By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

SAN PERLITA — Andrea Cantu led all scorers with 17 points and sparked her team’s rally to capture the San Perlita Tournament championship for Premont in a 45-37 victory over San Isidro on Saturday night.

Cantu, a freshman, was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

“ Her adapting to this type of environment has been huge for us,” Premont coach Christopher Reese said. “The first couple games before this tournament were about her understanding her role. Now she just gives us that extra push, and helps take that pressure off of our bigs.”

Premont led 14-11 after the first quarter and led 19-13 at the 6-minute mark of the second quarter after Cantu buried a 3-pointer.

Spearheaded by Mia Alvarado (16 points), San Isidro countered by attacking the Cowgirls in transition to tie the game at 19 with 4:19 to go in the second quarter.

San Isidro took its first lead of the game, 24-21, with 2:50 to play in the second quarter.

A transition layup by Alvarado with 30 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Lady Tigers a 26-21 advantage, which they carried with them into the locker room at halftime.

“ We overcame some things,” Reese said. “We were scrappy, we never gave up and kept fighting. I’m very proud of their effort.”

Reese made an adjustment to his team’s defensive scheme that worked to turn the game in his team’s favor during the second half.

“ For most of the game we ran a zone,” Reese said. I told the girls, ‘Wait for it, wait for it, we’re going to pick them up in man. They haven’t seen it.’ … The girls are very conditioned, so they were able to make that transition to playing a full-court deny (defense), and that helped us.”

Madison Ponce (six points) scored the first basket of the second half with a leaping hook shot that gave the Lady Tigers an eight-point lead. Premont worked to trim the deficit to three, as San Isidro led 30-27 at the end of the third quarter.

A steal and layup by Cantu brought Premont back within one point, and she scored the go-ahead bucket after another turnover on the inbounds pass to put the Cowgirls up 31-30.

Cantu scored her team’s third consecutive basket on a 10-foot floater with less than six minutes go. After Alvarado missed a layup at the other end, Jenna Menchaca got the rebound and split a pair of free throws for Premont to give the Cowgirls a four-point cushion.

“ (Cantu) was huge for us today,” Reese said. “Without that effort, San Isidro would have beaten us today.”

Following another stop, Menchaca swished a jumper from the right block that made the score 36-30 Premont.

With her team leading 39-32 with two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Cowgirls’ Amber Garcia was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer and made one of three free throws.

Miryna Villareal got the rebound on Garcia’s last miss and drew a foul while putting up a shot. She drained both of her attempts from the charity stripe to give Premont a 42-34 lead and put the game on ice.

Alvarado banked in a late 3 for San Isidro to draw the Lady Tigers within five points, but Menchaca answered with a layup and the Cowgirls tacked on another point with a free throw to seal the win.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

The La Feria Lions ran into a buzzsaw during the area round of the University Interscholastic League playoffs, with their undefeated season coming to an end at the hands of the Liberty Hill Panthers 66-7 on Friday night at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio.

“We just got beat by a better team tonight,” La Feria coach Oscar Salinas said. “They did a good job running their offense. … When they got up early, it was tough to come back.”

The District 16-4A Division I champion Lions (11-1, 4-0 16-4A DI) had not lost since last year’s third-round playoff game against La Vernia on Dec. 1, 2018.

“We had a good year, and the kids fought hard. It was tough,” Salinas said. “I was still hoping that we’d be playing into next month.”

The Panthers (7-5, 2-3 14-4A DI) will play El Campo in the third round.

Liberty Hill got out to a fast start behind running back Trey Seward (four rushing touchdowns) and led 45-0 at halftime. The Lions were shut out until the fourth quarter, when the Lions’ defense recovered a fumble that led to their first points of the night when senior quarterback Dorian Hernandez threw a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Caleb Flores.

“The seniors went out as district champions, and they’ve had great leadership,” Salinas said. “That’s the Lion pride that they have. I’m proud of the kids for the effort they gave me. It’s sad to see this great class of seniors go, but hopefully next year with the younger kids we’ll be back and we’ll be in an even better position (at this time next year).”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

MATHIS — Moses Wray rushed for five touchdowns and Cooper McCollum passed for three scores as Wimberly defeated Raymondville 63-35 during the area round of the University Interscholastic League Class 4A Division II playoffs Friday night at Pirate Stadium.

Wray got things started for the District 13-4A Division II runner-up Texans (9-3, 3-2 13-4A DII) with a 30-yard rushing touchdown at the 10-minute mark of the first quarter.

Wimberly will face Rockport-Fulton in the third round.

The District 16-4A Division II champion Bearkats (9-2, 3-0 16-4A DII) answered with a 57-yard rushing touchdown from Justin Cantu to pull even 20 seconds later.

The teams traded touchdowns twice more, as Wimberly’s Kennedy Strange hauled in a 21-yard touchdown reception on a quick slant from quarterback McCollum and ZaRaivion Armendarez rushed for a 55-yard touchdown. Wray then found paydirt again from 11 yards out, and Raymondville quarterback Jayson Cantu called his own number to deliver a 5-yard touchdown and tie the game at 21 with 7:37 to play in the second quarter.

“We knew that (Raymondville) had a lot of speed,” Wimberly coach Doug Warren said. “It was kind of a shock to our system. It took us a while to get adjusted to it. I don’t know if we ever really did get adjusted to it. … We gave up too many big plays, but we finally got a little cushion.”

A game with plenty of fireworks found temporary reprieve as the temperature dropped, and a Wimberly field goal attempt clanked off the upright as time expired to keep both teams deadlocked at halftime.

The momentum shift seemed to bode well for the Bearkats, as Armendarez intercepted a wobbly pass by McCollum. But Armendarez fumbled the ball on the next play at his own 30-yard line, leading to another touchdown by Wray.

“We had a hellacious second quarter,” Raymondville coach Frank Cantu said. “We came out and got an interception there in the third, but we gave it back. (Wimberly) found something that worked (in the run game), and they stuck with it.”

Armendarez redeemed himself with a 72-yard touchdown run to even the game at 28 with 6:54 to go in the third quarter, but Christian Marshall’s 11-yard touchdown catch with three and a half minutes left in the period provided Wimberly with 35-28 lead and put Raymondville squarely in the Texans’ rearview mirror.

After Raymondville fumbled the ball away on fourth down near midfield, Wimberly went up by two scores courtesy of a 34-yard rushing touchdown by Wray just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter.

The Bearkats’ last gasp was Justin Cantu’s 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that put Raymondville back within striking distance, down 42-35 with 11:35 remaining in the fourth quarter.

But the Wimberly offense that had punished Raymondville on the ground found success through the air to put the game away. McCollum and Marshall connected again for a 10-yard touchdown, and Jaxon Watts caught a 36-yard touchdown pass to put the Texans up by 21 with six and a half minutes to play.

With just less than four minutes to go, ‪Wray rushed for his fifth touchdown of the night, a 43-yarder, to punch his team’s ticket to the third round.

“(Wray) is a big load. He’s tough to bring down,” Warren said. “The young man carried the ball very well tonight.”

Even though Raymondville fans who were hoping to see a rematch with playoff nemesis Geronimo Navarro in the fourth round did not get their wish, the Bearkats’ coach said a bright future is in store for his program.

“I’m so proud of these guys,” Frank Cantu said. “A lot of these guys are coming back. Good things are coming for this team. We’ve got a lot of kids coming back. Some of these guys have been on the team since they were sophomores. They’ve gone 27-6 (in three seasons), and the only teams we’ve lost to have been perennial, big-time teams. I’m real proud, real happy of this team.”

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

SAN PERLITA — Sometimes a second or third impression can be just as important as the first.

Such was the philosophy of San Perlita girls basketball coach Marco Munguia after his team’s 51-40 loss to Premont in their second game of the season and the first of the San Perlita Tournament for the hosts Thursday afternoon.

“We’re a week into the season, and a lot of our shots aren’t falling right now,” Munguia said. “We’re going to keep shooting until we start hitting. This was game number two, and we can only get better from here. They say your biggest jump is from game two to three, and that’s what we’re going to look at.”

Premont led 7-5 late in the first quarter when San Perlita’s Meagan Kinney (eight points) sank both of her free throws to tie the game at 7-all with less than two minutes to go in the period.

The visitors added a bucket in the closing seconds of the first to take a 9-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Karime Rojas led the Lady Trojans on the scoresheet with 21 points. After she split a pair of free throws in the second quarter, Aracelly Nieto (four points) picked up an offensive rebound. Nieto drew a foul and made one of two free throws to tie the game at 9 with six minutes to go in the second quarter.

“Karime is a big that can play inside and she can stretch the court,” Munguia said. “And when that happens, that opens up a lot for my other players. She does a great job of creating space. … She’s just a smart player.”

From that point on, the Cowgirls went on a 12-0 run that was cut short only by a three pointer at the top of the key by Rojas to beat the buzzer and bring Premont’s halftime lead to 21-12.

The Lady Trojans roared back to tie the game at 28, and trailed 30-28 at the end of the third quarter after a 16-8 run.

“I thought my girls showed a lot of poise to make that comeback,” Munguia said. “To be down 11 at the half, and then coming back to chip away at that lead going into the third. … It’s really easy to put your heads down and let a lead grow bigger, but the fight in our girls showed that they wanted to make a run, and that’s what we did.”

Premont responded by outscoring San Perlita 21-12 in in the fourth quarter.

Miryna Villareal was Premont’s top scorer, with 15 points. The Cowgirls were 13 of 24 from the free throw line, and the Lady Trojans were 10 of 15 from the charity stripe.

STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

RAYMONDVILLE— The next step in Raymondville’s quest to reach the third round of the University Interscholastic League Class 4A Division II playoffs is a showdown with Wimberly at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Mathis High School’s Pirate Stadium.

The Bearkats (9-1, 3-0 16-4A DII) are confident ahead of their matchup with the Texans (8-3, 3-2 13-4A DII) that they have what it takes to reach their goal.

“We’re trying to as far as we can,” sophomore running back Nathan Munguia said. “And we have the talent for it; I don’t see why we can’t go four or five rounds. We have the talent, we have the chemistry.”

Raymondville topped Corpus Christi West Oso 51-32 at Burnett Stadium last Friday in the bi-district round and is looking to build off of strong performances by Justin Cantu, Jayson Cantu, and ZaRaivion Armendarez, as well as Dylan Ramirez and Derrick Oltivero on the defensive side.

Both Raymondville and Wimberly have scored 424 points this season, though the Bearkats have a better point differential, allowing just 153 points to the Texans’ 270. Captaining Wimberly’s defense is middle linebacker Nova Rankin, who is tied for the team lead in sacks with two other players.

Wimberly’s playoff pedigree is well-established, having won a state championship in 2011 and winning 13 games in 2017 and 10 games in 2016. But the second-seeded Texans do appear vulnerable, with losses to Geronimo Navarro and Cuero in District 13-4A Division II play this season. They defeated Poteet 49-35 in the bi-district round.

“The first thing I saw on film was their size,” wide receiver/running back ZaRaivion Armendarez said. “They have some guys who are 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5, they have size, definitely. I think it’s going to come down their offensive game. Their offense is real high-powered. … It’s going to come down to who can score more.”

Wimberly is led by senior quarterback Cooper Mccollum, who has passed for 2,432 yards and 30 touchdowns and just six interceptions this season. McCollum is also the team’s second-leading rusher (502 yards) behind sophomore running back Moses Wray, who has posted 668 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns on 103 carries.

Junior wide receiver Christian Marshall is the Texans’ top wideout with 930 yards on 47 receptions, 12 of which went for touchdowns.

“They’re a pretty good team, and I feel like it’s going to be a good game,” Munguia said. “But we’re a better team. We have to limit the mistakes and turnovers and spread the ball around and use everybody.”

STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

LYFORD — Lyford senior pitcher/third baseman Abel Gonzalez formalized his intent to attend and play baseball at Texas A&M International University at a signing ceremony Thursday afternoon in the Lyford High School library.

“I thank my parents for always keeping me with a straight head,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve had a bunch of support.”

The Dustdevils compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II and the Lone Star Conference.

Gonzalez said the school’s coaching staff connected with him after watching him play at a showcase event in San Antonio. After a visit and workout in October, a phone call came conveying the Dustdevils’ interest in the Lyford prospect.

“They liked that I was a left-handed pitcher,” Gonzalez said. “And that I was consistent with hitting my spots.”

Gonzalez added the field of study that he plans pursue at TAMIU will be athletic training.

TAMIU’s 2020 roster features eight players with Rio Grande Valley connections, including players from Hidalgo, Weslaco High, Los Fresnos, PSJA North, and a transfer from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

After being named the 2019 District 32-3A Most Valuable Player, Gonzalez was also voted the Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Baseball Pitcher of the Year.

Last season, Gonzalez recorded a 2.47 ERA and registered 93 strikeouts. He also hit .596 and scored 35 runs, racking up 13 RBIs and 28 stolen bases.

Lyford baseball coach Jose Rocha said Gonzalez came up clutch for the Bulldogs often during their postseason, which included the program’s first playoff victory since 1994, a 4-3 win over Falfurrias in the bi-district round.

“He’s a hell of a player,” Rocha said. “Those coaches will be happy with what they are getting. We’re excited to have him this season.”

Gonzalez’s former coach, Kevin Ledesma, now the football offensive coordinator for Harlingen CISD’s Cano Freshman Academy and assistant varsity baseball coach at Harlingen High, issued a statement in praise of his former player.

“Abel was a pleasure to coach,” Ledesma said. “He is a true leader on and off the field and had a great work ethic. He’s been around the game for a very long time and is very deserving of going somewhere to continue his journey. I’m extremely proud of what he has accomplished and excited to see where this game takes him next.”

STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

LA FERIA– The venue for tonight’s area round University Interscholastic League Class 4A Division I playoff battle between La Feria and Liberty Hill is 266 miles from Lion Stadium.

But come 7:30 p.m., when tonight’s game is set to kickoff from Heroes Stadium in the Thousand Oaks neighborhood of San Antonio, La Feria coach Oscar Salinas and his players will be ready.

In fact, as well as the Lions (11-0, 4-0 16-4A DI) have played at home this season, they have become quite comfortable playing outside of those friendly confines.

“We’re road warriors,” Salinas said. “We had to go on the road a lot this year because of our stadium situation. I think it’s an advantage to us sometimes to get away from this whole environment and get us focused and away from people and ready to play.”

The Lions were driven all season to push for a chance to play La Vernia again, and they got the best of their playoff nemesis in a 63-42 win last Friday.

“We didn’t play our best against them last year,” Salinas said. “There was always that hunger to come back and play better against them and prove that we can play against these teams. We came in with a chip on our shoulder to show La Vernia that we were a better program than the one we faced last year.”

And now comes yet another test, in the form of a a battle-tested traditional power in Liberty Hill.

The La Feria coach said his team will need to have the same discipline and attitude that the Panthers (6-5, 2-3 14-4A DI) used to carry them to the state championship game last season. Sneaking into the playoffs as the fourth seed from District 14-4A Division I, Liberty Hill is a much different team than the one that lost 35-21 to Waco La Vega in the 2018 title game, having graduated 36 seniors.

But the Lions are approaching the Panthers and their run-first slot-T offense with caution and respect nonetheless.

“We were able to get to the third round last year,” Salinas said. “We were trying to get over that hump. A lot of times it’s about matchups and how you matchup. They’re not going to be any bigger than us and they’re not going to be any faster than us. They’re a good, disciplined team with a lot of tradition.”

Salinas said one of the key factors he believes will redound to his team’s benefit will be the health of the Lions’ defensive line, which will be at full strength for tonight’s game.

“We don’t feel like we’re going to be (outmatched) by their size,” Salinas said. “We matchup well there. Our size is comparable to their size. We have the quickness to match their offense.”

From Dorian Hernandez and his top targets Caleb Flores and Dereck Perez, to the committee of Aaron Treviño, Dario Sanchez and Chris Diaz, La Feria’s offense will be a handful for a Liberty Hill defense that has allowed 22 points per game.

“We do create some matchup nightmares for defenses,” Salinas said. “We’ve just got to be consistent and have a game like we had last week.”

After clinching the District 16-4A Division I championship against Hidalgo, Salinas allowed his players to enjoy a Thursday and Friday off from football practice during their bye week, a much-needed break for a team that had gone without one since August.

“I just felt like we needed that,” Salinas said. “Because of the stress of being undefeated, and we had just been beat up.”

Players to watch for on the Liberty Hill side are junior running backs Trey Seward (9.5 yards per carry and 1,438 total yards) and Blake Simpson (7.3 yards per carry, 1,248 total yards).

“We cannot back down from them at all,” Salinas said. “We have to come in with the attitude that we can play with them and believe that we can win.”

STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

Having a new player step up during a pivotal moment is often one of the hallmarks of a balanced team.

For La Feria, that has meant the emergence of Angel Garcia down the stretch, most recently in a 63-42 bi-district round win over La Vernia to open the 2019 University Interscholastic League playoffs.

The junior running back became the team’s leading rusher with 884 total yards on the ground after Dorian Hernandez’s brief absence due to injury.

Garcia ran for 38 yards on 14 carries and a 5-yard touchdown to get the District 16-4A Division I champions on the board first in the victory over the Bears.

“It was really special,” Garcia said of his touchdown run, the first of nine on the night for the Lions. “Because that’s what got the whole team moving. … Dorian told me to get us a touchdown, and as I pushed through, my offensive line gave me a big hole, and I just took it. “

La Feria coach Oscar Salinas said his team’s confidence and trust in each other has paid dividends and allowed his players to seek continuous improvement.

“They play hard for each other,” Salinas said. “It’s a really united team. And when you have the success (we’ve had) you have to have that. And we have it (now). They have a lot of confidence in Angel to get it done, he’s a power back.”

Dereck Perez, one of La Feria’s most versatile offensive weapons, had 10 catches for 176 yards and four touchdowns to lead the way for the Lions (11-0). The dynamic one-two punch at receiver with Perez and Caleb Flores (207 yards on nine catches and two touchdowns) has now been complemented by an equally potent duo at running back in Avishai Dickerson and Garcia.

“I’ve got speed,” Perez said. “Caleb’s got height. (Either one of us) pose a dual threat.”

Hernandez, the orchestrator and facilitator of the La Feria offensive machine, had a typically brilliant performance against La Vernia. He completed 72 percent of his pass attempts for seven touchdowns and 438 yards through the air.

The list of reliable targets for Hernandez seems to keep growing. Salinas noted that Chris Diaz and Dario Sanchez have also chipped in to help provide the offense with even more depth and balance, especially after the bye week allowed La Feria’s injured players to rest up.

“We’re balanced and we’re healthy,” Salinas said. “The most important thing is that we’re healthy. We distribute the ball to whoever gets open or according to the matchup, and the call directs the quarterback to his read. I think that’s what helped us last week, Dereck had the better matchup and Dorian did a good job of getting him the ball.”

Many of the Lions have, at one point or another, addressed their cohesion and chemistry as one of the most important factors for their success.

“I trust them, and I trust Dorian most of all,” Garcia said. “Every game, Dorian always tells me what he wants me to do for him, and I accomplish it. Either get him outside to get him a free pass, or for me to get the first down.”

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Darrin Everage led all scorers with 13 points as McAllen Rowe edged Harlingen South 55-47 in a non-district contest Tuesday night.

South’s Ryan Fechner led the Hawks (0-1) with 12 points. Rudy Rodriguez had nine points and Alex Rodriguez had seven for Harlingen South.

McAllen Rowe coach Jose Luis Yebra said he was pleased with the Warriors’ effort in their first regular season non-district game.

“Harlingen South is a good team,” Yebra said. “They play well together and they did a great job defensively and they made some great shots as well to stay in the game. But our kids kept their composure and continued to fight.”

Everage drew the attention of the Hawks’ defense frequently, forcing help defenders to stray from their man and allowing Louie Yebra (11 points) and Jacob Conrow (10 points) to generate their own scoring opportunities.

McAllen Rowe got to the line often and led 15-12 after the first quarter.

“Darrin is a leader, and tonight, he showed it there at the free throw line,” Yebra said. “He did a great job tonight.

“We made our free throws at the end,” Yebra said. “I thought we did a great job defensively ourselves. I was pleased with the results and with the way our kids performed.”

The visitors took a 29-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. Both teams ran the floor well and created turnovers that led to easy baskets. South outscored Rowe 11-8 in the third quarter to narrow the lead to 37-33, but ultimately the size and physicality of Everage and Co. proved to be too steep a hurdle for South to overcome.

“We like to play fast, we like to run the court,” Yebra said. “I thought (the pace) was in our favor, but (Harlingen South) has some good athletes themselves. It was a good game up and down the floor, good defense — a good, clean game.”

Fechner made four threes to keep Harlingen South within striking distance, including one that brought the home team within one point, as the Hawks trailed 47-46 with less than two and a half minutes to play.

“(Fechner) did a really good job of knocking down some deep shots,” Yebra said. “I was on my son (Louie Yebra) about him not being in his face. He was really shooting out of the range, but he made them.”

STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

In Raymondville’s opening round playoff victory over Corpus Christi West Oso Friday, the Bearkats got contributions from proven veterans and a rising star that have the ‘Kats faithful geared up for the area round and excited for the future of the program for years to come.

Junior wide receiver/running back ZaRaivion Armendarez had three touchdowns in a 51-32 win against the Bears in last Friday’s bi-district game.

He also had in interception return for a touchdown, his first of the season. While the leader in scoring and all-purpose yards in District 16-4A Division II is well-known for his offensive prowess, Armendarez distilled his athleticism, instincts, and intelligence into a highlight-reel play that could only come from a player with a nose for the ball.

“I just saw the ball get tipped up and I just went up for it,” Armendarez said. “I just tried to get in the end zone.”

The dedication Armendarez has applied to his craft extends far beyond the practices and weight room sessions the Bearkats hold as a program.

“Even on Saturdays and Sundays I come out here by myself,” Armendarez said. “I’m in the dark, and I’m working on cuts and stuff like that.”

Also bursting onto the scene with a 9-yard rushing touchdown was Nathan Munguia, who gave the Bearkats (9-1, 3-0 16-4A DII) their first lead of the night.

“We had a good scheme against West Oso,” Mungia said. “I just found the hole (in the defense) and did the rest.”

Munguia’s work has earned him the respect of Coach Frank Cantu and Armendarez, as well as the team’s other veteran leadership, including Justin Cantu and Justin Smith.

“He’s been putting in work ever since we were in middle school,” Armendarez said. “He had a big game here (last Friday) and I knew it would happen for him because he puts in the work. … It’s good to have younger guys like that wanting to soak up all the knowledge and get better every single week.”

Being embraced by the other top skill position players has helped Munguia become another versatile option in his team’s arsenal, and learning from them has been beneficial as he continues to gain varsity experience.

“We’ve been working out together in the weight room all season,” Munguia said. “We have good chemistry, we’ve been together since 7on7. I look up to these guys. They’ve been here a long time. They’re really good examples.”

The sophomore said observing technique in route-running and pass-catching has been among some of the most tangible results of being surrounded by talented upperclassmen at the varsity level.

He added Justin Cantu’s advice to him has resonated with him and allowed him to carve out his own niche.

“He said ‘always do you, don’t try to be anybody else,’” Munguia said. “‘Do what you know, and it will always come naturally.’”