By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

The part of the regular season that counts the most begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday for the Port Isabel Tarpons and Progreso Red Ants.

They play their District 16-4A Division II opener at Tarpon Stadium.

“Season 1 (of non-district play) is over now,” Tarpons coach Monty Stumbaugh said. “Season 2’s in (place as district starts). Season 2 is what’s going to get you to Season 3 (which is the playoffs, if you do well).

“The next five weeks will determine if you’re in or out (of the postseason),” Stumbaugh added. “Every game is big. This one between Progreso and us is important for both teams. We each want to start off district 1-0.”

Port Isabel is 3-1 with wins against Grulla (31-19), Rio Grande City (13-7) and Valley View (14-7). The Tarpons lost at St. Joseph Academy 42-27 on Sept. 25. Port Isabel had an open date last week.

Progreso is 1-3 with a 40-13 victory against Hebbronville on Sept. 18. The Red Ants, also open last week, have lost to Porter (35-9), Hidalgo (47-30) and La Feria (59-14).

When the Red Ants and Tarpons played a district opener last year in Progreso, Port Isabel won 61-7.

“Port Isabel is always Port Isabel and has a great program, so you always expect a great game (from them),” Progreso coach Tom Salazar said. “We tell our players that they’ve got all the tools (they need to win). Everything’s in (as far as the game plan). Now it’s mental.

“We need to have the right mentality,” Salazar added. “With a positive attitude, we can play with these guys and win.”

The Red Ants will be going against a Port Isabel team that is being quarterbacked by junior Omar Silva, who ranks third in the district in rushing and leads the team with 288 yards and three touchdowns.

Stumbaugh said the Tarpons must be prepared to play well against Progreso.

“They play hard, and they’re aggressive on defense,” the Port Isabel coach said of the Red Ants. “They’re doing a good job on special teams. We’ve got to be ready for them.”

District action continues next Friday as the Tarpons travel to Rio Hondo and the Red Ants play host to Orange Grove.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

It doesn’t happen too often in volleyball that a team loses the first two games of a match and comes back to win.

But that’s what took place Tuesday when the Pace Lady Vikings prevailed on the road against Mercedes 21-25, 24-26, 25-14, 25-14, 15-11.

The Pace girls didn’t give up. They raised their play to a higher level during the third game and went on to win.

The victory raises the Lady Vikings’ District 32-5A record to 4-4, which is tied with Porter and trails Edcouch-Elsa (7-1), PSJA High (7-1) and Donna High (6-2). Behind Pace and Porter in 32-5A are Mercedes (2-6), PSJA Southwest (2-6) and Donna North (0-8). The top four teams go to the playoffs, so the Oct. 17 match between the Lady Vikings and Cowgirls at Pace promises to be a huge one.

Pace coach Gavin Rudder hopes Tuesday’s victory provides some momentum for his team’s upcoming matches.

“What stood out the most to me was the fact that we lost the first two sets and didn’t give up,” Rudder said. “We showed a lot of heart and fight to continue on and win the next three games.

“I hope we can carry that same mindset and momentum into Saturday’s match (at home) against Donna (High), and really, the rest of the season,” he added. “If we continue to play the way we are playing, we can do some very good things.”

After playing host to Donna High at 2 p.m. Saturday, the Pace girls play at PSJA High next Tuesday before entertaining Porter on Oct. 17.

“The next three matches are very important for us,” Rudder said.

NOT SO BAD: Jackie Kingsbury, Los Fresnos’ standout outside hitter and three-year starter, attended the Lady Falcons’ matches when she was in middle school and longed for the day she could make an impact as a varsity player. She had just one reservation.

“I would come to the matches when I was in seventh and eighth grade and be like ‘Wow,’” said Kingsbury, a 5-foot-10 junior. “I saw some amazing Los Fresnos teams, and I felt that I really wanted to be a part of this program. But Coach (Becky) Woods kind of scared me, and I was just an eighth-grader. I came here (and started) my freshman year, and I found out Coach Woods wasn’t so bad after all.

“Starting as a freshman was definitely a little stressful, but I’m so grateful to have had the experience of playing with this group of girls,” Kingsbury added. “All around, we’re a group of hard workers.”

Ranked No. 2 in the Rio Grande Valley behind Mission Veterans Memorial, the District 32-6A-leading Lady Falcons (8-0) next play at San Benito (4-4) at noon Saturday.

LOOKS EASIER ON PAPER: Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said it’s a “very close” margin that separates the 32-6A teams positioned right behind his third-place squad in the district standings.

The top three teams are Los Fresnos (8-0), Brownsville Veterans Memorial (7-1) and Hanna (6-2), which is coming off Tuesday’s victory at home in four games against fourth-place San Benito (4-4). The next four teams are Rivera (3-5), Harlingen High (3-5), Harlingen South (1-7) and Lopez (0-8).

“These (district) matches are not easy,” Hagemann said. “It looks easier on paper. We went five games (and won) against San Benito and Rivera (during the first round of district). South can be tough at its home gym. The third- through seventh-place teams are very close in this district. It seems very unpredictable.”

Hanna faces another key test at noon Saturday at Harlingen High.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Perhaps the least heralded city football rivalry in Brownsville is the one between the Rivera Raiders and Lopez Lobos.

Call it a “quiet rivalry.”

Through the years, the “Battle of Southmost” between Porter and Lopez, Hanna vs. Pace and maybe even some other rivalries within the city limits come to mind for their colorful histories and memorable matchups, but Rivera vs. Lopez? Not so much.

One of the reasons behind such a perception may be that although Rivera opened its doors in 1988 and Lopez was the next city high school to follow suit in 1993, according to records, the two schools didn’t start playing each other in football until 2006 when both were members of District 32-5A, even though they’re located just a few miles from each other.

Before 2006, the Lobos were in District 32-4A and the Raiders were in 32-5A, and the two did not met in non-district varsity action.

Since they first collided in 2006, Rivera holds a 6-3 edge in the relatively brief series. They both now play in District 32-6A.

The Lobos (0-4, 0-2 district) and Raiders (0-5. 0-2) renew acquaintances at 7 p.m. Thursday at Sams Memorial Stadium, and somebody’s going to break into the win column.

“We’re excited about this game,” Lopez coach Jason Starkey said. “We’re excited to take the field against Rivera. I want us to go out and get this monkey off our backs.”

Also at 7 p.m. Thursday in other action involving a Metro-area team, Porter (3-2, 1-1) is at PSJA Southwest (2-3, 1-1) for a 32-5A matchup.

On Friday at 7:30 p.m. for Metro-area teams, it’s Harlingen South (1-3, 1-1) at Los Fresnos (5-0, 2-0) in 32-6A and PSJA High (0-5, 0-2) vs. Pace (0-4, 0-2) at Sams in 32-5A. Also Friday in games involving local teams, it’s St. Joseph Academy (4-1) at San Antonio Christian (1-4) for a TAPPS district opener at 7 p.m. and Progreso (1-3) at Port Isabel (3-1) for a District 16-4A Division II opener at 7:30 p.m.

For Metro-area teams, the weekend’s action will be completed at 7 p.m. Saturday at Sams when the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers (5-0, 2-0) go against the Hanna Golden Eagles (2-3, 0-2) in a 32-6A matchup that is The Brownsville Herald’s Game of the Week.

Going back, Lopez won its first game against Rivera 38-28 in 2006, and it marked the season the Lobos reached the Class 5A playoffs for the first time. Valentin Montemayor was the Lopez coach that year when the Lobos went 5-6 (4-3 district) and captured the city championship with a 4-0 record.

Lopez won against Rivera in 2007 as well, 39-25, and after that, Rivera was victorious in 2008 (29-13), 2009 (20-16), 2010 (28-21) and 2011 (28-14) before Lopez stopped the Raiders’ streak by winning 28-21 in 2012. Rivera won 42-19 in 2013 and 24-9 last season.

The Raiders and Lobos have always met for a district game, and twice (2008 and 2009) it was a 32-5A opener. Six other times the two have played in the final game of the regular season. Their 2014 matchup came in the third game of district, and with a 24-9 triumph, the Raiders began a seven-game winning streak after an 0-5 start that saw them earn a share of the 32-6A title and advance to the third round of the playoffs.

Regarding Thursday’s matchup, Rivera coach Tom Chavez said, “Lopez is kind of like us. They’re getting better, and we feel we’re getting better. It’s two Brownsville teams playing each other, so anything can happen. They’re looking for their first win, and we’re looking for our first win. We’ll see who can get the ‘W.’”

Starkey said Thursday’s matchup is special to him because he’ll be coaching against Chavez, someone he considers one of the best coaches in the Valley out of a district that he believes has a high number of quality coaches.

“Coach Chavez was the athletic director in 2010 when I was hired into this district, and I’ve always appreciated what he’s done for me,” Starkey said. “I’ve sought his advice, and he’s been a mentor, a lifelong influence, so it’s a privilege to coach against him.

“You always know he’ll have his teams prepared to play at a high level,” Starkey added. “That’s what we’re expecting, a very physical game against a team that plays with a lot of heart.

“Yes, both teams are in a difficult (winless) situation, but anything can happen. Look at all those wins Rivera rolled off after our game last year after they started 0-5.”

Meanwhile, Porter will attempt to bounce back into the win column on the road Thursday at PSJA Southwest. The Cowboys are all even in district and coming off last Friday’s 49-21 loss at home to district tri-leader Edcouch-Elsa after prevailing over Donna North 52-44 in four overtimes the previous week.

The Cowboys will rely on an effective ground game featuring senior running back Jorge Gutierrez, who leads 32-5A in rushing and scoring with 1,003 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.

PSJA Southwest lost its district opener at home against Donna High 56-9 on Sept. 24, but came back to upend city rival PSJA High 27-13 last week for its second win of the season. The Javelinas’ other victory was a season-opening 11-6 triumph against Valley View on Aug. 28.

The Cowboys will attempt to avenge their 21-14 loss to the Javelinas last year in Brownsville.

“Our eyes have been opened up as to the kind of team we can be,” Gutierrez said. “We have the potential to be that kind of (winning) team. I said it at the beginning of the season and I’ll say it again, ‘Watch out for the Cowboys.’”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

No surprise, the Rivera Lady Raiders and the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals played another District 32-6A volleyball match that went five games.

This time, the Lady Cardinals prevailed 25-16, 18-25, 25-18, 21-25, 15-12 on Tuesday at the Rivera gym.

When the teams opened the first half of district play Sept. 12 in Harlingen, the Lady Raiders came from behind to win in five games 17-25, 26-24, 14-25, 25-18, 16-14.

The Lady Cardinals had a rough first round, winning just two matches. Now they’re 3-5 as the second half begins and very much in the playoff conversation. So is Rivera, also at 3-5.

“Rivera is a great team. They play with such passion and heart that I’d just like to go over there and hug them, but we really needed this,” Lady Cardinals coach Jennifer Martinez said. “We want to continue our journey to the playoffs. We believe that we can make it. For us, this was ‘Redemption Tuesday.’”

Just like the first time the squads met in district last month, Tuesday’s fifth game was close all the way until the end. There were eight ties in the game, the last of which was at 12.

Rivera hit long to give Harlingen High a 13-12 edge before a kill by Elvira Fraga and a tip by Samantha Quilantan won it for the Lady Cardinals 15-12 to take the match.

“These two teams are very evenly matched with good hitters and good diggers,” Rivera coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said. “Harlingen played very well and had some nice hits. We just made some bad choices at the end, and that seems to be what’s hurting us. That’s what happened to us against Hanna (during a loss in five games last week).”

Stephany Garza and Michelle Morales led Rivera with 11 kills each, and Kourtney Shears added seven kills, six digs and 21 assists. Ulyssa Alvarado contributed six kills. Lilly Vera had 16 assists.

Also for Rivera, Jenny Cardenas, Darcy Cardenas and Garza finished with 28, nine and seven digs, respectively.

The Lady Cardinals were led by Addison Dickey with 11 kills and four blocks. Yazmine Martinez added seven kills and two blocks. Also for Harlingen High, Quilantan had four kills, and Jenny Nieto and Kiana Corona contributed seven and four digs, respectively. Erika

Flores added eight assists and six aces.

District 32-6A action continues at noon Saturday as Hanna visits Harlingen High and Rivera travels to Brownsville Veterans Memorial.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

There may be some double-takes when Rivera plays volleyball.

The reason is the Lady Raiders have senior identical twins Jenny and Darcy Cardenas in their lineup.

It’s actually not too hard to tell which twin is which during matches because as a libero, Jenny wears a different colored jersey than her teammates. Darcy also plays in the back next to her sister as a defensive specialist. The girls have been members of the varsity for three years, and each is 4-foot-10 1/2.

Practices are a different story as the players all wear the same attire.

“At first glance, I do (have difficulty telling them apart), but if I look at them for a while, I can tell, especially when they are together,” Lady Raiders coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said.

The Rivera coach considers the twins, along with senior outside hitter Michelle Morales, key contributors for the squad this season.

“They’re leaders for us,” said Avelar-Guerra, now in her 23rd season directing the team. “They’re playing really well beyond their size. It’s incredible the way they play. Jenny, my libero, picks up so many balls and reads the court so well while making good passes. Darcy is the same way. They’re both really good.

“To me, it was kind of a tossup at first (as to which one would be the libero), but Jenny seems to have just a little better touch on the ball (to play that position),” Avelar-Guerra added. “They all pick up the balls really well along with our other senior in the back, Gisel (Hinojosa). They play their hearts out.

“And with Michelle in the front, (it helps a lot, too). Sometimes, we get ourselves in a hole (and fall behind), and she just turns it on and starts really hitting that ball. Michelle’s not all that tall (at 5-5 1/2), but she’s aggressive and she can jump. She gets up there and hits, and she’ll chase down balls all over the place from the front row, just like the ones in the back. She comes out of nowhere to pick up balls and save them for us. Offensively, Michelle will pick us up, and defensively, the ones in the back do the same thing, so it’s a good combination.”

The Lady Raiders (16-19, 3-4 district) open the second round of District 32-6A competition at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at home against Harlingen High.

“It’s an honor to be on this volleyball team,” said Darcy, a first-year starter. “We work very hard, and we have a coach who is known as one of the hardest-working coaches ever, so it’s great to be coached by her.

“We’re a hard-working team, and we love this game,” she added. “I like the confidence that we have. Last year we lacked that confidence, and I think that’s why we didn’t make it to the playoffs. That confidence is helping us win. I think it would mean everything for the seniors and the rest of the team to get back to the playoffs and go far. We’re determined to do it.”

Added Jenny, a three-year starter, “Our program is known for its dedication, its hard work and for being the underdog in the district most of the time. It’s kind of fun being the underdogs because it’s a lot more satisfying to beat the teams that you weren’t supposed to beat. I like that we’re short, but we’re feisty. We’re hungry for the win. We can stay up there with teams that are taller.”

There’s a sense of togetherness on the squad, Morales said.

“The feeling of being family helps us a lot,” she said. “I think the best part of it all is the chemistry that we have. At first, we lacked communication, but whether we’ve known each other for four years, like I’ve known the twins, or for three years like with other players, or even just one year for the ones who are ‘newbies,’ we all have a strong bond.

“Last year was kind of a rough season because we didn’t make it to the playoffs, but I’ve had a taste of success (going to the regional tournament in 2013) as a sophomore,” added Morales, a three-year starter. “That was one of the most amazing memories I’ve ever had being at Rivera. Making it back to the playoffs would be a great feeling, and making it back to the regional tournament would be perfect for me.

“I love my team, I love my coaches, and I credit them and thank them for everything. Hopefully we make it back to the playoffs.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — The Los Fresnos Lady Falcons are halfway home to winning another district title in volleyball.

The Lady Falcons, ranked No. 2 in the Rio Grande Valley, completed the first round of District 32-6A action Saturday with a 7-0 record thanks to a 25-20, 25-13, 28-26 victory at home against the No. 8 Hanna Lady Golden Eagles.

But it wasn’t all smiles for the Lady Falcons.

Despite getting the victory, Los Fresnos coach Becky Woods wasn’t very pleased with what she saw as her team’s lack of focus, especially the way her girls fell behind at the start of the first and third games. She took her squad into a team meeting immediately after the match for a scolding.

“We came out sluggish and slow,” Woods said. “I don’t know why we like getting behind in the beginning (4-1 in the first game and 5-1 in the third game). I tell them, ‘Get ahead and stay ahead,’ but for some reason we seem to fall behind at the beginning of games. Then we have to fight to come back. Once we get into our rhythm, we’re fine. It’s just getting that ice-breaking first point.

“I think being 7-0 is wonderful, but I told the girls that we still have seven more matches to go,” Woods added. “My hitters were off today. We were running into each other, which we usually don’t do. We were kind of standing around and looking when balls were tipped into the middle of the court. I felt like we had a flat match. I felt we could have played a lot better.

“If we’re going to go anywhere this year in the playoffs, we’ve got to pick it up. It doesn’t matter who we play. We’ve got to play like we practice because we practice hard. We have to be there (playing well) because every point is critical. We won today, and I’m glad. The girls showed a lot of character at the end (winning the third game 28-26). They pulled it out. I’m happy about that. I’m just not happy about the way we played.”

After trailing early during the first game, Los Fresnos (30-8 overall) battled back and the score was tied practically on every point, including through 19, before the Lady Falcons surged ahead to win 25-20. The Lady Falcons led by as many as 12 points three times during the second game, 17-5, 22-10 and 25-13 to go up 2-0 in the match.

Hanna (21-12, 5-2) took the early lead, 5-1, in the third game, but again, Los Fresnos rallied. What followed were 13 ties during a back-and-forth, intense third set that was deadlocked for the final time at 26. From there, an ace by Jackie Kingsbury gave the Lady Falcons a 27-26 advantage, and moments later a block by teammate Sam Ibarra won it 28-26 to sweep the match.

For Los Fresnos, Sam Ibarra, Kingsbury and Joseline Caraveo finished with 14, 14 and nine kills, respectively. Caraveo had seven blocks, and Sam Ibarra had six. Cassie Parra added two blocks. Also for the Lady Falcons, Isis Delgado and Giselle Ibarra finished with 21 and seven digs, respectively, and Miranda Gonzales led the team with 24 assists.

Hanna was led by Pamela Ellis with nine kills, seven blocks and eight digs. Sasha-Rae Brown, Flora Herrera and Lauren Webb logged six, three and three kills, respectively, and each had one block. Bianca Olivares contributed 13 assists and two digs, and Gianna Muniz added 11 assists and one block. Also for Hanna, Yelitza Barrientos had 16 digs.

““We didn’t really get into the match until the third set, and that’s when the majority of the team started believing (we could rally and win),” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said. “We weren’t excited enough the first two games. It was almost there for us (in that third game).”

Hanna begins the second round of district at home Tuesday against San Benito. The same night, Los Fresnos also will be at home to take on Lopez.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

The Edcouch-Elsa Yellowjackets are going with a backup quarterback, and they’re not skipping a beat.

Andrew Segura, a senior, replaced Marco Aguinaga at QB after the standout junior signal caller suffered a hairline fracture of a left finger two games ago.

Displaying accuracy with his deep passes, Segura, previously a starter at wide receiver, was too much for Porter to contain Friday as he threw for two touchdowns and rushed for a pair of scores during a 49-21 District 32-5A victory over the Cowboys at Sams Memorial Stadium.

The road win improves the Yellowjackets to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in district. Porter falls to 3-2 and 1-1.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” Porter coach Tom Campos said. “We seemed flat, unmotivated and at times intimidated.

“I take full responsibility for the way our guys showed up today,” he added. “That was not Porter football. Edcouch is an extremely talented team, but we made it seem too easy for them.

“We will regroup. We have a short week next week (playing at PSJA Southwest on Thursday), but rest assured, we will be running on all cylinders. We’re looking forward to Southwest.”

The Cowboys were coming off last week’s 52-44 four-overtime win at Donna North. E-E was coming off a 42-0 triumph against PSJA High during which Segura passed for three TDs and rushed for three scores.

On Friday, the Yellowjackets led 14-7 after one quarter and 28-10 at halftime. E-E took a 41-10 lead into the final period.

During the opening quarter, Segura tossed scoring passes of 41 yards to Tey Valdez and 17 yards to Moses Gomez on two of E-E’s first three possessions.

Porter’s Jorge Gutierrez bulled his way into the end zone from 1 yard out with 18.4 seconds left in the first period to close the gap to 14-7.

During the second quarter, the Yellowjackets sandwiched a pair rushing scores by Segura around a 38-yard field goal by Porter’s Anthony Cuellar to go ahead comfortably, 28-10, by intermission.

After going deep and connecting on a 59-yard pass play and then receiving help with a penalty on Porter, Segura ran across the goal line from 2 yards out with 11:50 showing in the second quarter to make it 21-7.

Then, following the first of Cuellar’s two field goals on the night, a 7-yard scoring run by Segura made it 28-10 with 1:09 to go in the half.

Segura finished with 343 yards passing, completing 17 of 27 attempts with no interceptions. He rushed for 84 yards on 14 carries.

The Yellowjackets went ahead 41-10 during the third quarter on a 7-yard run by Adrian Cardoza and a 25-yard scamper by Christian Garza.

Porter’s Cuellar made it 41-13 after drilling a 24-yard field goal with 8:33 left in the final period.

It became 49-13 when Valdez sprinted around the left side and into the end zone from 5 yards out and Gomez, set up as the holder for the extra-point kick, took off with the ball and ran in for the two-point conversion with 6:56 remaining.

Porter accounted for the final score of 49-21 as reserve running back Jose Villalon burst 1 yard up the middle for the Cowboys’ last TD with 1:31 to go. Ernie Martinez passed to Israel Yanez for the two-point conversion.

Gutierrez once again was an ironman for Porter, rushing 33 times for 138 yards.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Playing baseball while growing up in Rio Grande City in the 1960s was an important part of Cesar Perez’s life.

He became a standout right-handed pitcher with a 93-mph fastball in high school, once striking out 16 and 18 batters in back-to-back games for the Rattlers in 1975. He fanned 19 in another game.

Perez was an ironman on the mound, pitching practically every inning in getting Texas Southmost College of Brownsville to the JUCO College World Series in 1977. In 1979, he pitched for a Sam Houston State team that went 18-3 against the Southwest Conference. With Perez as the ace of the pitching staff, the Bearkats advanced to the NAIA College World Series.

Perez was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds in back-to-back years, but turned down a chance to play pro ball so he could study law.

Perez’s achievements on the mound haven’t been forgotten. He’s one of six former ballplayers to be inducted into the hall of fame at Saturday’s 44th annual Leo Najo Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mission Community Center.

“I lived and breathed baseball growing up, so this is quite an honor,” said Perez, now an attorney with offices in the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio.

The other inductees are Cesar de la Garza of Brownsville, Luis Valdez of Brownsville, Juan “Johnny” Guzman of San Antonio, Rene Ramirez of Hebbronville and Jose Benito Hernandez Sr. of Abram, which is located in the Mission/Palmview area.

De la Garza was a member of the 1965 Brownsville High Class 4A state finalist baseball team, ad Valdez was an all-star second baseman playing semi-pro ball in the 1950s for the La Tienda Amigo team. Hernandez played for a Valley semi-pro team called the Bluejays, and Guzman was an all-state pitcher at South San Antonio for coach Cliff Gustafson, who became coach of the Texas Longhorns.

Ramirez was a multi-sport standout at Hebbronville, who played one year of baseball at UT-Austin and was better known as the “Galloping Gaucho of Hebbronville” on the UT-Austin football team with Darrell Royal as his coach.

Receiving special recognition at Saturday’s event will be Jose Garza Carreon of Edinburg, Roy Garcia of Los Fresnos, Ponciano Garza of Hebbronville, Joe Rodriguez of Brownsville, and Arturo Estrada, Francois Romney and Felipe Montemayor, all of Monterrey, Mexico.

Leo Najo Day is held annually to honor the memory of Leo “Najo” Alaniz of Mission (1899-1978), one of the first native-born Mexicans to play professional baseball in the U.S. in the 1920s.

Admission to Saturday’s event is free. Doors open at 9 a.m. Barbecue plates are $7 and refreshments will be available. There will be live music.

For more information, contact Vicente Estevis at (956) 381-4844.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Having come out on the winning end of a four-overtime game last week, the Porter Cowboys feel as though they are ready for anything.

That resolve will be tested at 7:30 p.m. Friday, when the Cowboys play host to the Edcouch-Elsa Yellowjackets in a District 32-5A matchup at Sams Memorial Stadium.

The two teams come into the contest with 3-1 overall records and 1-0 marks in district.

While Porter was prevailing over Donna North 52-44 in four OTs on the road last Friday, E-E was busy at home routing PSJA High 42-0. Both games were 32-5A openers.

“In a game like that, it’s very tiring (to play four OTs),” said Porter defensive tackle Manny Rodriguez, a 5-foot-8, 270-pound senior. “It becomes mostly mental. You’ve just got to get through all the reps, get in there and give it your all. We had busted our butts all during the summer (getting ready for the season), so it helped us out a lot (to be in shape).

“We’ve come a long way,” Rodriguez added. “Most of us have been together for three years now. We’ve come together as a team. We believe in ourselves and the coaches, and the coaches believe in us. I think that makes a big impact on how we play and how we are with each other (on the field).”

E-E is using a backup quarterback now since junior starter and 32-5A passing leader Marco Aguinaga (513 yards, four touchdowns) suffered a hairline fracture of his left ring finger during a 35-12 victory against Edinburg North on Sept. 11. Aguinaga is out, so Andrew Segura, a senior, started last Friday at QB against PSJA High, and the Yellowjackets didn’t skip a beat.

Segura has played in three games this season, passing for 354 yards and three TDs and running for 92 yards and three scores. His three TD passes and three rushing scores all came against PSJA High.

“Losing their quarterback hasn’t hurt them at all,” Porter coach Tom Campos said of E-E. “The one they have at quarterback now is just as dangerous as the one who was there before. Segura has played other positions, so he knows the game of football.

“They might not be bigger than anybody we’ve played, but E-E is definitely faster than anybody we’ve played,” Campos added. “We’ll have some challenges throughout the game to overcome, but it’ll be a good matchup.”

While the Yellowjackets are more of a quick-strike team mostly utilizing a spread offense, Porter is in its comfort zone when it can keep the ball on the ground and move methodically down the field. An offensive line with size and might has helped make Cowboys senior running back Jorge Gutierrez the top rusher and scorer in 32-5A with 865 yards and 12 TDs.

“This E-E game is definitely a test we need to pass so we can show people we’re not the old Porter,” said Gutierrez, a 5-9, 220-pounder. “We won’t be pushed around anymore. We feel it’s our time — the Porter Cowboys’ time.”

Porter will attempt to redeem itself after last year’s 38-7 loss to the Yellowjackets in Edcouch.

“We’re looking toward (qualifying for) the playoffs and proving people wrong about what they think of Porter,” Rodriguez said. “We’re changing things around here.”

District 32-5A action continues next week for each team as Porter is at PSJA Southwest on Thursday and E-E is at home against Donna North next Friday.

Attempts to contact E-E coach Joe Marichalar for a comment regarding this story were unsuccessful.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

The Port Isabel Lady Tarpons face an important District 32-4A volleyball test at home at 6:30 p.m. Friday against La Feria.

The match was moved up from Saturday to Friday.

The Lady Tarpons and Lionettes are each 5-1 and share second place in the district race, and each has lost to 6-0 Zapata. The first round of district play in 32-4A ends this weekend.

Port Isabel, La Feria and Zapata shared the district title last season, and they appear to be the three front-runners in 32-4A again this year.

The Lady Tarpons have won five straight matches since their district-opening loss in four games at Zapata on Sept. 12.

“Our girls know the importance of this match (against La Feria), and all of them, really,” Port Isabel coach Julie Breedlove said. “They’re ready to play, and they’re excited.

“I have all the confidence in the world in my girls,” Breedlove added. “We feel we are prepared to play well in these next two matches.”

After facing La Feria, the Lady Tarpons play host to Zapata next Tuesday.

Breedlove said she likes the way a pair of her sophomores, Madison Bickerton and Olivia Soliz, are showing improvement at the net.

“Our sophomore middle blockers are really coming around,” the Port Isabel coach said. “They’ve made tremendous improvement. They’re hungry, and they want to go for a kill.”

Breedlove said Simone Harry continues to hit with power from the outside and added setters Natalie Salinas, Larissa Torres and Carolina Guevara continue to perform well.

“We’re doing better with our communication and movement (on the court),” Breedlove said. “The last couple of matches, I think the girls have started to really realize the importance of those things.”

ANOTHER SHOWDOWN: The District 32-6A-leading Los Fresnos Lady Falcons, ranked No. 2 in the Rio Grande Valley, will try to close out the first round of district action with an unbeaten record at 7-0 when they play host to No. 8 Hanna at noon Saturday.

The 32-6A defending co-champion Lady Falcons (29-8, 6-0 district) are coming off Tuesday’s 25-21, 25-17, 20-25, 25-15 victory at No. 6 Brownsville Veterans Memorial (22-11, 5-1).

Hanna (21-11, 5-1) is coming off Tuesday’s 25-19, 27-25, 22-25, 22-25, 15-12 victory against Rivera (16-18, 3-3). Rivera and San Benito play Saturday and are are tied for fourth place in 32-6A at 3-3.

“We’re going to try to keep them from breaking away and look for a chance to win,” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said of Saturday’s match at Los Fresnos. “We know we’re the underdogs. I also know our girls will play their hearts out.”

Brownsville Veterans took Los Fresnos to four games on Tuesday. It was the first time in district this season the Lady Falcons didn’t win with a 3-0 sweep.

“It wasn’t an easy win at all,” Los Fresnos coach Becky Woods said of Tuesday’s match. “It should be the same type of match against Hanna.

“Hanna always steps up their game when we play them,” she added. “The intensity will be the same (as it was Tuesday).”

CHANGES: Due to SAT testing, Saturday’s 32-6A matches that have San Benito at Rivera and Brownsville Veterans at Lopez will start at 3 p.m. instead of noon. The same will be the case on Oct. 24 for ACT testing.

The Port Isabel and La Feria football teams each are open Friday, so that’s why the La Feria at Port Isabel volleyball match in 32-4A was moved from 1 p.m. Saturday to 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.