By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

CORPUS CHRISTI — In a football playoff game that featured offensive fireworks aplenty, the Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles came up with just a few more than the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers.

The result was a 55-41 victory for the Eagles in a Class 5A Division I area-round playoff game Friday at Buccaneer Stadium.

The victory advances District 30-5A runner-up Corpus Christi Veterans (11-1) to next week’s 5A Division I regional semifinals to face Dripping Springs (11-0) or Richmond Foster (7-3). Those teams play Saturday in Bryan.

The District 32-5A Chargers ended the season at 10-2 in making their first appearance in the second round of the playoffs since 2012.

“My impressions of our team tonight are the same impressions I’ve had all year,” Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu said at the conclusion of the contest. “It was such a blessing to coach a football team like this one with players and coaches who play hard from the very beginning to the very end. That’s what this team did.

“To say they did that is something pretty special,” Cantu added. “This is a football team that I will always cherish. It’s been so much fun this year.”

The Eagles led 13-7 after one quarter and were up 34-27 at halftime. The Eagles took a 48-41 advantage into the final period before scoring a TD with a little more than two minutes remaining to seal the 55-41 victory and keep their season alive.

“It was just a great game,” Corpus Christi Veterans coach Cody Simper said. “I thought Brownsville Veterans played well and our team played well, too. It’s a shame that anybody has to lose this one.

“Brownsville Veterans is a very tough team and their guys fought to the very end,” Simper added. “They have a lot to be proud of. A lot of credit goes to their players and coaches.

“I’m just really proud of our guys. They battled the whole way and found a way to get it done.”

It was a game that featured nine touchdowns in the opening half along with four rushers — two for each team — that eclipsed 100 yards in the contest.

For Brownsville Veterans, running back Abel Martinez carried 17 times for 222 yards and quarterback Gustavo Vasquez carried 27 times for 188 yards.

Vasquez ran for TDs of 4, 2 and 40 yards while Martinez broke one of his runs for 75 yards down the left sideline that went for a score. Martinez displayed the speed he was noted for prior to his injury earlier in the season. He also broke loose for ground gainers of 40 and 39 yards.

“Abel showed who he is as a football player tonight,” Cantu said. “He showed his breakaway speed and so forth, so that was great to see. It was very enjoyable for him to have that kind of performance because (at one point) we thought he wasn’t going to have any more nights like tonight (due to his injury). He really didn’t practice any football for five or six weeks after he got hurt.”

For Corpus Christi Veterans, QB/running back David Soto carried 10 times for 150 yards with TD runs of 81 and 49 yards. The 49-yarder came with 2:08 remaining and put the Eagles ahead 55-41. Soto also caught a 74-yard scoring pass for the Eagles’ initial TD in the opening quarter for a 6-0 lead.

Also for the Eagles, running back Frank Jones Jr. rushed 18 times for 115 yards and scored on runs of 6 and 14 yards.

The score was tied twice in the opening half at 13-13 and 27-27. When the score became close, the Eagles came up with a big play every time to maintain the lead.

Also for the Chargers, Alexis Gomez scored on a 9-yard run in the second quarter and Elijah Masten tallied on a 6-yard burst around left end with 11.1 seconds left until intermission to make it 27-27 thanks to a two-point conversion run by Vasquez.

The Chargers didn’t get to go into the break tied, though, as the Eagles’ John Newman returned the ensuing kickoff 69 yards for a TD on the final play of the half that gave his team a 34-27 edge at intermission.

It was that kind of night for the Chargers, who made some solid defensive stands, but still gave up five scoring plays of 40 yards or longer to the explosive Eagles.

Regardless of Friday’s loss, Cantu said this season’s seniors have accomplished a lot for the school with their competitive nature.

“I’m just so proud of our senior class,” the Brownsville Veterans coach said. “It’s not a real big class in terms of numbers, but they’re just competitors and that’s what makes them so special. I can’t help but think that someday they’re going to be men who always finish what they start. It’s just a super senior class.”

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

They are two solid football teams with 10-1 records that have enjoyed successful seasons thus far.

Each wants to see things become even better with a playoff win tonight. But only one of them will advance and get to play in December, which is the goal of every team in the state.

That’s the story line for the Class 5A Division I area-round matchup between District 32-5A champion Brownsville Veterans Memorial and District 30-5A runner-up Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial.

Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Corpus Christi’s Buccaneer Stadium.

“We’re coming and we’re not stopping now,” said Gustavo Vasquez, Brownsville Veterans’ senior quarterback who leads the Chargers with 1,439 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns. “We’re not taking our foot off the gas pedal. We have a lot of heart on this team.”

Tonight’s winner faces District 26-5A champion Dripping Springs (11-0) or District 27-5A runner-up Richmond Foster (7-3) in next week’s regional semifinal round. Those two teams play Saturday in Bryan.

To reach tonight’s game, Brownsville Veterans rallied from a 10-0 deficit to defeat Laredo Nixon 34-10 in bi-district last Saturday. Corpus Christi Veterans won its bi-district game 35-0 last Friday against Eagle Pass Winn.

“Corpus Christi Veterans has a very explosive offense with some large, athletic players,” Chargers coach David Cantu said. “They have a big, aggressive defensive line.

“It’s a real good challenge for us,” he added. “We do feel we match up well with them.”

The only loss for the Chargers was a 34-20 non-district setback at home against Edinburg Vela on Sept. 15. That was eight games ago. The lone defeat for the Eagles was a 46-25 loss at state-ranked Calallen in their 30-5A regular-season finale on Nov. 9.

The Chargers are going up against a balanced opponent that averages 434.5 yards and 45.6 points per game. The Eagles’ rushing attack is led by tailback Frank Jones, who has run for 1,416 yards and 17 TDs. Eagles QB David Soto has passed for 981 yards and 10 TDs, while Sethe Solis, Soto’s favorite receiver, has 60 receptions for 752 yards and 12 TDs.

Brownsville Veterans averages 374.4 yards and 34.3 points a game. Besides Vasquez, who has passed for 976 yards and six TDs, running back Alexis Gomez is second on the team in rushing with 556 yards and six TDs in a relief role for Abel Martinez, now back from an injury. The Chargers have some capable receivers in Cristian Chapa (27 catches, 357 yards), Elijah Masten (21-238) and Carlos Galindo (21-237).

Along with the strong play of the Chargers’ defense, Cantu said another important factor for his team this season is the emergence of the offensive line, which includes Hector Guijarro, Jose Solis, Jacob Banda, Brandon Salazar, Sebastian Sosa and Aaron Barrera.

“Not a single one of them started last year and they’ve exceeded expectations,” the Brownsville Veterans coach said.

Brownsville Veterans is in the playoffs for the third straight season. The Chargers are trying to make it beyond the second round for the first time. The last time the Chargers reached the second round was 2012 and they finished 9-3.

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 | The Brownsville Herald

By ROY HESS

Staff Writer

Sharyland High is moving on to the second round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs thanks to Friday’s 59-43 victory against Pace at Brownsville’s Sams Memorial Stadium.

It was the offensive shootout that all along was expected with the Rattlers setting the tempo early and the Vikings trying to catch up all night.

The District 31-5A tri-champion Rattlers (9-2) now advance to the area round of the playoffs to face the Alice Coyotes at 4 p.m. next Friday in Alice.

The football season is over for the District 32-5A fourth-place Vikings (5-6), who battled from behind pretty much the whole game Friday after Sharyland High scored on its first possession.

“The resiliency and fight our boys showed (was what stood out to me tonight),” Rattlers coach Ron Adame said. “The Pace players showed a lot of fight, too.

“I’m proud that our boys maintained the lead throughout the game,” he added. “We never trailed. I told our guys, ‘Hey, let’s enjoy tonight — we’re bi-district champs.’ We certainly have some things to fix (after giving up 43 points), and that will be our job to do as coaches as we get ready for our area-round game against Alice.”

The Rattlers led 7-0 after one quarter and 31-7 at intermission. It became 45-21 for the Rattlers by the end of the third period before Sharyland High held off Pace and walked out of Sams Stadium with its 59-43 bi-district triumph.

“It was a great season (despite tonight’s loss),” first-year Pace head coach Danny Pardo said. “It was great for these players. Our seniors are leaving with playoff experience. It’s great for the younger ones too because they know now what it takes to be in this kind of game (and win).

“Our offseason will start right after the holidays,” Pardo added. “Year No. 2 under me is going to start quickly. The players are ready to go and begin to improve. I’m really looking forward to it.”

There were offensive standouts for both teams.

Rattlers quarterback Edgar Longoria threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. Pace QB Randy Aguilar came alive in the second half and kept the Vikings continually in the fight as they repeatedly tried to make it closer. Aguilar passed for a TD and ran for another score.

Still, Longoria’s chance to shine came first. He finished with 308 yards passing, having completed 19 of 24 aerials with no interceptions.

Longoria’s 38-yard scoring scamper with 7:54 showing on Sharyland High’s opening possession of the night set the tempo. After a 24-yard field goal by Erwin Von Nacher made it 10-0 at the 9:46 mark of the second period, Longoria threw TD passes of 62 and 23 yards to Gabriel Tamez to up the lead to 24-7 with 4:10 to go before halftime.

Sandwiched between Longoria’s initial pair of TD passes was a 33-yard scoring run up the middle by Pace’s Juan Jimenez midway through the second period that accounted for the Vikings’ first TD.

The Rattlers made things even tougher on Pace when Sharyland High’s Maximus picked off an Aguilar pass and returned it 82 yards for a score for a 31-7 advantage at intermission following Von Nacher’s fourth of eight extra points.

Pace narrowed the score to 31-14 with 7:54 showing in the third period when Matthew Cuellar went into the end zone from 2 yards out.

In response, the Rattlers went ahead 38-14 after Blake Klein caught a 23-yard scoring pass from Longoria with 5:50 left in the third before Aguilar threw a 21-yard TD pass to Ilijah Solis, making it 38-21 with 4:16 remaining in the period.

A 49-yard TD sprint down the left sideline by Klein with 3:30 left in the third quarter closed out the scoring in that period with the Rattlers up 45-21. Klein finished with 152 yards rushing on nine carries, while Longoria added 99 yards on eight carries.

Also, Klein caught seven passes for 108 yards, while Tamez finished with five receptions for 124 yards.

Pace began the final period by making it 45-29 on a 1-yard TD keeper by Aguilar with 10:46 showing. A pass for the two-point conversion was successful.

The Rattlers increased their lead to 59-29 in the fourth period on a 41-yard TD run by Diego Vela and a 34-yard TD pass from Longoria to Ruben Davila. The scoring pass came with 7:40 remaining.

From there, Pace’s Brandon Zapata scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards in the waning minutes to account for the final score of 59-43.

Aguilar passed for 279 yards (21 of 41) but was intercepted three times and lost a fumble in the first half. Zapata had seven receptions for 135 yards plus 39 yards rushing on seven carries.

Friday marked Pace’s first appearance in the playoffs since 2011.

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

ALICE — A 10-0 deficit? No problem.

Brownsville Veterans Memorial trailed by 10 points early in the second quarter, but that didn’t deter the Chargers from turning the momentum around in their favor and rallying to defeat Laredo Nixon 34-10 Saturday in the Class 5A Division I bi-district playoffs.

The win at Alice Memorial Stadium advances the District 32-5A champion Chargers (10-1) to the area round of the playoffs, where they face Corpus Christi Veterans on Friday in Corpus Christi at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m., tentatively at Buc Stadium.

The season is over for the District 31-5A tri-champion Mustangs (8-3).

The contest was played in strong, breezy conditions as a blustery wind blew in from the north and somewhat hampered the passing game for both teams.

Even though they were behind by double digits early in the game, there was never a sense of panic or even a little bit of worry on the team, Chargers quarterback Gustavo Vasquez said.

“It’s just the way a football game might go (and sometimes you are behind),” said Vasquez, who rushed 23 times for 132 yards, a game-high total that included a pair of second-half touchdowns. “It’s just a part of the game. Our coaches always tell us to be ready for adversity.

“How you handle that adversity and how you come back is what matters,” he added. “That’s what makes a team.”

After a scoreless opening quarter, the Mustangs went up 10-0 and then led 10-7 at halftime before the Chargers came alive and were in front 14-10 going into the final period. Brownsville Veterans scored three TDs in the final quarter to seal the victory and keep its season alive.

“Down 10-7 at halftime, our players realized there were still two more quarters to play,” Chargers coach David Cantu said. “Our defense played lights out the second half (in shutting out the Mustangs after giving up 10 points in the first half).

“When we were down 10-0 there was absolutely zero panic,” Cantu added. “We just knew we needed to score a touchdown. Our first touchdown (on a 75-yard, 13-play drive in the second quarter) was extremely important for our team confidence. After that, everything else just kind of played itself out. No one lost their mind or anything when we were down. We just stayed the course.”

The Mustangs went ahead 7-0 on the second play of the second quarter when running back Chris Casas bulled his way into the end zone from 2 yards out. Ray Rivera’s extra point made it 7-0 with 11:21 showing in the period.

Barely two minutes later, after recovering a fumble by the Chargers, Rivera returned to the field to boot a 37-yard field goal on fourth-and-12 to increase Nixon’s advantage to 10-0 with 9:36 left before halftime.

The Chargers came to life at that point and put together a 75-yard, 13-play scoring drive that was capped by Alexis Gomez’s 1-yard burst into the end zone with 3:31 to go before intermission. Gomez finished the night with 70 yards rushing on 13 carries.

Brownsville Veterans took the lead for good, 14-10, with 2:54 left in the third quarter on Vasquez’s 21-yard TD run up the middle that was set up by teammate Manny Yanez’s interception of a Nixon pass one play earlier.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Chargers as Abel Martinez went around right end for an 8-yard score, Tommy Martinez broke through the line to surprisingly grab a handoff exchange between the Nixon QB and running back in mid-air and return it 30 yards for a TD and Vasquez went into the end zone from 6 yards out.

Vasquez’s second rushing TD of the game came with 4:16 remaining and provided the final score of 34-10 after Joey Zarate’s fourth extra point.

Chargers running back Abel Martinez made a comeback Saturday after returning from an injury suffered earlier in the season. He finished with 8 yards rushing on six carries in a limited role, and more than anything, was overjoyed to be back in the lineup with his teammates.

“It feels good to finally be back on the field and play with my brothers,” Abel Martinez said. “I’ve been out and it hurt me to see them playing and me not being able to be in there. To finally get the chance to play and seeing us win feels super good.”

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Sharyland High is moving on to the second round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs thanks to Friday’s 59-43 victory against Pace at Brownsville’s Sams Memorial Stadium.

It was the offensive shootout that all along was expected with the Rattlers setting the tempo early and the Vikings trying to catch up all night.

The District 31-5A tri-champion Rattlers (9-2) now advance to the area round of the playoffs to face the Alice Coyotes at 4 p.m. next Friday in Alice.

The football season is over for the District 32-5A fourth-place Vikings (5-6), who battled from behind the whole game Friday after Sharyland High scored on its first possession.

“The resiliency and fight our boys showed (was what stood out to me tonight),” Rattlers coach Ron Adame said. “The Pace players showed a lot of fight, too.

“I’m proud that our boys maintained the lead throughout the game,” he added. “We never trailed. I told our guys, ‘Hey, let’s enjoy tonight — we’re bi-district champs.’ We certainly have some things to fix (after giving up 43 points), and that will be our job to do as coaches as we get ready for our area-round game against Alice.”

The Rattlers led 7-0 after one quarter and 31-7 at intermission. It became 45-21 for the Rattlers by the end of the third period before Sharyland High held off Pace and walked out of Sams Stadium with its 59-43 bi-district triumph.

“It was a great season (despite tonight’s loss),” first-year Pace head coach Danny Pardo said. “It was great for these players. Our seniors are leaving with playoff experience. It’s great for the younger ones too because they know now what it takes to be in this kind of game (and win).

Our offseason will start right after the holidays,” Pardo added. “Year No. 2 (under me) is going to start quickly. The players are ready to go and begin to improve. I’m really looking forward to it.”

There were offensive standouts for both teams.

Rattlers quarterback Edgar Longoria threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. Pace QB Randy Aguilar came alive in the second half and kept the Vikings continually in the fight as they tried to make it closer. Aguilar passed for a TD and ran for another score.

Still, Longoria’s chance to shine came first. He finished with 308 yards passing, having completed 19 of 24 aerials with no interceptions.

Longoria’s 38-yard scoring scamper with 7:54 showing in the first quarter on Sharyland High’s opening possession of the night set the tempo. After a 24-yard field goal by Erwin Von Nacher made it 10-0 at the 9:46 mark of the second period, Longoria threw TD passes of 62 and 23 yards to Gabriel Tamez to up the lead to 24-7 with 4:10 to go before halftime.

Sandwiched between Longoria’s initial pair of TD passes was a 33-yard scoring run up the middle by Pace’s Juan Jimenez midway through the second period that accounted for the Vikings’ first TD.

When things became even tougher for Pace when Sharyland High’s Oscar Valdez picked off an Aguilar pass and returned it 82 yards for a score and a 31-7 advantage at intermission following Von Nacher’s fourth of eight extra points.

Pace narrowed the score to 31-14 with 7:54 showing in the third period when Matthew Cuellar went into the end zone from 2 yards out.

In response, the Rattlers went ahead 38-14 after Blake Klein caught a 23-yard scoring pass from Longoria with 5:50 left in the third before Aguilar threw a 21-yard TD pass to Ilijah Solis, making it 38-21 with 4:16 remaining in the period.

49-yard TD sprint down the left sideline by Klein with 3:30 left in the third quarter closed out the scoring in that period with the Rattlers up 45-21. Klein finished with 152 yards rushing on nine carries, while Longoria added 99 yards on eight carries.

Also, Klein caught seven passes for 108 yards, while Tamez finished with five receptions for 124 yards.

ace started off the final period by making it 45-29 on a 1-yard TD keeper by Aguilar with 10:46 showing. A pass for the two-point conversion was successful.

The Rattlers increased their lead to 59-29 in the fourth period on a 41-yard TD run by Diego Vela and a 34-yard TD pass from Longoria to Ruben Davila. The scoring pass came with 7:40 remaining.

From there, Pace’s Brandon Zapata scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards in the waning minutes to account for the final score of 59-43.

Aguilar passed for 279 yards (21 of 41) but was intercepted three times and lost a fumble in the first half. Zapata had seven receptions for 135 yards plus 39 yards rushing on seven carries.

Friday marked Pace’s first appearance in the playoffs since 2011.

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

PORT ISABEL — Of all the important days in Natalie Garza’s life, Wednesday was one of the most memorable.

The Port Isabel track star signed an athletic scholarship agreement to run for the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg.

Family, fellow students, coaches, teachers and school administrators were all on hand to witness the NCAA Division I signing at a noon-time ceremony in the school lunch room. She inked her scholarship agreement during the NCAA’s early signing period.

Garza now joins an elite group of athletes for the Lady Tarpons who recently have signed track scholarships to compete at the highest level collegiately. Others include Daniella Murchison (SMU) and Gabriyella Torres (UT-San Antonio), who currently are still competing at their schools.

Going into her senior season of track, Garza already has advanced to the UIL state meet as a sophomore and junior in the 400-meter dash. She placed in the top five both times.

Garza said it’s a relief to know she can now concentrate solely on competing during the coming months and not have to be concerned if she would receive a track scholarship. Wednesday’s signing took care of that.

“I feel that I have accomplished a lot in four years being here at Port Isabel High School,” said Garza, who plans to pursue a speech therapy degree in college. “I’ve been thinking about this (day) since seventh grade when it was our time to go into athletics. I’ve dreamed about getting a scholarship for track. It’s something I’ve worked hard for and now I’m receiving what I wanted.

“Honestly, it feels very worthwhile for all the hard work I’ve put in,” she added. “All the effort I’ve given has finally paid off. I still want to go out there and try my best (during my senior season) and improve on my time and everything. I want to drop my time to 56 seconds (in the 400) and hopefully get top three at state.”

Garza’s personal best in the 400 meters is 57.52 seconds. She finished with a 57.62 to place fifth in the 400 at last season’s state meet in Austin. She was fourth at state as a sophomore in 58.23.

Her times consistently have ranked among the Valley’s best. She also runs the 800 meters.

“It’s just an exciting feeling to see Natalie sign,” Lady Tarpons coach Julie Breedlove said. “You just can’t help but beam from ear to ear to know that the (signing) day has finally come. She’s such a hard worker and so deserving of this. Natalie is always looking for ways to get better. More importantly, she’s trusted her training, knowing that it would help her become better. She is an athlete with a lot of mental toughness who has that desire to push herself and improve.

“She’s very excited about going to UTRGV, and this (early signing) will help her focus a little more on her upcoming season,” Breedlove added. “Natalie has just been a blessing to me and this track team. We’ve watched Natalie grow and improve since she was a seventh-grader. We’ve seen her do some amazing things, and to have it all come to fruition with this signing, I’m very proud of her and all along I knew she could do it. I’m excited for her.”

Garza has a lot of people who have helped her along the way on her track journey that now includes running at the NCAA Division I level.

“I thank everyone in my life — my mother (Celestina ‘Sally’ Salazar), grandpa, grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins and coaches,” Garza said. “Just thank you to everyone who has been there to guide me and assist me in what I have accomplished.”

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 | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

The college futures of two standout athletes at Brownsville Veterans Memorial were determined Tuesday.

Swimmer Adrian Fierro and softball player Cassie Valdez signed college athletic scholarship agreements in the school library with family, fellow students, coaches and school administrators on hand to witness the event.

Fierro signed to swim for Nova Southeastern University, an NCAA Division II school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while Valdez put her signature on a scholarship agreement to play softball for UT-San Antonio, an NCAA Division I program.

“It’s been a hectic day and I’m a little nervous,” said Valdez, who has been an exceptional softball player for the Lady Chargers since she was a freshman, playing mainly pitcher, shortstop and third base. “I’m feeling just a little bit of pressure because everyone is here (at the signing ceremony).

“This day is just a realization of what my future holds, and it’s a first step in my collegiate softball career that maybe someday leads to a professional career in the sport,” added Valdez, also a standout volleyball player who just earned District 32-5A MVP honors in that sport. She already has earned multiple MVP honors in softball.

Valdez, who is undecided on a college major at this point, last season led the 26-8 Lady Chargers to their first district title in softball while being named All-Metro MVP with a 13-5 pitching record that included 193 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.87 over 96.1 innings. Also as a junior, she also batted .471 with 13 singles, 21 doubles, nine triples and five home runs while recording 55 RBIs.

“Cassie has a special gift (to play softball),” Brownsville Veterans softball coach Rayner Cardenas said. “She may be the best player on the field, but by her demeanor, you’d never know it. That’s the way she is. She plays with a lot of passion and a lot of heart.

“This (signing) is a great accomplishment for her,” Cardenas added. “She’s put in a lot of work. Her parents (David and Jennifer Valdez) have spent a lot of resources, time and commitment just for her to be at this point (of her softball career). She’s also done her part, so I’m extremely happy for her. We’re looking forward to another special season with her before she moves on.”

Valdez said she is grateful for all her coaches, teammates and everyone who has supported her in softball and volleyball.

“I have a lot of pride for this school and I just want to represent it well,” Valdez said. “I would like to be an inspiration to anyone who comes to this school (who wants to play college athletics).”

As far as what Valdez has meant to softball in the area, the same can be said of Fierro in swimming.

His first two years of high school were spent at St. Joseph Academy, where he set two school records thanks to his standout performances in the pool. He then transferred to Brownsville Veterans as a junior and so far has set three school records for the Chargers.

“To see Adrian going to college on a swimming scholarship is fantastic,” Brownsville Veterans swimming coach Frank Sanchez said. “He’s a silent leader (for us) and he’s not going to say too much. We found that out. He does his talking in the pool. We’re blessed to have him on our team and it’s an honor to know him.”

Fierro’s primary events are the 50 and 100 freestyles. He won those events at last weekend’s Fall Festival Meet at Brownsville’s Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center. He hopes his senior season of swimming for the Chargers continues into February 2018 so he can make his first trip to the UIL state meet in Austin.

“I grew up swimming, so it’s been a goal for me (to do it in college),” said Fierro, who also swims for the club team Great Whites. “I feel that I have made steady progress (in my events) during my years of high school.”

Fierro said it’s taken discipline to do well in swimming.

“I practice from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. (weekdays) with my high school team and after school (weekdays) from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with my club team, so it takes a lot of discipline,” said Fierro, who plans to study exercise science in college. “It feels good (to be a member of the Chargers team). We’re improving.

“This (signing) feels good because I’ve been working hard for it,” he added. “I’m thankful to my coaches (Sanchez and Jose Luis Zarate) and my parents (Eduardo and Rocio Fierro) for all their help plus my teammates, too.”

When asked if it would be a big adjustment for him to move from Texas to Florida to attend college, the standout swimmer said it would be all right as long as he’s close to the coastline.

“I like the beach, so (I don’t mind),” he said.

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 | The Brownsville Herald

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

WESLACO — It’s now on to the state playoffs for the Los Fresnos Falcons.

The Falcons completed their regular-season schedule with a 29-2 District 32-6A victory over the Weslaco High Panthers on Friday at Bobby Lackey Stadium.

Los Fresnos (7-3 overall, 5-2 district) now plays District 31-6A’s Edinburg High (6-4, 5-2) in the Class 6A Division I bi-district playoffs next week.

The Falcons were ahead 14-0 by the end of the first quarter and led 29-2 at the intermission as there was no scoring during the second half that was played with a steady drizzle falling.

Los Fresnos received another strong performance from quarterback Charles Chapa, who threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another score.

Chapa fired a swing pass to the left side to running back Alberto Banuelos, who after making the reception took off for the end zone to complete a 19-yard pass-and-run play on Los Fresnos’ first possession of the game. Adrian Torres’ kick with 9:09 showing in the opening period made it 7-0 for the Falcons.

The Falcons upped their lead to 14-0 on the last play of the first quarter when running back Johnny Cadengo broke loose for a 45-yard rushing TD. Torres again added the extra point.

The score became 20-0 for the Falcons at the 9:48 mark of the second quarter when Los Fresnos’ Nico Valencia beat the Panthers’ secondary and caught a deep ball from Chapa. He raced into the end zone to complete a 77-yard scoring play.

Valencia was wide open and had dropped a pass from Chapa on the same route just three plays earlier.

The Falcons’ successful two-point conversion following Valencia’s TD grab made it 22-0.

Exactly two minutes later, with 7:48 on the clock, Chapa went up the middle on a keeper and went virtually untouched as he sprinted 42 yards to the end zone. Torres’ kick increased the lead to 29-0.

A Los Fresnos running back was tackled in the end zone for a 1-yard loss and a safety as the Panthers narrowed the score to 29-2 with 2:19 remaining in the first half.

The teams combined to miss three field goals in the game — two by Los Fresnos and one by Weslaco High.

The best drive of the night for the Panthers came in the final minutes of the game when they completed a 41-yard deep pass for a first down at the Falcons’ 10-yard line. From there, what followed were three pass incompletions and a lost fumble that saw the Falcons regain possession without allowing any more points to the home team.

The Panthers (3-6, 2-5) completed their first season under new head coach Michael Salinas, who came over from Edinburg Vela.

It was a tough night for Weslaco High on Friday as the Panthers committed six turnovers — four interceptions and two lost fumbles.

After the game, a newspaper reporter from The Brownsville Herald displaying a valid press credential and seeking comments from the two teams’ players and coaches was denied access to the field by Weslaco ISD security personnel.