BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

WESLACO — With the squeak of sneakers silenced and the stands of the Laredo Energy Arena mostly empty, Weslaco High players started trickling out of the locker room.

It was March 3, and the Panthers had just seen their season end at the hands of Austin Westlake, which overwhelmed Weslaco 56-38 in the Class 6A Regional Semifinals.

Jordan Young was one of the last players out of the locker room. Perhaps he was talking with players and coaches, or perhaps he was clinging to the last few minutes of his varsity career. As he walked out of the locker room, tears in his eyes, he said: “This is Braxton’s team now.”

Now a senior, Braxton Bloomquist is embracing that statement.

“Leadership is key,” Bloomquist, who averaged 12.8 points per game last year in the regular season, said. “Coach isn’t going to be there all the time. He doesn’t get to see what goes on away from the court. That’s my role.”

Bloomquist is a team captain this year. He spent the summer traversing the country with many of his Weslaco teammates, playing in various tournaments.

For Bloomquist, the repetitions were valuable, as he is moving from shooting guard to point guard this season.

“Over the summer, all I did was play point guard,” Bloomquist said. “As a point guard, you are able to have that leadership role, on top of being a captain. The ball will be in my hands more, and I have more control over where it goes.”

Last year, when Bloomquist got the ball, the best play was often to look for his own shot. Now, in the new role, he will have to get his teammates involved — a skill Weslaco coach Gabe Valdez said came natural for Bloomquist.

“The transition for him has been really good,” Valdez said. “He has taken that role. He plays very unselfish. That has actually grown on us a little bit as far as the team and them looking for each other.”

Bloomquist started playing basketball at the age of 5. From then on, the dream was always to wear the purple jersey of the Panthers.

“My mom and dad went to Weslaco,” Bloomquist said. “My uncle went here also. He played basketball here, too. My family is Weslaco through and through.”

So when Bloomquist got to play on the varsity team and wear that jersey during his freshman year, it felt like the culmination of a decade of work.

“The feeling was great,” Bloomquist said. “It was different, being a freshman on varsity — it’s unexplainable. The crowd was different. The transition was different from eighth grade to a freshman on varsity. … It made it a special moment. I am able to play in the same colors my parents did.”

When Weslaco takes the court for its season opener at 7:30 tonight against Brownsville Pace on the Panthers’ home court in Weslaco, Bloomquist will have the ball in his hands for the opening possession and the closing possession.

That is, unless Weslaco turns the game into a romp, as it often does. In which case, junior point guard Safi Fino-A-Laself could be the one who dribbles out the clock with the rest of the bench unit.

“It’s really exciting to get started,” Fino-A-Laself said. “I’m excited to pick up back where we left off last season, going to the Sweet 16 and playing with our team all summer. We have gotten a lot better together. So I am excited to see how far we go this year.”

Fino-A-Laself is just one example of the depth Weslaco boasts entering the season. The team lost six seniors but just one starter from last year’s team.

“Safi is getting himself to another level,” Valdez said. “He could easily be starting. He could easily put up 20 points a game. He’s just that good. We just have to slow his jets down a little bit, but that’s a good thing. He’s going to play a big role for us this year.”

The projected starting unit is a sizeable one. Senior guard Matthew Olmeda will share the backcourt with Bloomquist. The frontcourt is composed of three seniors: Safi’s brother Khalil Fino-A-Laself, Jesus Paez and Derek Cedeno.

“Matty is our shortest guy at 6-foot,” Bloomquist said. “Derek is 6-5. So, we are a pretty big starting lineup.”

In addition to size, Weslaco boasts flexibility.

“Fortunately, we have the opportunity to put different types of units out there,” Valdez said. “We can go tall, big, big-small, small-small, and be effective. … Starting with a taller lineup and then coming out with a totally different speed with Safi, Isaiah Garcia and Caleb Ybarra, it turns up a notch. That’s the thing about it. We can throw different combinations in there that can be really effective for us.”

The excitement surrounding the program is palpable. The Panthers can’t wait to hit the hardwood, and when they do, Bloomquist will be leading them.

“We are looking forward to that first game,” Bloomquist said. “We have a lot of players back, and like coach says, we are a mature team, so we are looking to work toward what we had last year. We have been working for this time of year, all year. You get to actually work for something, work for that trophy at the end of the district season.”

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RGVSports.com Top 10

1. Weslaco High
2. Los Fresnos
3. Edinburg Vela
4. Harlingen South
5. McAllen Rowe
6. Edinburg High
7. McAllen High
8. Brownsville Veterans
9. Roma
10. Mercedes

Five more players to watch

>> Noah Sekinger, Jr., center, Edinburg Vela: Last year, Sekinger measured at 6-foot-5 as a sophomore. He averaged 5 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game.

>> Antoine Woodard, Jr., wing, Edinburg High: The First Team All-Area member averaged 18.8 points per game, the third highest mark in the Upper Valley, and 8.2 rebounds per game, putting him the top ten in the area.

>> Rodrigo Nuñez, Sr., center, Rio Grande City: The 6-foot-8, 255 pound post player had the highest mark in the Valley with 20.2 points per game and the second highest rebound per game average of 10.9.

>> Derek Luna, Soph., guard, McAllen Rowe: The Monitor’s All-Area Newcomer of the year burst onto the scene as a freshman. He averaged 16.1 points per game and 4.6 assists.

>> Daunte Galvan, Jr., guard, PSJA North: As a sophomore Galvan became the focal point of a dangerous Raiders team. Galvan averaged 14.2 points and 6.2 assists per game.

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

LA JOYA — Once La Joya High’s Eddie Villarreal got going, there was nothing La Joya Palmview could do to slow him down.

The sophomore had 120 yards and a touchdown by halftime as the Coyotes took a 28-point lead to the locker rooms.

“Eddie is a workhorse,” La Joya High coach Reuben Farias said. “He always runs the ball tough and works hard. I am real happy for him.”

La Joya High (6-4, 3-3) beat La Joya Palmview (2-8, 0-6) 49-14 on Friday at La Joya ISD Stadium to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2014.

“This feels great,” Villarreal said. “Not being able to go to the playoffs for three years, and finally achieving it, it’s a big step for the program and the community.”

Villarreal came out of the halftime break on crutches and was unable to play in the second half.

“My Achilles is hurt,” Villarreal said. “The coaches didn’t want to risk it, so they rested me for the second half.”

Farias said his staff thinks the injury is a minor sprain. Villarreal said he could have played if it were a playoff game, and that he will be ready for next week.

La Joya High will face San Antonio Southwest at 7:30 p.m. next Friday in San Antonio in the bi-district round of the Class 6A Division I playoffs.

“This win was super important,” senior quarterback Irving Garcia said. “It was especially big for all the seniors who take care of the team and make sure that we make it to the playoffs and succeed.”

Garcia was the perfect compliment to Villarreal on Friday. He rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns and completed 5 of 10 passes for 108 yards and three TDs.

“He showed a lot of character,” Farias said. “He’s a three-year letterman. He threw the ball really good and worked hard. I’m very proud, because he put a lot on his plate to try to excel and be successful.”

Garcia started the scoring with a 5-yard run to give the Coyotes an early 7-0 lead.

On the next drive, Garcia passed to junior JR Rodriguez for an 18-yard touchdown.

Villarreal picked up his first score of the game in the second quarter. Then, Garcia added another rushing TD, this one from 1 yard out.

Palmview finally got on the board with just more than three minutes left in the second quarter, with a 36-yard run from senior Eric Vasquez on a sweep play.

The Coyotes responded with a 6-yard pass from Garcia to senior wide receiver Mariano Resendez.

The 35-7 halftime lead pretty much signified the end of the game. The Coyotes ran the ball well in the second half, draining the clock. Sophomore Horacio Hinojosa and senior Orlando Leal came in to fill the void left by Villarreal’s injury, and they produced, combining for 59 yards.

“They have been working at it really hard, every day,” Farias said. “Throughout the season, they haven’t had much opportunity, because we have a workhorse. Today, they showed a lot of work and a lot class. So we know we can depend on them.”

This is Farias’ first trip to the playoffs as the head coach at La Joya High.

“We were close last year,” Farias said. “We are really excited for our boys, because they have worked hard. And we were so close last year, we just didn’t get to finish. So, all offseason, we focused on finishing. Finishing ball games, finishing drives and finishing the season. Today, great job from our boys. I am really proud of them and grateful for their commitment to the football program.”

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SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

Coming into Week 11, a couple scenarios could have prevented the Edinburg North Cougars from making the playoffs.

Edinburg North erased all of that doubt by putting on a dominant performance against a once-dominant team, beating the PSJA High Bears 28-10 on Thursday in Edinburg.

“It was tremendous,” North coach Rene Saenz said. “It was a testament to our team. We have had a ton of injuries. The fact that we have lost two or three really frustrating games that we could have won, it’s a testament to these kids. They come every day, and they are ready to play. They don’t hang their heads. Tonight was a perfect night for them to put it together. I was just happy, because it was senior night. We had a couple formations where we went all senior on offense and all seniors on defense. The whole night was a payoff for this whole season.”

Edinburg North (5-5, 4-3) clinched the second seed in District 31-6A Division I and will face San Benito in the bi-district round next week.

Junior running back Cristian Flores exploded for more than 230 yards on the ground. He started off the scoring with a touchdown run of more than 60 yards on the second drive of the game, and the Cougars never looked back.

“Cristian really busted out,” Saenz said. “It was nice. It was good to see.

Flores finished the night with three touchdowns.

Edinburg North’s defense shut down the best passing attack in the Valley.

“The defense played their hearts out,” Saenz said. “I think we had three or four sacks on the night. Our defensive line played outstanding. Number 11, Caleb Jimenez, had two picks. And I know we forced a fumble, also.”

North’s defense played so well that junior defensive player Roel de Leon played on offense, making a one-handed catch on third down to help cushion the Cougars lead. Edinburg North led 21-10 at the half.

EDINBURG HIGH 23, PSJA NORTH 21: At Pharr, with the win, Edinburg High (6-4, 5-2) clinched the first seed in District 31-6A Division I. The Bobcats will face the Los Fresnos Falcons in the first round. PSJA North (2-8, 2-5) missed the playoffs for the second year in row due to the loss.

Edinburg High jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter before taking a 16-7 lead to the locker room at halftime. PSJA North never quit, opening the second-half scoring and tallying again late to bring the game to within two points, but the Raiders couldn’t generate any points in the final eight minutes of the game.

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

EDINBURG — Edinburg Vela’s Justin Cantu started playing football in the seventh grade.

Since then, he had only ever played one position: quarterback. But this year, the sophomore has emerged as one of the best receivers in the Valley.

“It just kind of happened,” Cantu said. “I started as a second-string quarterback during spring ball, and then they tried me out at receiver, and it just worked, and I ended up starting.”

Cantu’s 6-foot-2, 187-pound frame beckoned him to the position.

“We see it at all levels when we are watching football, whether it’s on Saturday or Sunday,” Vela coach John Campbell said. “Of all the positions that have grown, so to speak, over the past 5 to 10 years, it’s the wide receiver position, because just like basketball, we recognize that physical stature is definitely an advantage at that position. So to be able to line up a kid that is 6-2 out there at receiver, it gives us some opportunities on some jump balls. And then the perimeter screen game, when you are having to go out there and tackle a 180-pound kid, that is definitely a positive.”

Cantu worked hard to learn the new position.

“Of course it was tough at first, especially because I was learning quarterback and receiver,” Cantu said. “I was brain farting everywhere. I got the hang of it after a while.”

Once things started to click for Cantu, he took off and hit another level. This season, Cantu has 44 catches for 661 yards, the fifth-best mark in the Valley. Cantu has scored six times.

“Playing with Justin is fun,” senior quarterback Nathan Garcia said. “You can see he’s a big boy, so to me, he’s a target. It’s very fun throwing to him. I put a lot of trust in him. … Once you make the plays, you gain the trust. He has done that.”

Vela (9-0, 6-0) remains undefeated heading into Week 11. This week, Edinburg Vela hosts Edinburg Economedes at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg.

“We are excited to play our final game,” Garcia said. “Hopefully, we can come out still undefeated. … We are preparing for this game like we always do. We just have to watch film. We are about to get into the film now. And just come out everyday in practice like it’s our last.”

The Vela receiving corps is skilled all around. Junior Aziel Garcia has 388 yards and three TDs, junior tight end Nico Rodriguez has 265 yards and two TDs, and senior wide receiver Brandon Guzman has 576 yards and seven TDs. Even more valuable than Guzman’s production is his leadership.

“Brandon is a really good leader,” Cantu said. “I look up to him. He teaches me the ways, and he helps me when I’m slacking off.”

“You can’t really put a price tag on that,” Campbell added. “Every coach will tell you that strong senior leadership is invaluable, particularly for the development of your young players. Having a Brandon Guzman around, and Nico, even at tight end, had to play up last year as a sophomore. Kind of having him been there and done that, and then of course Nate, who is a returner, senior, strong leader. That definitely has assisted Justin’s development.”

Cantu bonded with many of those players before he even earned his varsity spot. Cantu ran track, as did Nathan Garcia, Guzman, senior defensive back Nick Enriquez and junior defensive back Daniel Enriquez.

“Track conditioned all of us,” Cantu said. “Not just me, but everybody from the team who ran track.”

“That is one of the things that I have always preached,” Campbell added. “Strong competitive athletes, they are out there competing in multiple sports. And then ultimately, it’s not necessarily the shape or the color of the ball that you are playing with, but it’s your experience in competitive situations against top athletes. I think that helps their development.”

For Cantu, this season has been especially significant. Growing up, his parents lived in separate homes, and he went back and forth. In 2013, Cantu’s mother moved to Corpus Christi. Cantu went, as well, but before his freshman year, he decided to move back to the Valley.

“Of course, it was tough leaving my mom,” Cantu said. “I have been with her my whole life. It’s always been tough being away from my mom or my dad.”

This season, though, football has helped to unite Cantu’s family. His mother has made the trip from Corpus Christi to see him play several times this year.

“It’s amazing,” Cantu said. “I love having my mom up there, because it gives me another reason to play.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

By now, most Edinburg High fans know what to expect from running back Hearlin Benavides.

The junior has 1,417 yards on the season, raking second in the Upper Valley. He also has 14 touchdowns.

What Bobcats fans may not be as clear on is the value of sophomore Erik Cano. Coming into the year, the converted quarterback was splitting time between wide receiver and running back, but he wasn’t having a huge impact on the games.

That was then, this is now. In the past three games, he has put up rushing totals of 203, 105 and 111.

Cano had a breakout game against PSJA High in Week 8. An 81-yard touchdown run fueled his 203-yard outing.

“Erik has always been a very talented young athlete,” Edinburg High coach J.J. Leija said. “He’s really produced the last few weeks, especially coming off a 200-yard performance with PSJA, and then he has had some great games after that. He’s been a remarkable find for us and having a one-two type of punch with him and Hearlin. He’s more of a slasher, and Hearlin is more of a power back, like we like to say. He’s come out to be a big surprise, and we love having him there in the backfield.”

Cano is up to 489 yards and 5 TDs on the season. He has earned more of a role in the offense, even getting a package specially designed for him.

“There have been some times where we have put Hearlin and Erik both on the field,” Leija said. “We have a little wildcat formation where we put Erik at QB. Erik was at QB last year as a freshman. He’s just what people call an athlete, and he can play at any position.”

Edinburg High clinched a playoff spot by virtue of its 28-0 win over PSJA Southwest last week. The Bobcats will make back-to-back trips to the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 seasons.

“When we started this last year, we tried to change the culture here and bring back the tradition,” Leija said. “We always talk about how Edinburg has always been a playoff team. They have always had high expectations. We have always done that with our kids. We have always set our expectations high. The kids have accepted what we are trying to implement. They have become the 28th team in Bobcat history to make the playoffs. They are excited. I told them that they are now a part of Bobcat history by making the playoffs. ‘Now let’s try to make a run and try to add to that.’”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

The scenario that puts PSJA North (2-7, 2-4) into the playoffs is not that likely, but it’s not impossible, and the Raiders are only worried about what they can do to extend their season.

“They took last week’s loss pretty bad,” North coach Marcus Kaufmann said. “We were talking to them about ‘win 2,’ last week, and that was the one game where the kids were really, really bummed. They were hurting after every loss, but that one was pretty bad, because they thought that what we were working toward was gone. We had to get them in here Friday and Saturday and get them back up again, talk about how we still have a chance.”

In Week 10, North faced Edinburg Economedes (4-5, 2-4). The game was within one point when PSJA North had a first-and-goal from the 3, but penalties backed them up, stalled the drive and robbed the Raiders of the chance to put points on the board. Economedes grabbed the momentum and pulled away for a 28-14 win.

Had the Raiders won, their road to the playoffs would have been very clear. As it stands, North needs every game in District 31-6A to go its way this week.

The Raiders face the Edinburg High Bobcats at 7 p.m. Thursday at PSJA Stadium in Pharr. They need to win to keep the playoff hopes alive. They also need Edinburg North to lose to PSJA High on Thursday. Then on Friday, they need Edinburg Vela to beat Edinburg Economedes, and they need winless PSJA Southwest to beat PSJA Memorial.

“We can only worry about our game,” Kaufmann said. “We are playing like it’s a playoff game. Our few seniors that we do have, we are talking to them like, ‘You have to earn it. Don’t go out without a fight. You have to earn your next snaps. Push that end of the season a little bit farther down.’ That’s what they are showing us in practice. These kids are great kids. They continue to work and give it their all. We just need to get a break here or there. And then hope that Southwest can help us out, our sister school.”

PSJA North is very young. The Raiders start six or seven sophomores on each side of the ball. They only have three seniors starting. They have had freshman playing regularly. So a playoff berth could be the beginning of something special for PSJA North.

“It would be a great stepping stone for going into next year and the year after that,” Kaufmann said. “If they were able to do it, being this young, we would be able to get on a huge roll. We feel like we already have something to build on, because we have played people so close. Every ball game has been going into the fourth quarter with one score, other than Vela.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

PHARR — In overtime, with his team down 3 and the ball 4 yards out, there was no one else who was going to get the ball. It was always going to junior running back Cristian Flores.

On first down, he got the ball to the 1. Then, on second down, a hole opened up in the A gap, and Flores made his move.

“I finally got in there,” Flores, who finished the night with 35 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns, said. “We kept on trying and trying. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. It worked on that play, and I got in.”

The score gave Edinburg North (4-5, 3-3) a 24-20 road win Friday over PSJA Memorial (2-7, 2-4) at PSJA Stadium.

“That was like a playoff atmosphere. It was awesome,” North coach Rene Saenz said. “My hats off to coach (Michael) Uribe and the rest of Memorial. They have done a tremendous job over there, and their kids played their butts off tonight.”

With the win, Edinburg North moves into sole possession of fourth place in District 31-6A with one week to play. Mathematically, the Cougars can still miss the playoffs, but their chances dramatically improved.

“It is a testament to the commitment that our guys have,” Saenz said. “We have lost a few games, but in the locker room, these guys have never really lost. They keep battling. They keep showing up and keep working to try to get better. I’m super proud of these guys that we are still in the hunt. It is going to come down to the final week, but we couldn’t ask to be in a better place right now.”

After Edinburg North first tried to pass in a goal-line scenario, Flores would not be denied the opportunity to help his team.

“He was begging for the chance,” Saenz said. “He was just like, ‘Give me the ball. Give me the ball,’ at the end. His time came, and I’m glad he had the opportunity to do it.”

The events that led up to Flores’ walk-off score were a whirlwind. Heading into overtime, Memorial got the ball first but failed to get a first down and had to kick a field goal.

“Heading out onto the field, coach asked us if we wanted it or not,” Flores said. “He told us to step up. We were the ones who wanted it the most, and we came out and executed.”

North’s drive looked to be headed in a similar direction. The Cougars were up against a fourth-and-goal from the 7. North coach Rene Saenz decided to play for the tie and send out his field-goal unit. Of course, consistently reliable senior kicker Frank Cantu nailed the chip shot, but what happened after the kick changed the course of the game. An over-eager Memorial defender bowled over Cantu, drawing a penalty, which gave the Cougars a fresh set of downs.

“I didn’t even see the flag,” Flores said. “Someone said we had a first down, so I said, ‘Let’s go punch it in.’ And we did.”

Flores started and ended the game’s scoring. On the opening play, junior quarterback Max Aguilar found senior wide receiver Alejandro Cardenas for a 39-yard pass, putting the Cougars at the 21. From there, Flores scurried 21 yards after a simple handoff to put Edinburg North up 7-0.

With about 3 minutes left in the first quarter, PSJA Memorial responded. The Wolverines got the ball on a touchback, which should have given them the ball at the 25. Instead, the referees marked it at the 20, but that was no matter for the Wolverines. On the second play of the drive, PSJA Memorial junior quarterback Orlando Muñoz unleashed an 83-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Michael Walden.

After those explosions of offense, the game started to slow a bit as both defenses clamped down.
Memorial took a 14-7 lead to the locker room after a long drive ended with Muñoz carrying the ball in from 2 yards out.

In the third quarter, Aguilar once again found Cardenas for a long pass, this one a 21-yard touchdown that put North up 17-14.

Aguilar got the call to start after sophomore quarterback Izaiah Rangel was unable to play due to an injury. Aguilar has seen spot duty this year, so Flores knew he needed to help out his quarterback.

“Max has never been in the fire,” Flores said. “Tonight was his first time in the fire. As a team, we all had to help him. Not having Izaiah hurt us, but we got it done for him tonight.”

Flores has watched his teams go through agonizing defeats this year, but this win gets his team right back in the mix and changes the attitude of the locker room going forward.

“There was some doubt starting to creep in,” Flores said. “With the loses and the injuries, it was tough. But tonight, we stepped up and got it done. … It feels great to be there. We would love to be undefeated and beating up on everybody, but things happen. All we can do is win, and we give ourselves a chance to get in.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

PHARR — Coming into the year, Edinburg Vela senior Sam Valenzuela didn’t know if he would be playing more on offense or defense.

He was ready to do either, and his coaches saw his work ethic and rewarded him with the starting running back spot midway through the year.

Valenzuela ripped off 13 carries for 127 rushing yards and a career high three touchdowns to help lead Edinburg Vela past PSJA High 70-22 in a matchup of unbeatens on Thursday night at PSJA Stadium. With the win, Vela clinches at least a share of the District 31-6A title.

“Obviously, this game was huge,” Vela coach John Campbell said. “This was another step toward the playoffs, and it was against a quality opponent.”

In the preseason, Valenzuela was splitting time between running back and linebacker. He emerged as a capable back, but injuries slowed his progression this year.

“I am feeling good now,” Valenzuela said. “The win makes it that much better.”

Coming into Thursday’s game, Valenzuela had 58 carries on the year for 397 yards and six TDs. The win against PSJA High marked his third straight game with 100 or more yards.

He wasn’t the only one doing some tough running for Vela on Thursday. The team had 419 rushing yards. Combine that with 260 in the air, and Vela had 679 yards overall.

Vela’s other standout running back, junior Aaron Alvarez, also had an explosive night. Alvarez carried the ball 10 times for 146 yards and two TDs.

“It’s a duo out here,” Valenzuela said of he and Alvarez. “We are out here killing it.”

“I was very pleased with how we ran the ball,” Campbell said. “(Valenzuela and Alvarez) have been getting better and better every week. And they wouldn’t be able to do what they do if it wasn’t for the offensive line.”

Vela’s offensive line was a steady theme throughout the game. The group bought senior quarterback Nathan Garcia time to complete the long passes, but it also opened up gaping holes for the ground game.

“We have a great line,” Valenzuela said. “It makes the offense fun. It’s explosive. If I can’t get it done, throw it out to Justin (Cantu, sophomore wide receiver), (junior receiver Aziel Garcia) or Brandon (Guzman, senior receiver). It all works out together.”

Vela was ready to fire from the opening whistle. The SaberCats needed just four offensive plays to put up 141 yards of offense and jump out to a 21-0 lead.

Nathan Garcia threw a 39-yard pass to Aziel Garcia on the SaberCats’ first offensive play.

On the following drive, Alvarez ripped off a 56-yard touchdown run. Then, Nathan Garcia connected with Cantu for a 21-yard score.

“We had some things scripted early on that we felt really good about,” Campbell said. “It doesn’t usually work out quite that well, but we felt that a couple of them were going to hit.”

The Vela defensive front was putting pressure on PSJA High quarterback Trey Guajardo despite often rushing just three or four players, allowing the secondary to stay glued to the receivers.

“That’s how I got my pick against PSJA Memorial,” senior corner Nicolas Gomez said. “The D-line gets the push, rushes the quarterback, and we are there to make the play.”

That paid off tremendously, as Vela senior defensive back Nick Enriquez came away with an interception on PSJA High’s opening drive.

With 1:16 left in the half, the score was 42-12, but PSJA High had the ball at its own 22 and was desperate to get points on the board before the break. On the first play of the drive, Guajardo tried to get the ball to senior Nathaniel Miranda, but Gomez was there.

“I saw the quarterback looking,” Gomez said. “I read his eyes, and I picked it.”

Gomez’s second interception of the year allowed Vela to tack on one more TD before half and make it 49-14 at the break.

Vela’s defense shut down Guajardo. He finished the game 15-of-34 passing for 154 yards and two interceptions. The problem for the Bears was that Guajardo was the only player who could seem to even dent Vela’s defense. He ran the ball for 104 yards, but he often did it at the expense of finding an open receiver because the pocket was collapsing around him.

“That was our main point of emphasis, is we didn’t want to see him scramble,” Campbell said. “A lot of their big plays come when he is improvising and buying time to get the deep ball off. We wanted to keep a cap on the coverage, but we also wanted to force him to throw to his primary or secondary targets.”

Aziel Garcia finished with three catches for 52 yards and a TD. Cantu had three for 93 and the score. Junior tight end Nico Rodriguez got in on the action as well, picking up his second score of the year, to go with four catches for 69 yards.

Nathan Garcia finished the game 12 of 18 for 260 yards and four TDs.

Valenzuela’s 127-yard performance marks the second-highest output of his career.

“It felt great,” Valenzuela said. “I have been playing running back since my freshman year. Tonight felt good.”

Valenzuela and his teammates had heard all the chatter coming in about how great this game would be. They made it priority to put that to rest early.

“We knew coming into it that everyone thought it was going to be a big one,” Valenzuela said. “So, it felt great to prove everyone wrong.”

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

ALAMO — PSJA Memorial junior quarterback Orlando Muñoz learned he has a good arm when he was horsing around with his brother.

“Whenever I would get mad at my brother, I would throw rocks,” Muñoz said. “I was like, ‘Oh, wow. I have an arm.’”

Muñoz started playing football in seventh grade. At Alamo Middle School, he found a team full of players who would change his life forever. Many of the boys on his team at Alamo still share a locker room with Muñoz to this day at PSJA Memorial.

The Wolverines are 2-6 overall and 2-3 in District 31-6A. They are locked in a three-team tie for the fourth playoff spot in the district with PSJA North and Edinburg North. The Wolverines host the Cougars at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at PSJA Stadium in Pharr.

“We know they are a very strong team,” Memorial coach Michael Uribe said. “They have experienced the same things we have. They were in battles with Edinburg High and Vela. We know that they are going to be a formidable opponent with athletes all over and good coaching. So, we are going to have to play good football.”

Starting football wasn’t the most life-changing event of Muñoz’s middle school career. During that time period, his parents divorced.

Muñoz said he hasn’t seen much of his father since the split. He lives with his mother and grandparents in Alamo.

“It’s really tough,” Muñoz said. “We need a man in our life to go over man things.”

He said that’s why football became such a big part of his life so quickly. The gridiron was a place where Muñoz could come and be surrounded by his new family on the football field.

“We are a big family here,” Uribe said. In Week 6, Uribe won the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Inspirational Coach of the Week award. “I love these kids. I genuinely love these kids because of the differences in their personalities, but the collection of how it makes us special”

The football field also led Muñoz to another important figure in his life: offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at PSJA Memorial Farrell Williams.

“Coach Williams, I see him as a dad,” Muñoz said. “Freshman year, we would hang out and just study. He helped me a lot.”

Muñoz said Williams often helped him with homework and helped him learn the playbook and understand his position.

“Even during lunch, he would sit with me and go over the plays,” Muñoz said. “He would help me with whatever I needed. He would call me into the office, and we would go over it.”

The hard work they put in together is starting to yield results, as Muñoz has had a good year on the field, completing 105 of 163 passes for a completion percentage of 64.4. He has accumulated 1,048 passing yards and 3 TDs. He has also rushed for 192 yards and a score.

One of the kids he met at Alamo was Joaquin Sanchez, the junior running back for the Wolverines.

“We are super close,” Sanchez said.

“Like peanut butter and jelly,” Muñoz added.

The two are thick as thieves and have spent countless hours together, watching film, studying or just goofing off, they said.

Their bright charisma and general joy for life drew them together. Those attitudes also helped them lean on each other in the tough times.

Last year, PSJA Memorial went winless. 0-10.

“I would talk to (Sanchez) like ‘man, I don’t know if I should do football next year. We are 0-10,’” Muñoz said. “But he kept me into it. He said, ‘Man, we are going to have a better team. Just believe. We will get stronger and faster.’ And he was right.”

Even coming into the year, the team heard all the familiar refrains that mocked the Wolverines.

“People would put ‘0-10 again’ on Twitter,” Muñoz said. “They would say, ‘We want a real rivalry game.’ Those are the things that kept us going.”

Going through the agony of defeat made the elation of victory that much sweeter.

Coming into the year, Memorial hadn’t won a game since Sept. 4, 2015 and hadn’t won a district game since Oct. 10, 2014. So, when the Wolverines opened up their district season with a 17-7 win over PSJA North on Sept. 28, Muñoz couldn’t contain his emotions.

“I started crying,” he said. “I started screaming so loud that I started to get a headache. I didn’t sleep that night.”
Sanchez felt that exuberance, as well, especially after the team beat Edinburg Economedes 24-23 the following week.

“Tears came down,” Sanchez said. “Having that feeling of victory, back-to-back, it was incredible. We are hungry to go to the playoffs.”

Muñoz has developed a good rapport with all of his receivers. Players like senior Michael Walden and junior Juan Oviedo have seen added opportunities to show their skill after the catch thanks to Muñoz’s development. And there is another plucky sophomore who has shined this season: Michael Muñoz. That’s right, the younger brother is still getting things thrown at him, but instead of pebbles, now it’s touchdown bombs.

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BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR

Edinburg North has had to overcome a lot of issues at quarterback this year.

Last week was no different, as sophomore quarterback Izaiah Rangel suffered an injury in the opening moments of the Cougars’ game against the Edinburg High Bobcats on Friday at Richard R. Flores Stadium.

Rangel was sidelined for the rest of the game, and the Cougars’ game plan was thrown into disarray.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t something we planned for,” North coach Rene Saenz said. “Max is a great kid. He is able to do the things we need to do to run the offense. It’s just a matter of us finding a rhythm.”

The Cougars could not find that rhythm and fell to the Bobcats 30-14. With the loss, the Cougars dropped to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in District 31-6A.

Edinburg North is tied with PSJA North and PSJA Memorial in the district standings. The three teams are likely battling for one playoff spot.

“All year that has been the thing,” Saenz said. “Let’s get into what we call the third season. You have the preseason, then you have district, and then the postseason. It’s everybody’s goal to make it to the postseason. A lot of it is on us. If we are going to be in it, it’s going to be on our shoulders.”

Rangel is expected to be good to go for the Cougars’ game against the Wolverines at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg.

“They are a good club,” Saenz said. “Coach Uribe has done a good job. We are looking forward to it. It’s going to be a big challenge.”

Rangel has continued to improve at the position.

With slight deviations, all of his major statistics have steadily improved since he took over the role in Week 3.

His progression, combined with the continued progression of junior running back Cristian Flores, gives the Cougars’ fans plenty of reason for optimism.

But there may be another reason in the works. Rangel took over at QB after junior Frank Zuniga suffered a shoulder injury. Zuniga has been out ever since but may have a small chance of returning to the field this season.

“Frankie was evaluated again last week,” Saenz said. “The doctor wanted to go another week or two. I believe he has another appointment at the end of this week.”

Zuniga still ranks seventh among quarterbacks in District 31-6A with 398 passing yards. He did that in less than three games, and with a 71 completion percentage.

“I have never seen a kid more fired up and ready to come back and help in any way possible,” Saenz said. “To get him back would be a big boost. If anything, it is more of a mental boost than it is physical. Frankie is just one of those kids. Everybody sees it: he is there early in the morning, he is there in the afternoon, and he is the last one to leave. Just the fact that there is a chance that he can make it back would be great.”

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