Valley HS Volleyball Schedule 2018

Tuesday, Sept. 4

District 32-4A

Zapata def. Grulla 25-19, 25-23, 25-21

La Feria def. Progreso 25-17, 25-14, 25-8

Port Isabel def. Raymondville 25-21, 23-23, 24-26, 28-26

Hidalgo def. Rio Hondo 25-17, 25-12, 25-20

District 32-3A

Santa Rosa def. Edinburg IDEA Quest 25-22, 25-22, 25-14

Non-district

Harlingen High def. Edinburg High 25-21, 25-13, 25-23

Mission Veterans def. Brownsville Hanna 25-11, 25-13, 25-17

Weslaco High def. Brownsville Pace 25-21, 25-16, 16-25, 23-25 ,15-9

Sharyland Pioneer def. Edinburg Vela 25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 25-17

McAllen High def. San Benito 25-16, 25-17, 26-24

McAllen Memorial def. Sharyland High 25-13, 25-16, 25-11

Edcouch-Elsa def. Roma 25-16, 26-24, 29-27

Brownsville Rivera def. Mercedes 25-16, 25-15, 22-25, 25-14

Donna High def. Mission High 25-7, 21-25, 25-21, 25-18

M 25-13, 25-20, 25-11

Los Fresnos def. Edinburg North 25-8, 25-22, 25-14

Laredo LBJ def. PSJA Southwest 25-11, 25-23, 25-10

Los Fresnos def. Edinburg North 25-8, 25-22, 25-14

Harlingen South def. PSJA North 25-10, 23-25, 25-17, 25-20

Weslaco East def. La Joya Palmview 25-20, 25-13, 25-20

VALLEY HS VOLLEYBALL BOX SCORES

Tuesday’s Games

Non-District

McALLEN HIGH DEF. SAN BENITO

25-16, 25-17, 26-24

McALLEN HIGH: Lexi Gonzalez 14 kills, 7 digs, 1 ace, 1 assists; Damaris Llanas 7 kills, 1 assists; Audrey Zamora 10 digs; Madison Helmcamp 27 assists, 4 kills, 2 digs

MISSION VETERANS DEF. BROWNSVILLE HANNA 25-11, 25-13, 25-17

MISSION VETERANS: Jackie Howell 14 kills, 15 digs, 3 aces; Makenize Gerlach 11 kills, 3 aces, 1 block; Kassy Lerma 16 digs, 8 kills, 3 aces, 2 blocks; Valerie de la Fuente 19 assists, 3 aces; Ronnie Cantu 11 assists, 2 aces; Bella Dominguez 15 digs, 5 aces

Record: Mission Veterans 23-3

WESLACO HIGH DEF.

BROWNSVILLE PACE

25-21, 25-16, 16-25, 23-25, 15-9

WESLACO HIGH: Illiyah Cantu 21 kills, Cely Moreno 8 kills; Audrey Escamilla 13 digs; Adamari Ochoa 17 assists

EDCOUCH-ELSA DEF. ROMA

25-16, 26-24, 29-27

EDCOUCH-ELSA: Paloma Ybarra 15 kills, 10 assists, 1 ace, 5 digs; Maegan Acevedo 19 assists, 8 aces, 8 digs; Endiya Devoe 6 kills, 1 assists, 2 digs; Arissa Cavazos 11 digs, 2 aces.

Record: Edcouch-Elsa 16-9

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF.

SHARYLAND HIGH

25-13, 25-16, 25-11

McALLEN MEMORIAL: Evelyn Whiteworth 10 kills; Demy Banks 10 kills, Sydney Marburger 21, assists, 3 aces; Valeria Trevino 12 digs, 1 block; Mia Perez 3 aces

Record: McAllen Memorial 22-3

MISSION — The Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks were back to their winning ways in their 25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 25-17 win over Edinburg Vela on Tuesday night — the last night of non-district action for most of the Valley’s higher classifications.

Pioneer took early leads in each of its winning sets, but the match was not all smooth sailing for the Diamondbacks.

“District season is for sure going to be a tough one, so getting our kinks out right now, right here, it helps so much,” junior Daniela Alvarez said.

Both teams were slowed by unforced errors at the start of the match. Pioneer, however, was playing better offense, and the Diamondbacks used their blocking to maintain the lead.

“First and foremost, defense wins games,” Alvarez said. “That is our priority. We work on that 24/7 every practice. Being able to have different people that can work with being put in different positions and being able to just have chemistry on the team is really helpful, and it helps us as a team.”

Alvarez, a junior, led her team in blocks with five, while senior Daizy Coronado was right behind her with four.

“Daizy is a senior. She has three years experience,” Alvarez said. “She really has the momentum on the varsity level. She’s been playing middle her whole life, so she really knows what it’s about. Blocking really sets the tone. It speeds up our offense and helps us put the ball down faster.”

Freshman Natalie Reyes was also integral to putting the ball down for the Diamondbacks.

She put up 42 assists and a handful of clever tips to soft spots in the SaberCats formation.

Both teams tried the slick tip shots, but only Pioneer consistently put them home for points.

During the second set, one of Reyes’ tips was met with tons of fanfare with the student section, which chanted, “She’s a freshman!”

“My teammates and our coaches help out a little bit by just watching their defenses,” Reyes said. “We did work hard. We had some little ups and downs. Now, we’re here, and this is what’s going to happen now.”

Edinburg Vela wasn’t going away without a fight. The SaberCats were led by junior Glenys Maldonado, who had 16 kills.

“I’m glad we got to play a team like Pioneer tonight,” Vela coach Araceli Ortega said. “It elevates our game. It sets the tone for what we need to have for district. It was the type of competition we needed.”

Both teams will be playing in new-look districts. Pioneer will stay in 31-5A with some fresh opponents. Vela is in the same situation, remaining in 31-6A but with some new members joining the fray.

“I know the girls are excited about what to expect with this new district,” Ortega said. “Of course, we can go any which way.”

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NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR

McALLEN — Once they got going, the McAllen High Bulldogs were unstoppable on Saturday afternoon. They were dominant in their 25-9, 25-13, 25-22 sweep over Harlingen High at home.

“We have been practicing this whole summer, working our bottoms off this whole summer,” sophomore Haidee Moore said. “It just comes to now, and it’s all coming together, finally. We’re starting to work as a team, and the bonds are getting stronger.”

Moore is an example of coach Paula Dodge putting trust in her younger athletes to play a major role in the team’s season.

“I can’t believe it,” Moore said after the win. “Every day I’m on the court, I’m just having a blast. There’s never a moment that I’m not having fun. My team is amazing, and when we play, it’s just so fun.”

The Bulldogs’ top hitter, Lexi Gonzalez, put up 13 kills. But on Saturday, she wasn’t the only girl putting home the points. Moore had five kills and three aces, while Madison Helmcamp had five kills and an ace.

Dodge, who recorded her 500th win at the program last Tuesday, was all smiles most of the match. Her team won decisively, and many players had the opportunity to take the court.

“I have a lot of girls that I can use, and the way they play is a little bit different, so it gives our opponent different things to look at,” Dodge said. “I got some depth. If someone has an off day, I have some people that I can put in for them, and they do a good job.”

On their march to 75 points and the win, McHi allowed only 44 points.

In the first set, the Bulldogs went on a huge run, pushing the score to 18-2 before winning 25-9. Throughout the match, the Bulldogs showed tenacity, moving quickly around the court and not letting a challenging play turn into an automatic point for the Cardinals.

Defensive specialist Audrey Zamora talked on defense and earned her spot as just a 10th-grader.

“Defense… we like to pursue the ball all the time. We can’t just be giving free points away to the other team,” Zamora said. “It means a lot, because I worked so hard for this position to get to this spot, and being the starting libero means a lot to me.”

Dodge said defense will lift her group with district play around the corner.

“Our defense is coming along,” Dodge said. “We have some great kids. That’s going to help our offense roll.”

McAllen High is a week away from its first district match against Rowe, and the Bulldogs are itching to get the most important matches underway.

“We’re ready, because we’ve come a long way from the start of the season,” Zamora said. “It’s just going to be exciting to try to go for district this year.”

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NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — The Battle of Conway was nearly pulled over for a speeding ticket after four plays. Almost immediately after the rivalry game kicked off, two drives resulted in two touchdowns.

The Mission High Eagles scored via two long plays, then the Mission Veterans Patriots hit a home-run pass for 74 yards. The packed house wearing both colors Friday at Tom Landry Stadium was sent into a frenzy. Eagles junior running back Horacio “Tito” Moronta V was the first player celebrating in the end zone. Not long after, Mikey Garcia was taking a 74-yard TD pass from Landry Gilpin to the house.

The action kept the fans on the edge of their seats, even though the scoring didn’t maintain that breakneck pace. Mission High ended up on top 24-12, snapping Veterans’ four-game streak in the series.

“It’s a good momentum builder to bounce on a team, jump on them and score early, especially within two plays,” Moronta said. “It boosted our confidence during this game. It feels good to finally break the streak. Feels good to get the helmet back to Mission High and get a win over these guys.”

Momentum came in many forms during the evening. The early scores left both teams feeling like they could score at will, but that trend didn’t last long. Rene Rodriguez’s field goal for the Eagles marked the only other points of the half.

Moronta was a force all game, rushing for more than 150 yards and putting home the early score. Returning quarterback Damian Gomez tipped his hat toward the ultra-effective Eagles offensive line.

“Without the O-line, we’re nothing,” Gomez said. “Those guys work hard day in, day out. We appreciate them. They’re the heart and soul of this team.”

The upset win for Mission over the RGVSports preseason No. 3 team can’t be analyzed without mentioning the pressure put on Mission Vets quarterback Landry Gilpin. Eagles defensive lineman Ramon Montes came up with a huge play in the third quarter when he intercepted Gilpin on a short pass intended to be thrown away.

“It’s hard, because they have a really fast quarterback,” Montes said. “We just found the weakness they have, and that was their line. We ended up having a great game, and we finished the streak.”

Montes won’t soon forget his key pick.

“It was the best football play I had in my whole football career, which is only like 12 years, right?” he joked. “It made me so excited. I was the king of the world. I was thinking of taking that one home, but I fell down.”

Mission Veterans may look back on Friday and wonder what could have been. On the second drive of the second quarter, Gilpin missed Garcia on a pass that would have been just as wide open as their first score of the game.

The Patriots defense forced turnovers and created a field-position advantage, but the offense didn’t cash in on those chances.

The reigning Monitor All-Area Player of the Year, Gilpin had a strong individual effort as he frequently escaped the pocket and made plays with his legs. He scored a rushing touchdown to put Veterans up 12-10 late in the third quarter.

He finished with only 77 rushing yards as multiple sacks bogged down his numbers.

He was outdueled by Eagles junior Damian Gomez, who had only 60 yards rushing but punched in two QB-keeper TDs, even scoring one after a short injury break.

“Nothing was going to keep me out of this game,” Gomez said. “The intensity, the trash talking this game. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and I’m not missing a snap.”

The former Eagles quarterback and third-year coach Koy Detmer knew his team would have to give everything to earn his first win in the rivalry from a coaching perspective.

“The whole community gets into it, gets behind it,” Detmer said. “It’s always a battle. The kids know each other from elementary on up. It’s always one of those games. It takes offense, defense and special teams to win this one.”

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NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — It wasn’t a great start for Weslaco High, but it was a great restart. When George Martinez kicked the opening kickoff out of bounds and had to line up again, the Panthers attempted a squib kick left. Instead of an actual squib, the ball hit the foot of a member of Rowe’s return unit, and Roy Treviño hopped on the ball to give the Panthers possession.

That moment led to the opening points on Thursday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, where Weslaco never looked back, cruising to a comfortable 28-7 win over the Warriors.

“It wasn’t meant to hit the first guy. It was meant to go down the field and roll and give us time to go down there,” Treviño said. “He kicked it powerful enough for it to bounce off to him, and I was just a playmaker.”

When it came to playmakers, Weslaco had multiple on the first drive as it marched from the 50 into the end zone. Running back Peyton Knaub and quarterback Jacob Cavazos had no issue moving the ball with their legs.

The Panthers made their early fortunes count when quarterback Cavazos found Devin Dena for a short passing score.

“We got momentum at the beginning,” Cavazos said. “We came out with a good attitude, ready to fire out and start off the season right. That was just something that worked in our favor, and we did our best to take advantage of it.”

The junior quarterback split time at the position last year, but he quickly proved it was his show on Thursday. Cavazos completed 12 of 20 passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns and carried the ball 17 times for 93 yards and a score.

“We’ve come on a long way,” Cavazos said. “We’re a family more than we are a team. When something comes our way, we stick together. We don’t separate.”

The first half finished 7-0 with both teams failing to convert fourth-down attempts just yards outside of the red zone.

Both teams showed signs they were still finding their way. Weslaco’s offensive line was called for four first-half false starts.

On Rowe’s first drive after a stop in the second half, Axel Camarena picked off Warriors junior Jonas Ortiz and added a monster return to put his Panthers in excellent position to double their lead.

“Our defense is good. We just communicate all the way around. We know what we’re doing,” Camarena said. “We just focus on details. The focus level has got to go up.”

The interception quickly turned into another score when Jacob Cavazos found receiver Jaden Cavazos on a well-executed fade route for a 25-yard strike.

“I think our defense ignited our play tonight,” second-year Weslaco coach Michael Salinas said. “Hats off to our defense, and our defensive staff. I’m proud of the way they competed tonight.”

The interception was the first of two times Ortiz threw to a Panthers player. Rowe also had a pair of turnovers on downs.

Jacob Cavazos used his smarts to escape pressure and dump the ball down to Knaub for his third passing score.

The QB even found the end zone with his legs for good measure to factor in on all four of the Panthers’ touchdowns.

“He did a good job. Obviously, we’re going to go to the drawing board and evaluate it, but I’m proud of the progress he’s made to this point,” Salinas said. “He’s taken ownership, and he’s leading the football team on the offensive side.”

Rowe coach Bobby Flores admitted his team needs to improve but doesn’t think it’s time to sound the alarms for his young group.

Lalo Bosquez scored the lone Rowe touchdown via an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter.

“Weslaco is a well-refined machine,” Flores said. “They came out ready. They came out like they had two scrimmages under their belt and we had one. We shot ourselves a couple of times, making some mistakes, dropping some open passes. We’ve just got to get better. We have to be able to execute to get back to what got us to where we were last year.”

Weslaco High will play its home opener next Thursday as it hosts Edcouch-Elsa, while Rowe will travel to face Mercedes on the road next Friday.

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NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Long before Octavian Lewis took his place as next in line to be McAllen High’s running back, he assumed the role of man of the house. His mother, Kathy Parum, raised him and his two younger siblings on her own.

Until three years ago, he lived in Arkansas. Then, his mom moved the family from the Deep South to Deep South Texas.

“I kind of had to grow up early, shed the childish things early and set an example for my little brother and sister,” Lewis said. “It kind of came with the territory.”

The summers in Arkansas aren’t much cooler than the Valley’s. But the move wasn’t made for climate or work.

“Moved here because the culture is just calmer,” Lewis said. “My mom decided it was best for the family. We didn’t have a choice. It was dangerous up there. The schools were violent — fights all the time. Moving down here, it was something calm. To me, it’s more chill. It’s just better opportunities down here.”

When Lewis arrived in McAllen, he landed at Travis Middle School. Being the football-loving kid he is, his first friends wore pads.

“The first day of school, we had football sign-ups,” Lewis said. “I was sitting there with my equipment wondering, ‘Where do I go?’ A few guys came to help me out, and ever since then, we’ve been cool.”

Bulldogs coach Kevin Brewer spoke volumes about Lewis’s character.

“He’s an extremely good kid to be around,” Brewer said. “He’s a lot of fun. He’s always got a positive attitude and a smile on his face. We talk about our football team being a family, but when you have kids like that, it truly is an extended family. Me and his mom have a great relationship, and his little sister and little brother, they’re awesome.”

On the field, Lewis is ready to show off his abilities as he earns major minutes for the first time. He was called up to varsity as a receiver last year, but now he returns as the primary running back, with the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield or lined up as a wideout.

“Either way, I just want to help out the team, so if they need a running back, I’m willing to step up and fill the job we need,” Lewis said.

“He’s got a great skill set for the position. He’s a very fluid runner,” Brewer said. “He’s a very institutional runner, good vision. He’s just got to get used to the nuances of playing tailback: ball security and pad level, how to take hits and how to give them, and just be smart with your body. Those are things that are just going to come with time.”

This season, Lewis has minimal distractions, and he can spend 2018 working on creating yards for the Bulldogs. Tito Cantu is a three-year letterman at the fullback position, and he’ll be tasked with being the lead blocker for Lewis on many occasions.

“He’s very shifty whenever he runs the ball or goes on routes,” Cantu said. “It’s good that now we have a running back that can catch the ball and play in different spots. He’s a humble guy and never takes off plays or anything.”

Lewis is the next in line after a series of halfbacks who have been vital to the Bulldogs’ success. Roy Gutierrez is the most recent graduate, the “thunder” in the thunder and lightning duo of Gutierrez and receiver Gunnar Henderson.

Before that era, Josh McGowen roamed the backfield. He used his blazing speed to become The Monitor’s All-Area Offensive Player of the Year in 2015 before forging a career at Stephen F. Austin University.

“I’m looking forward to making a name for myself,” Lewis said. “The last guys, people say they were good, but I want to be just as great. Really show McHi and McAllen what I do as a running back.”

On the first day of school, Lewis helped his freshman brother and sister find their way to their classes at McAllen High. On Friday, they’ll be in the stands with mama watching big brother get his first crack as the varsity starter.

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Valley HS Volleyball Schedule 2018

Tuesday’s Games

Non-district

Laredo Alexander def. McAllen Rowe 25-19, 25-18, 25-17

Laredo Martin def. La Joya High 25-17, 25-17, 25-21

Mission Veterans def. Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway 25-15, 25-12, 25-16

Edinburg Vela def. Sharyland High 25-16, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22

Roma def. Laredo Nixon 25-21, 25-20, 25-20

La Joya Palmview def. Hidalgo 13-25, 25-18, 25-23, 14-25, 15-11

McAllen High def. Brownsville Veterans 25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 25-17

PSJA Southwest def. Edinburg Economedes 25-19, 25-15, 26-24

Edcouch-Elsa def. Harlingen High 25-16, 25-15, 25-23

Donna High def. Weslaco East 25-13, 25-21, 25-14

Brownsville Rivera def. Edinburg North 25-14, 21-25, 25-21, 25-19

Harlingen South def. Sharyland Pioneer 25-17, 25-15, 20-25, 25-19

McAllen Memorial def. Edinburg High 25-5, 25-20, 25-14

Weslaco High def. Brownsville Hanna 19-25, 25-20, 25-22, 13-25, 15-11

Los Fresnos def. Brownsville Pace 3-0

Grulla def. Donna IDEA

Non-District

MISSION VETERANS DEF. CORPUS CHRISTI TULOSO-MIDWAY

25-16, 25-12, 25-16

MISSION Veterans: Jackie Howell 17 kills, 3 blocks, 2 aces, 1 dig; Makenzie Gerlach 16 digs, 8 kills, 2 aces; Kassy Lerma 13 kills, 8 aces, 6 digs, 4 blocks; Valerie de la Fuente 34 assists, 2 digs.

RECORDS: Mission Veterans 22-3

McALLEN HIGH DEF. BROWNSVILLE VETERANS

25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 25-17

McALLEN HIGH: Lexi Gonzalez 25 kills, 13 digs, 3 blocks 1 aces; Damaris Llanas 13 digs, 10 kills, 1 aces; Madison Helmcamp 20 assists, 9 digs, 4 kills, 1 block; Audrey Zamora 22 digs; Camila Salinas 11 assists; Maddie Garza 14 assists.

BROWNSVILLE RIVERA DEF. EDINBURG NORTH

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

EDINBURG NORTH: Natalie Rodriguez, 20 kills, 9 digs; Evana Ramos 34 digs; Jessica Dreyer 19 assists.

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. EDINBURG HIGH

25-5, 25-20, 25-14

McALLEN MEMORIAL: Jocelynn Everage 13 kills, 1 dig, 1 block; Demy Banks 8 kills, 2 blocks, 1 dig; Sophie Villarreal 10 digs; Valeria Trevino 3 kills 2 assists; Sydney Marbuger 3 aces, 20 assists.

RECORDS: McAllen Memorial 20-3

SHARYLAND PIONEER DEF. HARLINGEN SOUTH

25-17, 25-15, 20-25, 25-19

SHARYLAND PIONEER: Daniela Alvarez 8 kills, 6 blocks; Elizabeth Fina 45 digs; Jessica Zarate 9 kills, 3 blocks; Lauren Brechler 22 assists; Samantha Ayala 21 digs, 2 aces, 5 kills.

Friday, August 31

Laredo Alexander at Sharyland Pioneer, 7 p.m.

The annual showdown between Mission High and Mission Veterans is back where it belongs this year, under the lights at new-look Tom Landry Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The bleachers are new, the press box is spiffy, and the crowd atmosphere should be electric in a stadium named for the most famous football personality to come out of the region. On the field, the game promises to be heated.

With Tom Landry Stadium closed for renovations at the time of last year’s matchup, the Patriots narrowly edged the Eagles 16-14 in a rather sluggish battle in Donna. This season, fans can probably expect more offense, as both teams return a lot of key impact players with visions of rivalry-game glory.

Landry Gilpin is undoubtedly the player to watch for Veterans. The quarterback was The Monitor’s All-Area Player of the Year as a junior, while receiver Mikey Garcia earned Newcomer of the Year honors last season as a sophomore.

Mission High enters 2018 with a stronger core on offense and defense, as well. The Eagles held a quarterback battle during the summer, and all signs point toward incoming freshman Jeremy Duran taking the helm. If not, returning junior Damian Gomez is capable of slinging the ball to Mission’s receiving core.

Neither team should have trouble creating offense. The question for both will be on the defensive side of the ball. Whoever is quicker in pursuit or can make key stops to stifle drives will walk away Battle of Conway victors, with bragging rights until they do it all over again in 2019.

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Valley HS Volleyball Schedule 2018

Thursday’s Games

Sharyland ISD Invitational

Pool A (Pioneer Main Gym)

San Benito def. Sharyland Pioneer 25-18, 25-22

San Benito def. Mercedes 25-13, 25-20

Sharyland Pioneer def. Mercedes 25-9, 26-24

San Benito def. Edinburg Economedes 25-10, 25-13

Edinburg Economedes def. Mercedes 25-21, 25-12

Sharyland Pioneer def. Edinburg Economedes 25-23, 25-9

Pool B (Pioneer Main Gym)

McAllen High def. Weslaco High 25-12, 25-11

Harlingen High def. Brownsville Pace 25-16, 25-16

McAllen High def. Brownsville Pace 25-7, 25-15

Harlingen High def. Weslaco High 25-19, 21-25, 15-8

Brownsville Pace def. Weslaco High 25-23, 25-21

McAllen High def. Harlingen High 25-18, 25-20

Pool C (Pioneer Practice Gym)

Sharyland High def. Sharyland Pioneer JV 25-9, 25-13

Brownsville Veterans def. Brownsville Hanna 25-22, 21-25, 18-16

Brownsville Veterans def. Sharyland High 25-22, 25-22

Brownsville Hanna def. Sharyland Pioneer JV 25-16, 25-23

Brownsville Veterans def. Sharyland Pioneer JV 25-10, 25-19

Sharyland High def. Brownsville Hanna 25-15, 25-21

Pool D (Pioneer Practice Gym)

Los Fresnos def. La Joya Palmview 25-12, 25-11

Donna High def. La Joya Palmview 25-14, 25-12

Los Fresnos def. Donna High 25-15, 25-9

Edinburg North def. La Joya Palmview 25-21, 25-13

Donna High def. Edinburg North 25-16, 25-22

Los Fresnos def. Edinburg North 25-18, 25-19

Pool E (Pioneer Practice Gym)

Brownsville Rivera def. Harlingen South 25-20, 23-25, 15-9

Harlingen South def. PSJA High 25-10, 25-22

Brownsville Rivera def. PSJA High 25-23, 19-25, 15-10
Harlingen South def. Edinburg Vela 25-23, 19-25, 15-10

Edinburg Vela def. PSJA High 25-9, 24-26, 15-7

Brownsville Rivera def. Edinburg Vela 25-10, 11-25, 15-11

Hidalgo Tournament

Pool 1

PSJA Memorial def. Hidalgo 25-10, 25-21

PSJA North def. Donna High 25-17, 27-25

PSJA Memorial def. Donna North 25-23, 24-26, 15-4

PSJA North def. Hidalgo 25-22, 26-24

PSJA North def. PSJA Memorial 25-18, 25-15

Hidalgo def. Donna North 19-25, 25-14, 15-7

Pool 2

Rio Grande City def. Raymondville 25-10, 23-25, 15-11

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln vs. Lasara 25-15, 25-13

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln def. Raymondville 25-23, 25-21

Rio Grande City def. Lasara 25-5, 26-24

Raymondville def. Lasara 25-17, 25-21

Rio Grande City def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-17, 25-17

Friday’s Games

Sharyland ISD Invitational

Pool A (Pioneer Main Gym)

San Benito def. Sharyland Pioneer 25-23, 25-12

Brownsville Rivera def. Harlingen South 25-16, 25-18

San Benito def. Harlingen South 26-24, 25-13

Brownsville Rivera def. Sharyland Pioneer 28-30, 25-17, 15-7

Sharyland Pioneer def. Harlingen South 25-16, 25-18

San Benito def. Brownsville Rivera 25-20, 25-9

Pool B (Pioneer Main Gym)

McAllen High def. Harlingen High 25-8, 25-13

Edinburg Vela def. Brownsville Veterans 25-16, 25-16

McAllen High def. Edinburg Vela 20-25, 25-14, 15-13

Brownsville Veterans def. Harlingen High 28-26, 25-16

Edinburg Vela def. Harlingen High 25-23, 25-7

McAllen High def. Brownsville Veterans 25-20, 25-13

Pool C (Pioneer Practice Gym)

Los Fresnos def. Donna High 25-7, 25-16

Sharyland High def. Edinburg Economedes 25-11, 25-23

Los Fresnos def. Edinburg Economedes 25-6, 25-16

Sharyland High def. Donna High 25-9, 19-25, 15-10

Donna High def. Edinburg Economedes 25-13, 25-17

Los Fresnos def. Sharyland High 25-12, 25-16

Pool D (Pioneer Practice Gym)

Brownsville Hanna def. Weslaco High 25-21, 25-22

Brownsville Pace def. La Joya Palmview 25-14, 25-11

Brownsville Hanna def. La Joya Palmview 25-10, 25-8

Weslaco High def. Brownsville Pace 25-17, 25-17

Weslaco High def. La Joya Palmview 25-13, 19-25, 15-9

Brownsville Hanna def. Brownsville Pace 25-19, 30-28

Pool E (Pioneer Practice Gym)

Edinburg North def. Sharyland Pioneer JV 25-21, 25-19

PSJA High def. Mercedes 25-17, 25-13

Edinburg North def. PSJA High 25-12, 25-21

Sharyland Pioneer JV def. Mercedes 25-21, 26-28, 15-11

PSJA High def. Sharyland Pioneer JV 25-22, 25-18

Edinburg North def. Mercedes 26-24, 25-10

Hidalgo Tournament

Pool 3

La Feria def. Progreso 25-12, 25-16

PSJA Southwest def. Brownsville Porter 25-19, 25-16

La Feria def. Brownsville Porter 25-20, 25-17

PSJA Southwest def. Progreso 25-8, 25-7

PSJA Southwest def. La Feria 13-25, 25-16, 15-3

Brownsville Porter def. Progreso 25-6, 26-24

Pool 4

Grulla def. Valley View 25-18, 25-12

Brownsville Lopez def. Rio Hondo 25-16, 25-7

Brownsville Lopez def. Grulla 25-22, 25-11

Valley View def. Rio Hondo 19-25, 25-19, 15-8

Rio Hondo def. Grulla 2-1

Brownsville Lopez def. Valley View 25-8, 25-11

Laredo Tournament

Mission Veterans def. Crystal City 25-6, 25-17

Mission Veterans def. Laredo Martin 25-11, 25-13

Mission Veterans def. Laredo LBJ 25-14, 25-16

Mission Veterans def. Corpus Christi Winn, 25-8, 25-17

McAllen Rowe def. Alice 25-13, 25-18

McAllen Rowe def. Roma 25-11, 25-16

McAllen Rowe def. Laredo Nixon 25-7, 25-19

McAllen Memorial def. Corpus Christi King 25-16, 25-13

McAllen Memorial def. Highlands 25-21, 25-17

McAllen Memorial def. Del rio 25-15, 25-16

McAllen Memorial def. Carrizo Srpings 25-12, 25-14

Edcouch-Elsa def. Laredo Cigarroa 25-17, 25-17

Edcouch-Elsa def. Mission High 25-14, 25-19

Edcouch-Elsa def. Zapata 25-7, 25-16

Saturday’s Games

Sharyland ISD Invitational

Gold Bracket

Los Fresnos def. Sharyland Pioneer 25-12, 25-14

Brownsville Rivera def. Brownsville Veterans 25-16, 25-23

Sharyland High def. San Benito 28-26, 25-14

McAllen High def. Edinburg Vela 25-8, 25-18

Los Fresnos def. Brownsville Rivera 25-20, 25-15

McAllen High def. Sharyland High 25-21, 25-16

McAllen High def. Los Fresnos 20-25, 25-18, 15-12

Silver Bracket

Donna High def. Weslaco High 25-19, 25-15

Brownsville Hanna def. PSJA High 20-25, 25-19, 15-7

Harlingen High def. Harlingen South 25-20, 19-25, 16-14

Edinburg North def. Brownsville Pace 25-18, 25-19

Donna High def. Brownsville Hanna 23-25, 25-13, 17-15

Edinburg North def. Harlingen High 25-14, 25-12

Donna High def. Edinburg North 25-23, 25-16

Bronze Bracket

Sharyland High

Edinburg Economedes def. La Joya Palmview 17-25, 25-16, 17-15

Sharyland Pioneer JV def. Mercedes 14-25, 25-21, 15-10

Sharyland Pioneer JV def Edinburg Economedes 25-19, 25-20

Laredo Tournament

Eagle Pass def. McAllen Rowe 23-25, 25-17, 25-22

McAllen Rowe def. Edcouch-Elsa 25-16, 25-8

Laredo LBJ def. McAllen Rowe 17-25, 25-21, 15-11

McAllen Memorial def. Laredo LBJ 25-16, 25-13

Laredo United def. McAllen Memorial 25-21, 15-25, 25-20

Mission Veterans def. San Antonio Highlands 25-12, 25-15

Mission Veterans def. South San Antonio 25-14, 22-25, 25-11

Gold Bracket Championship

Mission Veterans def. Laredo Alexander 25-20, 25-27, 25-20

Hidalgo Tournament

PSJA Southwest def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-13, 25-13

PSJA Southwest def. PSJA Memorial 25-17, 25-23

Gold Championship

PSJA Southwest def. PSJA North 25-22, 24-26, 16-14

Blue Championship

Hidalgo def. Brownsville Porter

NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Many of McAllen Rowe’s leaders sweating it out under the sun at preseason practice are a year away from their senior season. The Warriors are leaning on youth, primarily the 2020 class, to guide the Warriors back to the playoffs.

Though it may sound like a tall order, the players at two of the most crucial positions in 2017 were sophomores as Rowe went 7-4 and 4-2 in district. Jonas Ortiz, who stands 6 feet, 3 inches, moved from tight end to quarterback when Rowe senior QB Jesus Sanchez went down to injury, and Ortiz proceeded to guide Rowe to six straight wins.

On defense, linebacker Josiah Alonzo was in a similar situation, moving up from the junior varsity and eventually starting at middle linebacker.

“The playing time I got last year gave me more confidence to build this year,” Alonzo said. “Especially with the group of seniors we had last year. The two other linebackers were seniors. This year, my confidence will be more built up.”

The middle linebacker is often called the quarterback of the defense because of the playing-calling and late adjustments barked out before the snap. The role is one Alonzo relishes.

“I think growing up, I was born to be a leader,” Alonzo said. “The goal that I have right now, I think I can guide my fellow teammates to the potential we can get to. It does take a lot to be a middle linebacker. There’s a lot of brains to it. But I know with me there, I can be a great leader to the guys around me.”

The defense around him will be young, but speed and quickness are not in short supply.

On offense, Rowe will aim to be the dynamic, ball-moving, point-producing unit local defenses have come to expect.

Rowe’s passing numbers from a year ago, which often came out of the backfield via the Warriors’ signature sweeps and misdirection, show two returning players set to follow the lead of the graduated Adrian Bernal.

Noe Ramirez will be a junior this year after amassing 408 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Senior Angel Rodriguez had 580 yards on 39 receptions in 2017.

Both players will see action on both sides of the field. Two-way players are less common at bigger schools, but Rowe coach Bobby Flores won’t deny the talent and abilities of those players. He feels with the number of fresh bodies in his intended rotation, neither should get burned out.

Ortiz said he is confident the new crop of offensive players will fall in line and execute Rowe’s style.

“We just want to keep everything the same. Keep doing what we’re doing,” Ortiz said. “We all know what we need to do to win games out here.”

The QB returns with more than just experience from the gridiron. He competed for the Warriors varsity baseball team for a second year, and on the track he threw the discus and ran on Rowe’s district champion sprint relay team.

“It gives you an idea what a varsity sport is like — the speed and the atmosphere of a varsity game,” Ortiz said. “It helps you get an understanding of how to play football at the varsity level.”

Lalo Bosquez will be Rowe’s first-year running back. But 2018 will not be his first year dishing out contact — he’s a converted defensive end who the team felt had the speed, hands and physicality to power through as a tailback.

“He’s a great running back to have. I wouldn’t rather have anyone else,” Ortiz said. “He’s isn’t scared to hit. He’s not scared to block. He’ll go against any defender, no matter who it is.”

OFFENSIVE LINE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Flores admitted he’s keeping a close eye on the offensive line, which faced injuries and did not have very consistent personnel a year ago. With players graduated, the burden is on new position coach Brigado Gonzalez and key returner Rigo Davila — a junior who stands at 6 feet, 4 inches — to mold the backbone of the offense.

“A concern we’ve been looking at in the spring is the offensive line,” Flores said. “We do have a couple of guys that are coming back in Aalok Zimmerman and Rigo Davila. We have some new (players) that are going to be put to the test. They’re still untested.”

Davila is just a junior but has been a vocal and physical leader since summer weightlifting.

“I’m the only experienced starting guy on the line this year, so I’ve taken it upon myself this summer to work out with the guys,” Davila said. “I’ve told them, ‘These months are so important, because this decides what line you’re going to be on. Your effort decides if you’re going to be in first group or second group.’”

The competition for playing time is a daily battle that might be settled through the pre-district schedule, including a scrimmage against Donna North.

“That’s why this month is so important,” Davila said. “You can’t mess up around here, because at any given moment, your spot can get taken.”

TRIO OF INTRIGUING MATCHUPS

Rowe will start with three games against teams with playoff goals that will also be using non-district play to evaluate what they’re made of.

The first test that Flores referenced will come against Weslaco High at home on Aug. 30.

“Coach (Michael) Salinas is a great coach, and his staff does a great job over there,” Flores said.

“We wanted to go against teams that will get us ready for a tough district. It helps our defense look at different things, and we’re going to have to stop and adjust.”

Then, Rowe faces Mercedes, another mid-Valley team the Warriors have battled in non-district play several times in recent years, creating a bit of an unlikely rivalry.

“Of course, Mercedes, they’re no strangers to the playoff scene,” Flores said. “(Coach) Roger (Adame) and them are always in there going a couple of rounds. Edinburg North, also, they’re going to be someone to watch. All of those three teams we’re going to play, we have to be ready for.”

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KEYS TO THE SEASON

McAllen Rowe has skilled players all over the field yet again. It’s just a matter of making sure young Warriors grow up quick. Jonas Ortiz has a good cast and a tough running back in Lalo Bosquez. If the lines on both sides of the football hold strong, the Warriors should be a top-two-or-three team in 30-6A. But, they just as easily could be fighting for their playoff lives.

2017 record: 7-4, 4-2

Returning starters O/D: 3/5

COACH’S TENURE

Coach: Bobby Flores

Year at school: 3rd

Record at school: 14-8