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Mission High needed to come from behind to improve to 2-1 in District 30-6A and deny La Joya Juarez-Lincoln of their first win of the season, by beating the Huskies 16-14 on Friday night at La Joya ISD Stadium.

Mission kicker Rene Rodriguez lined up with 14 seconds left in the game and provided the winning boot to keep the Eagles in the hunt at the top of District 30-6A.

Mission High’s Damian Gomez hit Sebastian Gonzalez for two touchdown passes in the early going, but then adversity stuck the Eagles. Gomez was knocked out of the game and had to be stretched off the field after absorbing a big hit from Huskies defensive lineman Xavier Monreal.

“We had an injury in there and we just had a tough time keeping drives alive,” Mission coach Koy Detmer said. “We just had one of those out of rhythm types of deals. I was proud of the way the kids found a way at the end to put it together and go down and get the field goal.”

Juarez-Lincoln coach Tommy Garcia was upset about a call that he felt hurt his team. The Huskies thought they had forced a turnover on downs after a 4th-down pass went incomplete for the Eagles. The officials threw a flag, picked it up then changed their mind according to Garcia.

“Our two best players were out with injury, Efren Martinez out with a torn ACL and Albert Martinez hobbling with a high ankle sprain and we still won (the) game until the call was reversed and given to Mission.”

Freshman quarterback Jeremy Duran orchestrated the drive in the hurry-up offense that put Mission in for their first points since Gomez went down, and the most important score of the game.

After Week 7’s action in 30-6A there’s a logjam of teams with playoff and district championship goals very much alive. PSJA High is the only undefeated team reaming at 3-0. Mission is 2-1 with a loss to McAllen Memorial, Rowe is 2-1 with a loss to PSJA North. North is 2-1 with a loss to PSJA High. La Joya High is 2-1 with a loss to PSJA High.

Defending champion McAllen Memorial is 1-2 with losses to PSJA High and La Joya High.

“It’s that kind of district man,” Detmer said. “Every week is a tough game. You have to play well to win every week, if not you’re going to have a tough time.”

DISTRICT 30-6A

PSJA NORTH 38, McALLEN ROWE 22: At Pharr, the PSJA North Raiders didn’t have to take moral victories in their game against Rowe, they had the real thing. North even saved their fans the drama of a stressful game, winning 38-22 at home.

“We finally didn’t turn the ball over for a game,” Raiders coach Marcus Kaufmann said. “Our defense played a hell of a ball game. We had a scoop and score (fumble recovery) No. 90, Aaron Alvarez, had the score for us. They had a weird muff and Arturo (Beltran) recovered it for a touchdown on special teams.”

Beltran would get into the end zone three more times on offense, all rushing tallies to bring his total to four for the night. He now has 15 for the season to tie La Joya High’s Eddie Villarreal for the most in the RGV.

North found their success as they utilized more straightforward running-centric formations.

Kaufmann’s team had been slowed by turnovers entering Friday’s game. He said it’s a whole new experience when they win that battle.

“It’s a completely different ball game,” Kaufmann said. “I’m pumped for the kids, because they worked really hard, and they finally saw something positive at the end of the ball game.”

Rowe had touchdowns from running back Lorenzo Lopez and wide receiver Ruben Salinas.

DISTRICT 31-6A
EDINBURG HIGH 31, EDINBURG NORTH 14: At Edinburg, senior running back Hearlin Benavides got the ball moving early for the Bobcats (5-1, 1-1), and they never looked back against the Cougars (1-6, 1-2) on Friday night at Richard R. Flores Stadium.

Still, without senior quarterback Matt Cruz, EHS relied on the power run game to get it done.

The Bobcats jumped out to a 21-0 lead and led 24-14 at the half.

DISTIRCT 16-5A D1

MISSION VETERANS 56, DONNA HIGH 28: At Donna, the Patriots (5-1, 5-0) offense again thrived despite injuries to wide receiver Mikey Garcia and top running back Danny Cantu to defeat Donna High (4-2, 3-2) going away.

Senior quarterback Landry Gilpin ran for six touchdowns and threw for two in their first action in two weeks.

“We scored 55 and 56 points the last two weeks without one of the best receivers in the Valley,” Mission Veterans coach David Gilpin said. “We played a majority of the game tonight, and I pulled them into the fourth quarter. That was the first time we played that much since the opener. We’re not going to run up the score, but we need to find a way to play full games. We’re clicking offensively. There’s no doubt about it.”

DISTRICT 16-5A DII

SHARYLAND HIGH 47, EDCOUCH-ELSA 21: At Mission, Sharyland High (4-3, 3-0) wasn’t sure what to expect from the Yellow Jackets (1-6, 0-3) under interim coach Christian Navarro.

They faced an early 7-3 deficit in the second quarter, but the offense recovered. Senior quarterback Oscar Valdez threw two touchdowns and ran for two more in the Rattlers’ win.

DISTIRCT 16-2A DII

LA VILLA 34, AGUA DULCE 21: At Agua Dulce, La Villa (4-3, 1-0) went on the road after a bye to begin their district season, and the Cardinals handed a tough Agua Dulce team (5-1, 0-1) their first loss of the year, 34-21.

The Cardinals have become known for their spread passing attack, so when they came face to face with the Longhorns, the Cardinals’ power run game caught Agua Dulce off guard, and the Caridnals pounded the rock all the way to the win.

“Our guys played four full quarters,” La Villa coach Daniel Perez said. “We scored first with that power set, and they just couldn’t stop us. We just kept running it and running it.”

The Cardinals led 21-14 at halftime. The Cardinals got a rushing touchdown from senior quarterback Rey Felix. His brother, Damien, a sophomore, picked up two more touchdowns on the ground. Rey Felix connected with Orlando Vallejo on another touchdown, this one of the passing variety.

The score would have been more lopsided, as the Cardinals were at the goal line, looking at a sure touchdown scenario int he first half.

“It was one of those deals where three guys have him wrapped up and no one is moving, but they didn’t blow the whistle,” Perez said. “One of their guys ripped the ball out, and they returned it 99 yards. That score would have put us up 28-7. Instead, we go into the half up 21-14.”

The power running game was fueled by the Felix brothers, but they were not alone. Freshman Christian Ortiz was elusive, and senior Alexis Gonzalez rounded out the rotation that was so successful on Friday.

“Those guys ran the ball pretty hard, and it was tough for them to bring us down,” Perez said.

After the game, the players were tired, with a slightly subdued celebration, but the Cardinals know they are on the precipice of something special, and this big win is just the beginning.

“We have been playing good halves,” Perez said. “Against Three Rivers we were right there with them in the first half. Against Santa Rosa, we played a great second half. Tonight, we played all four quarters, and it showed on the scoreboard.”

NON-DISTRICT

PROGRESO 42, MMA 7: At Harlingen, the Red Ants (3-4) got rolling early and won big over MMA (2-4) in their final tune up before the beginning of their District 16-4A DII season next week.

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
WESLACO — In what was slated to be a showdown of high-scoring offenses, Edinburg Vela vs. Weslaco High was won in the trenches.
There were seven punts in the first half, as both teams struggled to overcome dominant defenses.
Senior running back Christian Flores was the difference in the second half, running behind the blocking of a reenergized offensive line, and the SaberCats (7-0, 3-0) pulled away to win 17-7 over Weslaco High (5-1, 1-1) on Friday night in The Monitor’s Game of the Week at Bobby Lackey Stadium.
“They are a high-quality program,” Vela coach John Campbell said. “It was a great atmosphere. We had to show some grit and some perseverance. You always want to play better, but at the same time, sometimes experiences like this grow your program.”
Vela’s deferral to the second half, allowed the SaberCats to come out of the locker room, with the adjustments from the coaching staff, and fresh legs on the offense.
Flores carried the ball 14 times for 74 yards on the opening drive, setting up a 5-yard touchdown run from senior Aaron Alvarez to tie the game at 7.
“We were struggling to throw the ball,” Flores said. “We got into the locker room and we told our offensive linemen, ‘you gotta move.’ Once they did, they couldn’t stop our running game. I don’t think anyone can, when we are cooking like that.”
Flores was tireless in a game that had so much emotion on the line.
“I have been waiting for this one,” Flores said. “Seeing coach Salinas again after everything that happened, I knew I was going to give it everything I had tonight.”
Flores played under Salinas two years ago at Vela. After the season, Flores left Vela, before knowing Salinas’ fate. Once Salinas was gone from Vela, Flores came back to the Black and Blue.
“Christian, particularly in the third quarter, he owned it,” Campbell said. “He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but sometimes the play was blocked for five, and good tailbacks take that and get seven. We saw a different side of Christian where he was putting the shoulders down and getting us those extra yards.”
“The o-line, we were tired,” junior tackle Tyler Bailey said. “So to see him start to move the ball like that, was a relief. We knew we were going to come back and get off the field and let the defense go to work.”
Flores was ruthless, running over Panthers and prolonging drives.
“It is a feeling that you will not get anywhere else (to run people over like that),” Flores said. “It felt amazing to be able to knock someone out.”
“(Flores) makes it easy because all he has to do is get past the linebackers,” Bailey said. “Once he gets past the line, he’s gone.”
Vela never really got the passing game going, and Flores knew the team needed him in the biggest moments.
“I was waiting for the moment to get the ball in my hands,” Flores said. “I knew once I got the ball, we were going to explode. We tried to start with the passing game, but they watch a lot of film, you can tell. They were keyed in on No. 5 (Daniel Enriquez).”
Flores also set up the go-ahead field goal on another sustained running drive from the Vela offense.
Enriquez, a senior, was blanketed all night, but he still managed to find the room to put the game away, after Weslaco elected to punt with less than four minutes left in the game. Enriquez received the first snap of the drive, and took off for 75 yards to the end zone and a 17-7 lead.
“It felt great,” Enriquez said. “Getting that touchdown to extend the lead and secure the win, that was big.”
The only score of the first half was a 14-yard TD run by Weslaco junior quarterback Jacob Cavazos. He finished with 93 yards and one touchdown on the ground, but the Vela defense held him to 25 passing yards.
The Vela defense came out to play, and powered by the return of two key players, they shut down one of the highest scoring offenses in the Valley.
“I am very, very impressed with our defense,” Campbell said. “Because they (Weslaco) have been putting up some points. We were very concerned with their skill players. Obviously, when you have a quarterback that can run the ball, that changes the entire dynamic.”
Senior Kobe Gipson made his debut after being cleared to play by the UIL to play earlier this week. Gipson had been practicing with the defense all year, so he fit in well, and even recorded his first two sacks of the season.
“I have been wanting to get on the field so bad,” Gipson said. “I was anxious. My first game, and I am glad to be back.”
On Gipson’s first sack, the Vela stands erupted for the newest member of the team.
“It made me feel very proud,” Gipson said. “I felt like I was home.”
Senior Justice Rivera also returned to action after missing the last three weeks with an injury.
“It was a big difference having Justice back,” sophomore safety Jaime Perez Jr. said. “Especially because we were able to go to a 3-4, which allowed the d-linemen to create havoc back there.”
“Justice is one of the key players on our defense,” said Enriquez, a former safety, who finished the night with 93 yards and a touchdown on the ground. “Getting him back, along with Kobe coming in, was a big part of our Vela defense.”
Senior corner Jesse Aguilar picked off Jacob Cavazos in the first half. It was the first interception thrown by the exceptional junior gunslinger.
“It was very exciting,” Jaime Perez Jr. said. “Once he got that pick, we knew we could win this game.”
All four lines were exhausted by the end of the game, but Vela’s lines had just enough to close out a punishingly physical game.
“We wore them down,” Bailey said. “We could tell they were tired, and it didn’t seem like they had too much depth. … It was a big accomplishment for us (the offensive line) to come back from a first half where we didn’t play that well, to coming out and moving the ball like that.”
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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — There has been one phrase to define the season at Donna North.
The Chiefs say “North tough.”
“I’m a big believer of everything starts with the o-line and the d-line, in the trenches,” North coach Joe Marichalar said. “They have been going in there with some tough competition, and they have been in there, standing toe-to-toe with them. They ain’t backing down, and I love them for that.”
Marichalar’s background is in defense; he played linebacker and started coaching on the defensive side of the ball.
“You have to give a lot of credit to our offensive line coaches and our offensive coordinator,” Marichalar said. “The line coaches are Coach Francisco Martinez, and Coach Gerardo Alejandro, and our offensive coordinator is Alejandro Rosales. … They installed a mentality of next man up. They installed that toughness in them. We lost our center, one guy went out, got an ankle injury, and the next guy stepped in there, and it was like they had been playing together since day one. A lot of credit to those coaches. That’s something we can build on.”
Marichalar had a good idea of what he was walking into at North (0-6, 0-2). The Chiefs won one game last year, as a Class 5A school. Over the offseason, the UIL moved North into Class 6A.
Still, Marichalar remains confident in the future of the program. He said it all starts with building a foundation this year.
The players have noticed the change, and despite everything some of the seniors have been through in their careers, they can sense something is not the same as usual.
“The biggest difference is the effort from everyone,” senior left tackle Alexis Jimenez said. “We see it coaching-wise, player-wise, the school, the administrators, the community, family members — everyone.”
‘The culture has changed, everything is different,” sophomore defensive end Tony Ganderia said. “Everyone has like to commit more and come out. It was different last year, everyone was selfish. … This year, we have been playing as a team. No matter what age or position, we all have to play as one.”
Things won’t get easy for North overnight. There will be a lot of pain along the way, but the pieces are in place.
Marichalar has a quality staff. He also credited his defensive staff for making his job easier.
“Our d-line coaches are Joaquin Ayala and Eric Zamora. The defensive coordinator is Steven Mendoza. Those guys have been doing a good job,” he said.
The Chiefs play hard, and no matter the opponent, they are built to fight for control of the trenches. The defense wants to hit people, and the offense wants to run through opponents.
“I have to commend our kids on being tough,” Marichalar said. “I tell them I’ve been on the other side, at the top of the pyramid. I tell them ‘you guys are not that far off, you just have to keep getting better.’ For whatever reason, we haven’t played four quarters yet this year, once we do that, who knows? These kids can play.”
The foundation is coming together nicely. North starts 11 sophomores, and while there have been growing pains, there has also been progress.
Senior Fernando Reyna moved from linebacker and quickly became a leader on the defensive line.
“I really like the position, and it’s been a good experience,” Reyna said. “My coach, Eric Zamora, he coaches defensive tackles and he is a really good guy. He has taught me everything since I moved to the position. He taught me to depend more on brotherhood, and come together as a family. … Ever since I moved to defensive tackle, he had to teach me everything from scratch, because I was a linebacker. So I pretty much learned everything from him.”
The connection between Marichalar, his staff and his players, has allowed the bond to form. Every player asked, mentioned the brotherhood as a major key to separating 2018 from years past.
When the Chiefs are on the field, they bring a war drum to the sideline. The Chiefs get to beat on the drum if they score or force a turnover. Terms like “Roll Tribe, Chiefs Pride” and “ODBRAC (One Day Be Recognized As Champions)” have become synonymous with the program. The players mentioned these daily reminders and their daily values as things that have allowed them to regain some of the swagger they lost over the years of losing and getting blown out.
“We know we can go against bigger teams, that suppose that they are better than us, but in reality we are just as good as they are, because with sayings like that it just builds up the confidence, we can be ourselves, for the first time in a while we can take pride in being Chiefs,” Jimenez said. “It was a lot of hard work and dedication to come every day during the summer. I didn’t miss a single day. It just takes a lot of work. … We study a lot of film, inside of school and outside.”
The Chiefs are excited to get to work this week against a physically imposing Edinburg Economedes team. North will travel to Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg for the 7:30 kickoff Friday night.
The players know the game will be physically demanding, and in the past, North would have been nervous about that, but now the Chiefs embrace it.
“We are ready for a smash-mouth game,” Reyna said. “We like a challenge, and we are up for it.”
The Chiefs hope they are on the right path to stopping stories like this one from repeating themselves year after year:
“I had an older sister who used to go to Donna High,” junior center Jose Casas said. “Ever since we lost, she brags about it. But I know that we are only getting better, and that one day we can beat them.”
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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

La Villa is coming off of a bye week, and into the Cardinals’ District 16-2A DII season.

Prior to the bye, the Cardinals (3-3) won back-to-back games over Monte Alto and Santa Maria.

“Those wins and then the week off, it gave us time to heal,” La Villa coach Daniel Perez said. “The kids are confident. We are playing a team our size. The kids are working hard.”

The Cardinals begin their district season against Agua Dulce (6-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Bud Bailey Stadium in Agua Dulce.

The Cardinal’s offense brings a variety of weapons, but the centerpiece is senior quarterback Rey Felix, who has 826 passing yards and seven touchdowns.

“We limit his play on defense because we want him to be there on offense,” Perez said of Felix. “He’s been doing really good for us. … He’s also a former running back, so he can run those RPOs and he is a threat to tuck it or to chuck it.”

Felix has 275 rush yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Rey’s brother Damien Felix has been the lead back for the Cardinals this season with 123 rushing yards.

“(Damien) has a lot of speed,” Perez said. “He returned a kickoff 80-something yards in our last game against Santa Maria.

“We also have Alexis Gonzalez. He is a linebacker, stronger guy, senior. And then we have a freshman there, Christian Ortiz. He’s really small and quick.

“Our running game is doing good. We have more guys learning the offense who are able to carry the ball at the running back position.”

The offense hits another level because of the smarts of Rey Felix.

“He has the freedom to make checks on the line,” Perez said. “He is very good at getting us out of the run, if we should be passing. Or if we are passing and he sees the run, he can switch to that.”

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

LA JOYA — As La Joya High coach Reuben Farias stood at midfield for a post-game interview, a pack of Coyotes came running over with the classic Gatorade water cooler.

The attack missed as Farias spryly dodged the waterfall, but what happened next was pure elation.

The players started hugging Farias:

“I love you coach, thank you.”

“This is why we play! All the long practices and early mornings are worth it for this.”

La Joya High junior running back Eddie Villarreal punched in a 3-yard touchdown with 36 seconds left in the game, and the Coyotes (4-1, 1-1) hung on to beat McAllen Memorial (3-2, 1-1) 29-28 on Friday at La Joya ISD stadium, and snap the Mustangs’ nearly five-year district unbeaten streak.

“This was a big statement,” Villarreal said. “I’m not going to lie, we came out cocky against PSJA. We needed that loss to wake us up. I know we have a great team. We just had to wake up and get our heads in the game. Now, we are coming for that district title.”

Memorial jumped out to a 20-3 lead before the half, with touchdowns from senior receiver Ethan Bazan, junior running back Campbell Speights and senior quarterback Sean Skaugen.

“Everything has to come to an end at some point,” Memorial coach Bill Littleton said. “All records are made to be broken. We had a good run there, we just have to start it all over again.”

Villarreal came out in the second half with the force of a bulldozer and orchestrated a 12-play, 78-yard touchdown drive, capped off with his 1-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 10.

“Eddie did a good job all night long,” Littleton said. “We had a hard time stopping him.”

Villarreal was a force in the first half, but his demeanor was slightly different in the second half.

“The coaches said I was tippy-toeing, not hitting the holes,” Villarreal said. “So, in the second half, I just ran through the holes, made my own holes. But the line, they got their head in the game, and we just kept moving the ball.”

Memorial came out for its first drive of the second half, and the Coyotes’ defense clamped down and forced a punt, after three-straight negative plays for the Mustangs.

“The defense, they are the ones that gave us the motivation,” Villarreal said. “They stopped them, and we all got excited. Then, we go punch it in.”

On the first play of the Coyotes’ ensuing drive, senior quarterback JR Rodriguez faked the handoff to Villarreal, and ran through the line. Once he burst past the line, he was gone — 40 yards untouched, and a touchdown.

“We knew that JR was due for a big run,” Farias said. “He is so potent and electrifying that when he runs, he can change the game. He’s a threat all the time.”

The Mustangs weren’t quite done, though, as Speights ripped off a 58-yard touchdown run in the closing minutes of the third quarter to extend Memorial’s lead to 11.

The Coyotes responded again with another extended drive, capped off with a 10-yard touchdown run from Villarreal. La Joya’s extra point attempt was blocked, but the Mustangs lead had slipped to just five points with time waning in the fourth quarter.

The Mustangs tried to eat up as much clock as possible, but La Joya’s defense again held, and the Coyotes got the ball back with 3:27 to go.

The Coyotes were down to their final timeout at their own 33, so the power-run game was not going to get it done.

“People doubt my arm,” Rodriguez said. “I know I can throw the ball; I consider myself a dual threat. Most people don’t see it. I know when it comes to the clutch, I don’t mind stepping up and rising to the occasion. It just comes to me. It’s natural.”

Rodriguez had the trust of his team in the biggest moment of the night, and he came through with two big first down-earning passes.

“That’s JR right there,” senior Irvin Zamora said. “He can come in clutch. Some people are sleeping on him, and we need them to wake up now.”

Zamora does a little bit of everything for La Joya. He plays defensive back, he plays receiver and he returns kicks. In the biggest moment, Zamora was called upon to fuel Rodriguez’s arm.

“He is a special young man,” Farias said, with the emotion breaking through his voice. “He works hard every day. Anytime he has the ball he can make things happen. We knew he would be there for us in that moment.”

Zamora caught both passes on the drive, allowing the offense to punch in the last-second touchdown.

Memorial had not lost a district game since Oct. 25, 2013.

“This was the biggest moment of my life,” Zamora said. “It feels amazing to play for the La Joya Coyotes — and to be playing here, as a senior, on homecoming night, and beating the Mustangs, the very last year, senior year — it feels absolutely amazing. Words cannot describe this right now.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Weslaco East didn’t find out Edinburg High senior quarterback Matt Cruz would not play until game day.

The last-minute switch was no matter for the Wildcats (3-2, 2-0), who pitched a shutout of the Bobcats (4-1, 0-1) winning 21-0 on Thursday night at Richard R. Flores Stadium.

“It doesn’t matter who is playing,” senior linebacker Freddy Cardenas said. “We can stop anybody. … I still say we are the best defense in the district.”

Not only did East’s defense dominate the line of scrimmage, but they also got the Wildcats on the board first.

Without a true quarterback on the field, EHS utilized the skilled junior Erik Cano at that position, and he played well in the role, until the big play was needed. The Bobcats got their first extended drive of the game going at the 9-minute mark of the second quarter, and they had the ball inside the East 30 on a first down. Cano dropped back to pass, but sophomore safety Hector Muniz read the play, jumped the route, and grabbed the ball.

“I saw the quarterback trying to tackle (Muniz),” Cardenas said. “So, I put a little lick on him.”

Cardenas allowed Muniz to get past the offensive line, and from there fellow safety Ramsey Vasquez, a junior, said he knew Muniz was gone.

“When he caught it, and I seen that last block, I knew he was gone,” East coach Mike Burget said. “I turned into a cheerleader on the sideline.”

“That hit made me very excited, I got up and saw (Muniz) in the end zone,” Cardenas continued. “And that is a brotherhood right there. I sacrificed myself for him, and he sacrificed himself for us.”

The play was big for a myriad of reasons.

“It was our first touchdown,” said junior running back Josh Gonzalez, who carried the ball 11 times for 34 yards. “It got us going, and it got us rolling as a team.”

It also sucked the confidence out of the Bobcats, who were desperate to get points on the board before the half. Lastly, it took the pressure off of the East offense, which was struggling to generate yardage at that point.

“There is a lot of stuff that people don’t understand, going on behind the scenes,” Burget said. “We have some guys banged up pretty bad, and I can’t risk it right now. We have some big games coming down the road. We have four more district games, and God willing, if we make the playoffs, I have to get these guys healthy for that. We need to be able to play at full strength when it counts the most.”

Once the Wildcats saw points on the board, they found the strength to shut down the game in the second half.

“Ramsey told me a kid did a knee drop on his bad ankle, so he was pretty upset about that,” Burget said. “I told him you just have to get up and run the next play.”

Vasquez took that advice and channeled the rage into yardage. Vasquez found the end zone twice in the second half, sealing the win for the Wildcats. He finished the game with 106 rushing yards to go with those two touchdowns.

“He took off in the second half,” Burget said of Vasquez. “I don’t know how many balls he ran in a row, but he was upset.”

“They were getting a lot of cheap shots in, playing dirty ball,” Vasquez said. “I’ve never seen that before. They were playing some real bad ball. I just used it as fuel, and I ran angry.”

The Monitor’s Game of the Week, which was billed as a physical matchup, did not disappoint. There were five passing attempts in the game. In the end, it was East’s victory in the physical department that allowed them to get the win on the scoreboard.

“We just played East football,” Vasquez said. “We outhit them. And they felt it; they weren’t talking in the second half.”

“We do that every game,” Cardenas added. “Weslaco East football: out hit them.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Edinburg High senior running back Hearlin Benavides has been thrust into the spotlight by his dazzling play over the past season and a half, and rightly so. He has been at or near the top of the leading rushers list week in and week out.

Benavides doesn’t want to hog the spotlight, in fact quite the opposite, he looks for every opportunity to share it.

“It’s because of the o-line that I have gotten a lot of success and all the touchdowns,” Benavides said. “I always emphasize them and give them the props. And that is because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

The Bobcats’ line is a source of strength for the team, and the Bobcats are excited to face off with another physical team in Weslaco East at 7 tonight at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg.

“We love it,” Senior left tackle Bobby Salinas said. “A smash-mouth game. But I think we are more physical this year. We thrive in the trenches. That is Bobcat football.”

It wasn’t always that way though. After the Bobcats lost seniors Oscar Juarez and Nelson Carillo, there were questions about what the 2018 line would look like.

“When we started the offseason, the o-line was our big question in spring ball,” Edinburg High coach J.J. Leija said. “These kids put their time in, in the weight room. During spring ball we had to find and solidify our offensive line. I was happy with what we saw in spring ball, and they came into fall camp and retained a lot of what we taught them in the spring.”

Bobby Salinas took it upon himself to lead the offensive line, and senior center Johan Salinas stepped up to lead the younger linemen.

“They just looked up to me,” Bobby Salinas said. “I’ve always wanted to be a role model for the younger guys. I just tell them I am always here for you, if you need help.”

That support from the pair of unrelated Salinas linemen was what sparked the younger guys to step up and fill the gaps.

“I knew I had to give it my all for Bobby and Johan,” junior left guard Luis Trevino said. “As coach tells us, we lost a lot of leaders last year, but we can make up for them, as long as we put in the work.”

That is exactly what the Bobcats big boys did. They got to work as soon as the summer started; the weight room sessions were intense. The players pushed each other, and got themselves better physically.

But it isn’t all brute strength on the o-line.

“This is a very smart line,” Edinburg High offensive line coach Eddie Carillo said. “They have been working hard together in the offseason. They communicate well with each other. They have calls with each other to discuss football. They watch a lot of film, to know how the defense will play us.”

The love between the o-line — and it is love, make no mistake about it, being in the trenches day in and day out under the hot sun of South Texas really brings young men together — it also extends to the running backs.

Benavides went to middle school with many of the linemen, and they have had a bond since they were playing together on sub-varsity.

“They are always hustling,” Benavides said. “That is the best thing about my line, they are always hustling.”

Benavides and the o-line are known to go out to eat together from time to time, more frequently during the summer.

“We always go to buffets, and we are always killing it,” Benavides said. “Giving everybody a hard time with the food.”

The jokes and banter flow just as much as the football talk does, but the bond that is built, unites them on the football field.

“We take so much pride in what we do,” Bobby Salinas said. “We love Hearlin. We are there for him. We don’t want him to get hurt, and if we mess up he could get hurt, so we work as hard as we can for him.”

And those seniors from 2017, while they may be gone, can still help this year.

“They taught me a lot, and molded me into a great leader,” Johan Salinas said. “Oscar Juarez, Nelson Carillo, those guys were big leaders to this team. We called them before the season and asked them how we can get better, and how we can keep pushing the team.”

Now that this line is clicking, it is a source of confidence for the team. With Benavides running the way he has for the last season and a half, the Bobcats are more confident than ever.

“We are taking it one game at a time,” Benavides said. “But we are excited about the start that we have had. Now we just have to keep pushing to accomplish our goals for this year.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — Weslaco East sophomore running back Giovanni Guerra grew up in what he described as a “tough neighborhood” in Weslaco.

He had a view of the street life and, at first, he though it was appealing. Almost none of his friends growing up were involved in any kind of organized sports, but Guerra had undeniable physical gifts, so he started playing football when he was young.

“What helped me out with football was playing in the neighborhood with all the kids,” Guerra said. “That made me tough. We would go at it. Sometimes, we would even get into fights. That helped me get a little dog in me. That’s what East football is all about.”

Guerra realized he had speed, and so did some of his friends, but he was still torn between two worlds.

His speed was what pushed him back into football.

“My friends were playing, and they called me saying that they needed a running back. They needed someone fast,” Guerra recalled. “I wasn’t very good at first, but I stuck with it, and seventh grade was when I really started to get good — well, all right.”

Guerra joined the football team in middle school, where he met coach Rolando Ramos.

Guerra was hooked, and his relationship with Ramos was strengthened when he started on Ramos’ freshman team at East.

“I give a lot of credit to coach Ramos. He helped me out a lot and helped me get to where I am today,” Guerra said. “He helped me out with ripping, getting my knees up. Once I feel someone’s arm coming, he helped train me to tuck that ball. Get it away from the defender.”

On Friday night during East’s district opener, Guerra scored twice to lead the Wildcats (2-2, 1-0) past Donna North (0-5, 0-1) 56-6.

“Our O-line, they kept blocking and got us this dub,” junior fullback Randy Cardoza said. “Shouts to them. They never stop working.”

Guerra, who rushed for 109 yards on seven carries, also credited the offensive line.

“They were tremendous tonight. I give a lot of credit to them,” Guerra said. “They helped not only me, but the other backs, as well. The fullbacks also help us out a lot.”

Guerra had more reps to fill the gap left by injured junior running back Josh Gonzalez, a close friend of Guerra.

“He was happy for me to get more touches,” Guerra said of Gonzalez. “He was one of the guys who made me feel comfortable right away, and we have been tight ever since.”

Weslaco East coach Mike Burget said Gonzalez will be ready to go for East’s next game Thursday at Edinburg High.

Guerra was dominant in freshman ball, and Burget couldn’t wait to see what he could do at the varsity level.

“He ran for well over 2,000 yards, and (the freshman team) went 9-1 last year,” Burget said. “He is an explosive kid. He is a kid that works very hard. … He is a very unselfish kid. He doesn’t mind sharing the ball with those guys.”

Guerra experienced his welcome-to-varsity moment right away, as East started the season by traveling to San Antonio to face a Manor team that boasted college prospects throughout the defense.

“I felt like I was ready, but they were some big boys,” Guerra said. “I felt a hit early on that knocked my air out, but I got back up and I was ready for the ball again.”

Guerra has shined, forcing himself into the lineup.

“When you throw him in against a Manor, a Laredo Alexander and a Harlingen (High), coming off of freshman ball, his eyes were big,” Burget said. “But he still averaged 10 yards a carry against those three teams.”

Donna North gave Weslaco East more than expected. The Chiefs caught the Wildcats off guard with a forced fumble on a punt play, a recovered onside kick and a rushing touchdown from senior quarterback Jesus Lagunes, all in the first half.

“I don’t think we played a very good first half,” Burget said. “I don’t think we played a very disciplined first half, which upsets me a lot. Weslaco East football has always been very disciplined. We lost a little bit in the first half on a late hit and an onside kick.”

Senior running back Andy Delgado, who started Friday, found the end zone three times to go with 108 rushing yards.

Ramsey Vasquez and Randy Cardoza each scored touchdowns, as well, allowing East to run away with the game.

“That was big for our program,” Cardoza said. “We had a little bit of a tough start, so to come back and get our first district win, it feels good.”

Junior fullback Jacob Carrasco also made his home debut this season after going down with an injury in the preseason and missing East’s first two games.

“It feels really good. I am really happy to be back,” Carrasco said. “It killed me not being out there with the boys. I worked really hard to get back. I would run every day. I would go to the weight room every day. After that, go get treatment.”

“Big ol’ No. 36,” Cardoza said of Carrasco. “He’s my fullback. He’s my ride or die.”

“Carrasco and Cardoza were our starters last year,” Burget said. “They both work extremely hard. They are both really unselfish. They block for those tailbacks.”

East is getting healthier each week, and the depth really shows in the backfield.

“Andy Delgado started today. He is a very explosive guy,” Burget said. “And then we have Russell Garza. With Josh also in that mix, we feel like we have a bunch of running backs, but we just have to keep getting better at that position.”

Guerra is a big part of that talented backfield, and the sky is the limit for him during his first full season on varsity. He said football was his way out of the pitfalls that surrounded him growing up.

“I used to be like those kids from the neighborhood,” Guerra said. “I was out here doing this and that, but seventh grade, I got into football, and it helped me out a lot. Not only on the field, but with my grades, and as a person. My character changed through football.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

Things have not been easy for Edinburg North this year.

Just when the season seems to be on track, a big mistake erases all of the positive momentum.

“We had a big stop to start the third quarter against Edcouch-Elsa, but we took a personal foul unsportsmanlike conduct, and that kept their drive going,” ENHS coach Damian Gonzalez said.

To make matters worse, close games have slipped away in agonizing fashion. The Cougars lost their first two games by a combined seven points.

“The kids have done a tremendous job of fighting from the beginning to the end,” Gonzalez said. “We have been in every ballgame. Even last week, at halftime, we were sitting OK. Then, we had some kids banged up, and we had to pull some kids out, and it exposed us a bit.”

One of those players was junior running back Jacob Peralez.

“He’s had a little nagging ankle injury that has limited him a little bit,” Gonzalez said. “Also, he has taken a few shots to the core. He has had some sprained ribs here and there. That has kind of limited him a little bit, but he is fighting through it.”

Gonzalez said he expects Peralez to be ready to go Friday when the Cougars face their toughest test to date in their first district game against Edinburg Vela. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be played at Richard R. Flores Stadium.

Against E-E, Peralez wasn’t the only injury. The Cougars were also without their leading pass catcher, Roel de Leon, who was hurt in practice Thursday.

Then, one of the most dominant players the Cougars have, senior defensive lineman Humberto Martinez, sprained his ankle and did not return to the game.

Edinburg Vela is a very tall task to start district, but the Cougars enter 31-6A play with the mindset of having a 0-0 record.

“We just have to show up and give our best effort,” Gonzalez said. “I am very proud of our kids, because they keep working hard. We have had two tremendous days of practice, probably the best two days we have had. We just have to clean up a lot of mental mistakes.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

Hidalgo coach Monty Stumbaugh has become synonymous with his power running offense.

The unique scheme that worked so well for Stumbaugh for years at Port Isabel had to be tweaked when disaster struck in Week 1.

Hidalgo (0-4) played rival Valley View to open the season, and senior running back Bryan Aleman was off to a strong start as the workhorse back, carrying the ball 15 times for 54 yards through the third quarter. Suddenly, Aleman was down, and the team discovered he had dislocated his elbow.

“Bryan is a big part of our football team,” Stumbaugh said. “He is a great kid. … Everything came out good. He is just now able to run again. Maybe by Zapata (Week 7, Aleman could return). The swelling has gone down. They were worried about any damage to the ligaments, but all that was good.”

In the meantime, the Pirates had to find other ways to spark their offense.

Junior running back and kicker Jose Figueroa has stepped up to take the lion’s share of the carries, and through four weeks, he has rushed for 298 yards and a touchdown with a 5.1 yards-per-carry average.

Even Stumbaugh, who has always been a ground-first coach, could see he needed to add an element to the offense this year with Aleman out for a big chunk of the season.

That is where junior quarterback Angel Lopez came into the picture.

“Angel has gotten better every game,” Stumbaugh said. “He’s starting to understand. He is starting to see things now. He has been throwing the ball well.”

Lopez has completed 15 of 45 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns.

“He was hurt last year in the PI game (Week 3). That hurt, not being able to play,” Stumbaugh said. “But he is starting to take charge. The quarterback has to be the leader in the huddle, and he is starting to do that.

“He is making the progress we want to see as a quarterback. I have been really happy with Angel’s play. He has helped us a lot.”

While the Pirates are down, they are not out.

“I am proud of our kids,” Stumbaugh said. “We are making progress. We have had a few games where we beat ourselves. We have two weeks here against Progreso and (Brownsville) St. Joseph. We need to get things fixed and get everything ironed out, so we are ready for district.

“All our goals are still there. We still have a shot at winning a district championship. We still have a shot at making the playoffs. Now, we just have to start believing we can do those things, and the first step is having two good weeks to set us up for district.”

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