andrea Gomez 2 kills, 1 ace, 2 digs; Karina De La Rosa 2 aces, 6 digs; Renee Alonzo 6 kills, 4 aces, 14 digs; Jackson Alaniz 12 kills, 3 aces, 13 digs, 4 blocks; Adriana Martinez 11 assists, 2 kills, 4 aces; Brianna Chaidez 1 ace, 8 digs; Kayla Cruz 1 assist, 9 digs; Vanessa Lopez 23 assists, 1 kill, 2 aces.

JUAREZ-LINCOLN — Not reported.

RECORDS — McAllen Rowe 21-12, 1-0 in district.

DISTRICT 31-6A

WESLACO HIGH DEF. WESLACO EAST

25-21, 25-14, 23-25, 25-19

WESLACO HIGH — Madelyn Ybarra 14 kills, 16 digs, 6 blocks; Jacqueline Moreno 8 kills, 18 digs, 6 aces; Briana Gonzalez 7 kills, 4 digs; Ariel Amador 25 digs; Leslie Gonzalez 16 digs; Gabby Rivera 23 assists, 6 kills.

WESLACO EAST — Not reported.

RECORDS — Weslaco High 14-15, 1-0 in district.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. EDINBURG NORTH

25-13, 25-14, 25-13

EDINBURG VELA — Jaida Muhammad 11 digs, 18 kills, 16 points; Nicole Avelar 5 digs, 13 kills, 6 points, 2 blocks; Julissa Cuellar 24 assists, 9 points; Cynthia Hernandez 14 assists, 11 points; Bianca Cortez 13 blocks, 6 kills; Dylann Guerra 16 points, 13 digs; Chery Chavez 11 digs, 5 points.

EDINBURG NORTH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg Vela 23-7, 1-0 in district.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. PSJA NORTH
25-18, 25-22, 25-21
PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristi Gomez 12 kills, 2 blocks, 3 digs, 4 aces; Deserey Gomez 5 kills, 8 assists, 2 blocks, 1 ace; Valerie Guajardo 13 assists, 5 digs, 1 ace; Stephanie Flores 3 kills, 2 blocks; Victoria Maldonado 10 digs.
PSJA NORTH — Not reported.
RECORDS — PSJA Memorial 22-5, 1-0 in district.

DISTRICT 31-5A

SHARYLAND PIONEER DEF. RIO GRANDE CITY

25-12, 25-5, 25-8

PIONEER — Samantha Roberts 2 aces, 15 assists, 9 digs; Audrey Smith 2 aces, 9 kills, 10 assists, 10 digs; Mikayla Zimmerer 1 ace, 9 kills; Mariah Youngblood 3 aces; Briana Ramos 3 aces.

RGC — Not reported.

RECORDS — Sharyland Pioneer 19-6, 3-1.

MISSION VETERANS DEF. LAREDO NIXON

25-20, 25-16, 25-18

MISSION VETERANS — Makenzie Gerlach 3 kills, 5 digs; Iliana Contreras 2 kills, 13 assists, 5 digs, 2 aces; Karyna Lozano 8 digs; Isabela Dominguez 3 digs; Andrea De La Garza 6 kills, 4 assists, 5 digs, 1 ace; Alex Jimenez 12 kills, 11 digs, 1 block, 2 aces; D’Iyza Medina 4 kills, 1 digs; Veronika Cantu 2 assists; Dariana Garza 11 assists, 4 digs; Jackie Howell 11 kills, 9 digs, 1 block, 5 aces; Thalia Espinoza 1 assist; Valerie De La Fuente 2 assists.

LAREDO NIXON — Not reported

RECORDS — Mission Veterans 18-11, 5-0 in district.

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. LAREDO CIGARROA

25-17, 25-19, 25-20

SHARYLAND — Not reported.

CIGARROA — Larissa Palomares 5 kills; Gina Benavides 6 kills, 3 aces.

RECORDS — Sharyland 16-12, 4-0 in district.

ROMA DEF. VALLEY VIEW

25-23, 24-26, 21-25, 25-13, 16-14

ROMA — Diamantina Ramirez 17 kills, 1 block, 3 digs; Mya Salinas 9 kills, 4 blocks; Valeria Gordillo 15 digs, 3 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace; Jesselle Guerra 9 assists, 3 kills, 10 digs; Alissa Gonzalez 24 assists, 10 digs, 2 aces.

VALLEY VIEW — Not reported

RECORDS — Roma 2-3 in district.

DISTRICT 32-5A

EDCOUCH-ELSA DEF. DONNA NORTH
25-16, 25-19, 25-17
DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 13 kills; Evelyn De Leon 7 kills; Nicole Rodriguez 20 assists.
EDCOUCH-ELSA — Not reported.
RECORDS — Donna North 7-9, 0-1 in district.

DISTRICT 32-4A

GRULLA DEF. PORT ISABEL

25-19, 25-23, 25-21

GRULLA — Larissa Martinez 1 ace, 1 kill, 3 assists, 9 digs; Delma Ozuna 1 ace, 1 kill, 5 digs; Amarayza Huerta 1 ace, 1 kill, 5 digs; Maxine Solis 2 block, 3 assists, 11 digs; Caitlyn Rodriguez 1 block, 12 digs; Eveline Saenz 1 block, 11 digs; Analuz Velasquez 32 digs; Jennifer Anzaldua 1 block

PORT ISABEL — Not reported.

RECORDS — Grulla 1-0 in district.

LA FERIA DEF. HIDALGO
25-20, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23
LA FERIA — Isis Bernal 2 kills, 4 aces, 28 assists, 8 digs; Donna Garcia 3 kills, 7 aces, 17 digs; Karina Diaz 6 aces, 11 assists, 8 digs; Myah Salas 13 kills, 3 aces, 8 digs; Camryn 8 kills, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 1 dig; Anelli Rodriguez 8 kills, 2 assists, 3 blocks; Syerra Montalvo 13 kills, 6 aces, 19 digs; Destiny Martinez 1 kill, 1 ace, 1 assist, 12 digs; Alyssa Martinez 4 aces, 4 digs; Zoe Medeles 2 kills, 1 block; Dakota Mosley 3 digs.
HIDALGO — Not reported.
RECORDS — Not reported.

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — As Edinburg High amassed a 22-4 record heading into Saturday’s District 31-6A opener, coach Deanna Dominguez tried to inspire her players by reminding them that their exceptional play to start the year had little impact on their playoff and district title aspirations.

“It’s all brand-new now,” Dominguez said. “This is a new chapter.”

Much like the previous 26 matches, the Lady Bobcats made quick work of their opponents, dispatching Edinburg Economedes 25-16, 25-10, 25-14 on the road.

“This game was really important,” said Edinburg High’s Elizabeth Olivarez, who finished with 21 digs. “In non-district, you don’t really worry about your record, but now it’s district and nothing else matters. You’re worried about yourself, and you’re worried about representing your team.”

Given the changes the changes Edinburg High has had to make with its lineup recently, Dominguez said she was pleased with her players’ communication as of late. With middle blocker Natalie Martinez suffering a stress fracture in her feet, leaving her on crutches the past four games, the Lady Bobcats have moved Amber Reyes from the right side to the middle, leading to other changes in their rotation.

It’s hardly shown in Edinburg High’s play, however, with Tianna Howard picking up a match-high 19 kills to go with two aces, two blocks and one dig. Dezi Marmolejo racked up 33 assists, 13 digs, two kills and three aces. Maria Reyes contributed seven digs, three kills and two aces. And Renee Ponce chipped in with three kills, five assists and two digs.

“It’s just been a rollercoaster,” Dominguez said. “We’ve had to make changes, but I feel like it’s God’s way. We’ve had to keep adjusting; that’s what the game’s about. Not trying to let anything be an excuse for us.

“If it’s not one thing, it’s another. But we’re just rolling with it.”

In the process, Howard, a three-year lettermen, has flourished. Dominguez said the junior has learned that “not every shot has to be a glory shot,” and that she must play smart and conserve energy. It showed Saturday in the way Howard picked her spots, and went for dagger kills.

She scored off a feed from Marmolejo to seal Game 2, and then kept the Lady Bobcats 19-10 lead in the final set before Marmolejo’s tip over the net secured the sweep.

“We always trust her there,” Olivarez said of Marmolejo said. “Her serves are really strong, and we mesh well. We have good chemistry, and it works.”

Though Economedes struggled to make it competitive until Game 3 on Saturday, junior middle blocker Brittany Cantu said she was encouraged by the incremental growth her team has shown lately. The past three years, she said the playoff team fell out of the playoff picture because of a lack of a communication.

And even though the team had those lapses on Saturday, given it only returns four players from last year, she saw them meshing on the court better than in years past.

“I think everyone jus wants it more,” Cantu said. “We have the will to keep going, to push each other. It’s different. We push each other more, we get along more and we have chemistry. That’s what’s helping us get through the season.”

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By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Through the first two games of the season, Edinburg Vela had turned to Robert Guerra to shoulder a significant load of the offense, scoring 12 of the team’s 13 touchdowns.

With the senior running back sitting out Friday, however, the SaberCats found other scoring options with sophomore Christian Flores and free safety Nick Enriquez, as they sparked a 35-10 victory over Brownsville Veterans Memorial at Richard Flores Stadium.

Flores inherited the bulk of the carries with Guerra, the District 31-5A MVP in 2015, out for what coach Michael Salinas described as “a game decision.” Flores ran 25 times for 175 yards, including a 9-yard run that tied the game at 7. Edinburg Vela never trailed again.

And Enriquez cashed in a fumble for a 55-yard score, as the SaberCats handed Brownsville Veterans (2-1) its first loss of the season.

“Just really proud of our kids and their effort, and how they responded in the second half,” Salinas said. “We had some guys out this week and our philosophy is next man up. It’s something we talk about and believe in. It’s a tribute to them and their preparation for being able to execute when their number is called.”

After graduating their first four-year class, the SaberCats faced some uncertainties with their skill players heading into this season. They graduated their starting quarterback and receiving corps, and were left without much experience at running back. But Guerra has kept the team competitive, nonetheless.

Heading into Week 3, Guerra led District 31-6A in rushing yards (530 total, 9.5 per carry) and touchdowns (12). He was also second in receiving yards (96). In the season opener, he tallied nine TDs — a single-game Valley record, and third all-time in state high school history. For that, he was named Dave Campbell’s Mr. Texas Football Player of the Week.

Without him, though, the SaberCats turned to quarterback Nate Garcia, who rushed for 109 yards and threw for 102. He connected on two scoring strikes to Marcos Santos, who scored the team’s only other TD outside of Guerra. Garcia found Santos on an 11-yard TD for a 21-10 lead before halftime, and then another in the third quarter for a 28-10 advantage.

“(Guerra’s) a big factor in our offense, of courses, but we just had to overcome that,” Garcia said. “Our backup, Christian Flores, really stepped up. He was running hard. He was protecting the ball. He was finding the holes in the defense and really hitting them.”

Flores also drew praise from Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu, who called the sophomore “an exceptional player” with “tremendous speed.” Between Flores, Garcia and Sam Valenzuela (nine carries, 67 yards), the SaberCats totaled 343 yards on the ground and 455 overall.

STAYING STRONG

Outside of their inaugural season when they went 0-10, the SaberCats have only lost consecutive games once. That happened Oct. 25 and Nov. 7 in 2013, when Vela dropped games against Edinburg North and Sharyland High to close out the year.

Since then, the SaberCats have won 21 of 23 regular season games, including 16 straight before losing to Edcouch-Elsa 34-30 in Week 2.

“I think any time you get beat it’s a humbling experience,” Salinas said. “We went and lost a good football game against a very good football team. We needed to bounce back and look ourselves in the mirror and prepare the way we needed to prepare. It was a reality check for a lot of our guys, and just happy with their preparation this week. They were able to put a good product on the field.”

By winning Friday, Vela avoided what could have been their second straight losing streak since 2013. The SaberCats have a bye next week before opening district Sept. 23 against Edinburg North.

BRINGING THE ‘D’

The SaberCats entered the week yielding the most yards (672.5) of any team in 31-6A. But Salinas said he was impressed with how his team responded Friday, recovering three turnovers, including interceptions by Santos and Saul Dominguez in the second half and a fumble for a score.

Brownsville Veterans last scored on a 27-yard field goal with 10:39 remaining in the second quarter.

“We challenged them at halftime to go out and hold these guys out of the end zone,” Salinas said. “We know they don’t get points for yards, so really happy for their performance in the second half, holding Brownsville Vets to no scores.”

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VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

Tuesday, Sept. 6

Non-District

Edinburg High def. Harlingen High 18-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-18

Weslaco High def. Brownsville Pace 25-17, 18-25, 25-15, 25-16

PSJA Memorial def. Brownsville Hanna 25-18, 18-25, 25-16, 25-23

Laredo Alexander def. McAllen Rowe 25-19, 25-16

Edinburg Vela def. Donna North 25-11, 25-17, 25-13

McAllen High def. San Benito, 25-19, 25-9, 25-21

McAllen Memorial def. Edinburg North 25-11, 25-12, 25-12

Mission High def. Donna High 25-19, 25-16, 25-19

Mission Veterans Memorial def. Sharyland Pioneer 23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-13, 16-14

Laredo LBJ def. PSJA Southwest 25-6, 25-14, 25-14

Harlingen South def. Edinburg Economedes 25-13, 25-17, 25-17

Laredo LBJ def. PSJA Southwest 25-6, 25-14, 25-14

Brownsville Rivera def. Mercedes

PSJA High at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, not reported

Weslaco East at La Joya Palmview, not reported

Edcouch-Elsa at La Joya High, not reported

District 31-5A

Mission Veterans Memorial def. Sharyland Pioneer 23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-13, 16-14

Sharyland High def. Roma 25-14, 25-21, 25-11

Valley View def. Laredo Martin 25-27, 25-14, 25-15, 25-11

District 32-4A

La Feria def. Grulla 25-20, 25-15, 25-16

Rio Hondo def. Zapata

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SUMMARIES

Tuesday’s Matches

District 31-5A

MISSION VETERANS DEF. SHARYLAND PIONEER

23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-13, 16-14

SHARYLAND PIONEER — Audrey Smith 1 ace, 13 kills, 28 assists, 29 digs, 3 blocks; Daisy Coronado 4 blocks, 2 kills; Mariah Youngblood 15 kills, 2 blocks, 9 digs; Caitlyn Cottrell 10 kills, 1 ace, 1 block, 3 digs.

MISSION VETERANS — Makenzie Gerlach 10 kills, 13 digs, 5 aces; Iliana Contreras 3 kills, 30 assists, 11 digs, 2 aces; Karyna Lozano 18 digs, 2 aces; Isabel Dominguez 3 digs; Andrea De La Garza 4 kills, 1 assist, 13 digs, 1 block; Alex Jimenez 18 kills, 1 assist, 15 digs, 2 blocks; D’Iyza Medina 1 kill, 2 digs; Jackie Howell 12 kills, 16 digs, 1 block, 4 aces; Valerie De Fuente 1 kill, 10 assists, 8 digs.

RECORD — Sharyland Pioneer 18-6, 2-1; Mission Veterans.

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. ROMA

25-14, 25-21, 25-11

SHARYLAND HIGH — Hannah Kirby 14 kills, 5 digs; Estefania Hinojosa 7 kills; Aydee Hinojosa 9 assists, 2 aces, 2 blocks; Montse Giron 4 blocks; Norma Quintanilla 4 digs, 2 blocks; Caleigh Hausenfluck 6 digs; Melanie 13 assists.

ROMA — Not reported.

RECORD — Sharyland High 15-12.

VALLEY VIEW DEF. LAREDO MARTIN

25-27, 25-14, 25-15, 25-11

VALLEY VIEW — Kumary Castaneda 15 kills; Mariela Gaytan 6 kills; Iris Uribe 7 kills; Karla Ibarra 5 kills.

LAREDO MARTIN — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported.

DISTRICT 32-4A

LA FERIA DEF. GRULLA

25-20, 25-15, 25-16

GRULLA — Delma Ozuna 1 ace, 5 kills, 1 block, 28 digs; Maxine Solis 1 ace, 2 assists, 12 digs; Caitlyn Rodriguez 1 ace, 17 digs; Eveline Saenz 2 kills, 2 digs; Analuz Velasquez 19 digs; Larissa Martinez 15 digs; Amarayza Huerta 5 digs; Abigail Flores 3 digs.

LA FERIA — Not reported.

RECORD — Grulla 0-1 in district.

Non-district

EDINBURG HIGH DEF. HARLINGEN HIGH

18-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-18

EDINBURG HIGH — Not reported.

HARLINGEN HIGH — Not reported.

RECORD — Edinburg High 21-5.

WESLACO HIGH DEF. BROWNSVILLE PACE

25-17, 18-25, 25-15, 25-16

WESLACO HIGH — Maddie Ybarra 8 kills, 18 digs, 3 blocks; Jacqee Moreno 14 kills, 17 digs, 4 blocks; Briana Gonzalez 9 kills, 8 digs, 3 aces; Ariel Amador 16 digs; Leslie Gonzalez 17 digs, 2 kills; Gabby Rivera 24 assists, 7 digs.

BROWNSVILLE PACE — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. BROWNSVILLE HANNA

25-18, 18-25, 25-16, 25-23

PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristi Gomez 20 kills, 6 digs, 3 blocks, 6 aces; Deserey Gomez 6 kills, 10 assists, 8 digs, 2 aces; Valerie Guajardo 14 assists, 2 kills; Victoria Hernandez 4 kills; Victoria Maldonado 14 digs.

BROWNSVILLE HANNA — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported.

LAREDO ALEXANDER DEF. McALLEN ROWE

25-19, 25-16

McALLEN ROWE — Amanda Martinez 12 kills, 30 digs, 6 blocks; Renee Alonzo 24 digs, 1 ace; Jackelyn Alaniz 9 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks; Adriana Martinez 9 digs, 3 blocks, 1 assist; Vanessa Lopez 18 assists, 11 digs, 2 blocks; Kayla Cruz 13 digs.

LAREDO ALEXANDER — Not reported.

RECORD — McAllen Rowe 20-12.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. DONNA NORTH

25-11, 25-17, 25-13

EDINBURG VELA — Not reported.

DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 7 kills; Evelyn De Leon 5 kills; Nicole Rodriguez 12 assists.

RECORD — Donna North 7-8.

McALLEN HIGH DEF. SAN BENITO

25-19, 25-9, 25-21

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 1 ace, 9 kills, 2 digs, 20 assists; Victoria Rogers 2 aces, 14 kills, 11 digs, 2 blocks; Julia Monday 5 kills; Kellie Woodin 10 digs; Lexi Gomzalez 10 aces.

SAN BENITO — Not reported.

RECORD — McAllen High 29-1.

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. EDINBURG NORTH

25-11, 25-12, 25-12

McALLEN MEMORIAL — Jocelynn Everage 14 kills; Taylor Marburger 9 kills; Samantha Perez 3 aces; Abriana Saenz 5 digs; Alexia Kruse 16 assists; Morgan Bialaszewski 7 assists.

EDINBURG NORTH — Not reported.

RECORD — McAllen Memorial 26-3.

MISSION HIGH DEF. DONNA HIGH

25-19, 25-16, 25-19

MISSION HIGH — Lissette Vela 8 kills, 8 blocks; Clarissa Gonzalez 4 kills, 2 blocks; Emily Alvarado 8 kills, 12 assists; Maria Garcia 8 kills, 2 blocks, 21 digs; Anissa Aguilar 12 serving points, 10 assists.

DONNA HIGH — Not reported.

RECORD — Mission High 15-7.

BY TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR

MISSION — Mission Veterans Memorial mounted a furious rally and scored the last four points of game five to defeat District 31-5A rival Sharyland Pioneer 23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-13 and 16-14 in an intense, high-level match Tuesday night at Veterans’ gym between two of the best volleyball programs in the Valley.

The Lady Patriots, playing from behind the whole night and trailing two 2-1 at one point, dug deep and found the heart coach Martina Carrillo says every team needs to win tough matches like this one that was played before a raucous 500 fans that made the gym deafening most of the night. The win improves Mission Veterans to 4-0 in district play.

But back to game five, with Sharyland Pioneer leading 14-12 and just one point away from losing the match, Carrillo called time out. She huddled the team, then pulled out her clipboard and drew the outline of a heart and filled it in.

“They know what that means. Play with a lot of heart, play together and get the job done,” she said. “You know at that point, both teams are very intense. I was just trying to reach out to their character. I was trying to get them to play with their inner souls and their hearts. That will get the job done over any skill to me.”

Not that they didn’t have skills.

Senior captain Alex Jimenez spearheaded a talented Lady Patriots squad that never gave up. The middle blocker was key in Veterans’ comeback bid with an array of powerful kills and blocks at the most opportune times. Jackie Howell, another returning letterman, also came through in the clutch. Howell’s three kills accounted for three of the Lady Patriots’ four straight points that ended game five.

“We never stopped playing and we never gave up, and that was what got us to win the final game,” said Jimenez, who finished with 15 kills and five blocks. “This (Pioneer) is our biggest competition. We knew this was going to be a tough game.”

Pioneer made it tough, to be sure. Laura Cavazos’ squad jumped out to a 1-0 game lead, then after giving up game 2, edged the Lady Patriots in game three to go up 2-1. But they couldn’t close the deal.

Mission Veterans stormed back to take game four, 25-13, and in the final game it was nip and tuck almost the entire way until Pioneer took what looked like a commanding 14-12 lead. That prompted Mission Veterans’ comeback, dealing Pioneer its first district loss (2-1).

“As a third-year school, we are still out to prove ourselves. We would like to get a first program win against what we call a powerhouse team in Mission Vets,” Cavazos said. “I thought our girls did a great job in coming out strong and bouncing back from a loss to them earlier in the season in the quarterfinals of our tournament (earlier this season). That’s all I could ask for.”

Cavazos said her team impressed despite not having the depth or experience of some other squads. Audry Smith did her part. The junior captain led Pioneer with 13 kills, 28 assists and 29 digs and kept the entire Lady Diamondbacks team involved. Mariah Youngblood also played well with 15 kills and nine digs.

The Lady Patriots also got a great game from Makenzie Gerlach, whose powerful service game piled up points. Gerlach also had nine kills.

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — With district play nearing, Edinburg Vela has sought ways to challenge itself, be it trying to perfect its passing or completely holding off teams as it appeared destined to do Saturday.

The Lady SaberCats, however, were challenged in a different manner against Mercedes, when they relinquished a lead in Game 3 before securing a 25-12, 25-19, 24-26, 25-7 victory at home.

Vela seemed in control through the third set before the Lady Tigers scored four unanswered to tie it at 23. After knotting it again at 24, Vela committed an error and Mercedes pounded a back-row kill to force Game 4, where the Lady SaberCats opened a 13-4 lead and never looked back.

“It was a great experience playing against a team that’s not in our district,” Vela’s Jaida Muhammad said. “That team did really good. They were scrappy and they didn’t let the ball drop. That’s what we need: to play against a team where we needed to work a little hard to put the ball down.”

With seven returners back, the Lady SaberCats have experienced few setbacks early on, posting a 22-8 record ahead of their district opener. Muhammad, one of the team’s most important players a year ago, posted 20 kills, 15 digs and two blocks Saturday, and teammate Nicole Avelar notched 21 kills, 18 digs and one block.

Vela has benefitted from their continuity. Whereas the team took time to come together with only two seniors last year, the Lady SaberCats now boast an upperclassmen-heavy squad with some newcomers sprinkled across their roster, expecting to make contributions the next two years.

Middle blocker Nicole Castañeda is being replaced by junior Victoria Cavazos, and Cynthia Hernandez is taking over for Mariely Rebollar at setter. Hernandez had 15 assists in Saturday’s win.

Dylann Guerra, a sophomore who started at libero last year, tallied 13 digs in the win over Mercedes, and junior Bianca Cortez posted eight kills and eight blocks. Coach Araceli Ortega said her middle has improved each week this season, and has been aggressive at the net for Vela.

Julissa Cuellar, a returning lettermen, has also come up big her senior season as an outside threat and setter in the back row. She totaled 26 assists and five kills Saturday.

“That experience from making it to the second round last year helps,” Ortega said. “We also had young players (last year) who we needed to give varsity experience, so by the time we got to that level, we had that depth. We have to do that again this year.

“You see they had that bond from playing in the leagues in the summer, and it’s helped them to where they’ve just continued where they left off last year. We still have to tweak some things, but it’s because they’ve played with one another that they have confidence and take care of each other a little bit better.”

Mercedes, which dropped to 11-13, was paced by Roslynn Rodriguez, who had six kills and seven blocks. Lauren Pitts contributed eight kills and one block. Erinn Ramirez doled out nine assists. Jessica Zepeda had 14 digs.

Caitlyn Gutierrez picked up five kills.

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BY MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Though Robert Guerra entered Edinburg Vela four years ago with plenty of speed, energy and excitement, offensive coordinator Patrick Shelby remembers seeing a gifted athlete who possessed all the tools but needed refinement on the freshmen squad.

“He was pretty fast, but I think over the years we actually had to teach him how to control a football game,” Shelby said. “You can’t run around and do stuff like your freshman year because you’re competing

against kids who are older, quicker, stronger (on varsity). So we had to tell him how to do things the right way and not play backyard football.

“You need to help your teammates. You have to set up blocks for yourself. And you have to continue to take care of yourself out there.”

Since earning a varsity promotion his sophomore year, Guerra has delivered on all those fronts for the SaberCats, who have combined for a 19-1 record while winning a district title and advancing to the regional quarterfinals in 2015.

In last week’s season opener, Guerra exploded for nine touchdowns — a single-game Valley record, and good for third all-time in Texas high school football history — in a double overtime win over Victoria East. Guerra, who was named the District 31-5A MVP in 2015, ran 33 times for 359 yards and seven TDs on the ground, and also picked up 70 yards on three catches for two more scores.

Through it all the past two seasons, Guerra has been one of the more consistent performers for the SaberCats, and he shoulders even more responsibility this year as the primary scoring option for a team moving away from its first four-year class.

“It’s just a matter of being a leader and helping out my team whenever they need me,” Guerra said. “(Friday night), it was something I didn’t even expect, but I couldn’t have done it without my team. I got those nine touchdowns for a reason; I didn’t get it by myself. I got it with my o-line and my receivers, and the defense making plays. It was a team effort.”

It wasn’t until 15-20 minutes after the game ended that Edinburg Vela’s players and coaching staff became aware of the historical significance behind Guerra’s performance, bits of which were later shown on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“Believe it or not, in the moment you’re so focused on helping the team win that you really couldn’t tell that what he was doing out there was something special,” Shelby said. “We’re just thinking we have to take advantage of what the defense is giving. It really isn’t until after the game that you go, ‘Man, this kid really ran for nine touchdowns.’ It’s special what he did, what the team accomplished, bouncing back and collectively pulling it out together.”

Having come up through the ranks with the offensive line — three of whom are returning starters — has also helped guide Guerra this year. The senior running back is showing more comfort in the offense, and has improved his route running. He’s also delivering at receiver, hauling in two TDs in the first game. Last year, he finished the regular season with six receptions, none for scores.

His last receiving touchdown came in 2014.

Like last year, Guerra is also playing special teams, including returning punts and kicks. What’s impressed the coaching staff just as much is the manner in which he sees attacks openings, and his determination to break tackles.

“When you’re watching him on the field, you see him ready to hit a hole, you see him going 1-on-1 with a linebacker, and he can stick his foot in the ground and change directions on you. And his speed changes also as he changes direction,” Shelby said. “He’s really elusive; he really gets away from guys. He’s hard to read because you would think he could hit this thing and stop, but he’s going to do whatever he can to get those extra five yards, those extra positive yards.”

Since spring ball, the SaberCats have stressed the importance of team chemistry and continuity. And Monday they were on the same page in delivering the same message: “It was good that we won the last game, but now we’re getting ready for the next game,” Guerra said.

That game, at 7:30 tonight, is The Monitor’s Game of the Week in which Vela travels to take on Edcouch-Elsa. It marks the follow-up to Guerra’s record-setting performance, and the first meeting between the two thriving programs.

“To win one like we did (last week) from behind showed our team what we have an opportunity to become,” Edinburg Vela coach Michael Salinas said. “Robert, I think he understands the importance of his leadership role to our football team, and he’s worked extremely hard to get prepared for this.

“His work ethic, in my opinion, is unmatched. So I think that’s what’s helping him get to this point.”

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