STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

Raymondville comes into its Week 6 matchup with Orange Grove riding a four-game win streak and a confidence that has come with seeing its defense develop a next-man up mentality after losing linebacker Thomas Zambrano to an injury.

The Bearkats (4-1) have gone back and forth with the Bulldogs (0-3) in recent years. Raymondville won in a close game at Orange Grove 42-38 during the 2018 regular season and emerged victorious in blowout fashion 48-16 in the first round of the University Interscholastic League Class 4A Division II playoffs last season. Despite this, Orange Grove is 7-4 in the last 11 meetings between the two programs.

But with the Bearkats rising and Bulldogs slumping, tonight’s matchup will be crucial for the continuity of the Raymondville defense, especially with Dylan Ramirez, the team leader in tackles, stepping up to fill the void of Zambrano. Two other juniors — Jose Guajardo and Aaron Rivera — have also become major contributors to the defense.

“It’s just really good to know that they’re around as leaders,” Raymondville coach Frank Cantu said. “It’s a good situation for us.”

Guajardo was shifted from linebacker to defensive tackle and has thrived in the new role.

“He’s done well,” Cantu said. “He’s a good kid, he listens, he knows what he’s doing. We’re really pleased with him as well.”

Meanwhile, another junior in Zaraivion Armendarez has continued to be the engine of the Raymondville attack, averaging nearly 150 yards on the ground per game. He and Justin Cantu, a senior averaging nine yards per carry who has recorded 147 yards total on 19 carries in five games, are at the front of a formidable running back stable that includes Justin Smith (47 yards on 10 carries) and Jayson Cantu (43 yards on eight carries).

Armendarez also is the team’s leading receiver, with four catches for 59 yards. Right behind him is Aaron Rivera, another junior, with two catches for 55 yards.

“We’re excited, we’re pretty young ourselves,” Cantu said. “We’ve got lots of juniors and some sophomores, but they’re all stepping up and they’re doing what we’re asking of them. We’re really proud of them and we’re pretty happy that things have worked out to this point.”

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. tonight at Burnett Stadium in Raymondville.

STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

A cloudburst over Lion Stadium made for a rather humid and wet practice environment on Wednesday afternoon for La Feria.

The result of the precipitation was a rainbow that was briefly visible in the cloud-covered sky directly above campus. Much like the progress of the improved facility, as evidenced by their state-of-the-art new artificial turf field and a track undergoing resurfacing, the Lions (5-0) have developed their squad from the ground up, building upon a foundation of veteran players in key positions.

And it is because of this well-developed infrastructure that La Feria feels its playoff aspirations of this year’s La Feria squad are far more genuine than any proverbial pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

To La Feria coach Oscar Salinas, one of the tipping points that bolstered a solid position group into one of the most feared in the Rio Grande Valley was the looming question of what to do with junior Dereck Perez. One of the Lions’ top-flight receivers alongside Caleb Flores, Perez also spent his sophomore season at cornerback.

Every well-functioning door or gate has a few key things in common. It swings on a fixed point, a hinge, and the rest of its parts move together as a cohesive unit. The La Feria defensive backs operate in a similar fashion, and it was the emergence of Isiah Vento (10 solo tackles) at cornerback as the final piece that complemented safety Jaden Torres (nine solo tackles) and cornerback Evan Avila (six solo tackles), and another newcomer in safety Daniel Valencia (five solo tackles).

The four have played together since middle school, and, according to Torres, have known each other “all our lives.”

“Right after the scrimmages, we knew were a special team,” Vento said. “We stayed humble through it all, we work hard every day. … We’re very confident in ourselves and that’s the mentality we think we should have.”

Torres came up with a clutch interception to seal a 35-31 win over Mercedes in the final minute of the game. Avila has two picks, one that came against Mercedes and the other against Raymondville.

The improvement of all four players helped Salinas make the decision to move Perez to full-time receiver, a move that has had significant implications. Perez has racked up 343 receiving yards in five games and can rest when the Lions are on defense. He still remains an option in La Feria’s “SEAL team” defense, where he and Aaron Trevino will shift to defensive back when they are urgently needed in games.

Salinas said Vento’s confidence came after an impressive performance at the 7-on-7 state tournament that reassured him he could make up for what he lacked in height with elite leaping ability and speed.

“He’s able to stay with the taller receivers,” Salinas said. “He’s a really good tackler, and he’s really smart.”

Torres (17 tackes) and Avila are the vocal leaders on the back end of the defense. The two both got looks at safety and corner, allowing them to learn on the fly when injuries allowed them their first varsity opportunities.

“I feel like all the experience I’ve had playing both positions helps,” Avila said. “Playing safety, I know what to look for, read the linemen, reading the hips of the receiver at corner. I feel like those first three years have helped me grow into this year, which is kind of my breakout season right now.”

Salinas said his players have become students of the game at such a high level that they have become, in effect, coaches on the field.

“They have their communication down, they have their coverage’s down,” Salinas said. “They know how to make adjustments to formations, and they’re really good at diagnosing plays through film study.”

Motivated by last year’s third round playoff exit, the seeds that were planted in College Station in the summer have fully bloomed and the Lions are confident that they have shown thus far that they are a force to be reckoned with.

“We don’t mean it in a cocky way,” Torres said. “We still do our assignments; we still have a mindset that we want to go up against another squad’s best. We don’t underestimate anyone. … Us Valley kids, we can hang with them.”

STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

While the 32-6A schools are set to enjoy their bye week, there will be plenty of action on the gridiron across the East Valley this weekend.

After dropping a tight contest 7-6 to Odem in its District 16-3A Division II opener last week, Santa Rosa will return home to play host to Hebbronville at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The Warriors (3-2, 0-1 16-3A DI) will look to build upon last week’s solid game from quarterback Reese Lara. The junior completed 9 of his 17 pass attempts for 161 yards and one touchdown pass. He linked up with his top target Michael Bermea for a 92-yard completion, the longest of the game. Bermea had three catches for a total of 129 yards.

In District 16-3A Division I, Lyford will also have chance to earn its first district win and first victory of the season with a trip to Falfurrias when the Bulldogs (0-4, 0-1 16-3A DII) face the Bulls (3-1, 0-1 16-3A DII) at 7:30 p.m.Friday. Lyford lost 54-19 to George West and Falfurrias also dropped its district opener to Mathis, 58-22.

Santa Maria will put its explosive offense to the test again when the Cougars (3-1) of 16-2A Division I continue their non-district schedule with a matchup against Progreso of District 16-4A at 7:30 p.m. Friday. After dispatching La Villa 36-0, Santa Maria will host the Red Ants (2-3) who are coming off of back-to-back blowout losses to Santa Rosa and Hidalgo.

Leading the Cougars through five weeks are quarterback Jesse Ortiz (348 passing yards and 4 touchdown passes in four games) and running back Erick Castellanos (379 yards on 48 carries and four rushing touchdowns in four games). Castellanos is averaging 7.9 yards per carry.

The top Santa Maria wideout, Bernie Castellanos, has hauled in eight receptions for 105 yards in four games, for an average of 13.1 yards per catch. The Cougars have four other receivers, including Erick Castellanos (six catches for 77 yards) who have recorded at least 50 yards through their first four games.

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

Port Isabel is set to play host to the 4th annual Sylvia H. Torres Memorial Cross Country Meet today at South Padre Island.

The meet is scheduled to start at 8:05 a.m. at Clayton’s Beach Bar. The varsity boys will run first, followed by the varsity girls, JV boys, JV girls, freshman boys and freshman girls. The varsity runners will race three miles, and the remaining high school runners will race two miles.

If needed, the freshmen division races may be staggered and/or combined with the seventh- and eighth-grade boys and girls, who are slated to race 1.25 miles.

In the event an alternate site for today’s meet is needed, the race will be relocated to Port Isabel High School, as was the case last year due to inclement weather.

Last season, Rivera’s Andrea de la Rosa won the girls varsity division by setting a then-personal record with a time of 18 minutes, 26 seconds. Harlingen South’s Eric Lopez finished first in the boys varsity division with a time of 15:35. The Edinburgh High girls and South boys captured the 2018 team titles.

Brownsville St. Joseph, Harlingen South, Lopez, Los Fresnos, Pace, Porter and Rivera are among the East Valley teams that will be participating alongside the Tarpons today.

Harlingen High, Hanna and Brownsville Veterans Memorial will compete in the McNeil Cross Country Invitational at Old Settlers Park at 8 a.m. today in Round Rock, the site of the University Interscholastic League state meet.

La Feria, Lyford, Santa Maria and Santa Rosa will compete at the Lasara Invitational today. The race is slated to start at 8 a.m. at the Lasara Nature Trail.

Port Isabel cross country coach Olivia Reyes could not be reached for comment.

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

PORT ISABEL — In a showdown of two teams looking to shake off the sting of blowout losses, Port Isabel delivered a knockout blow to St. Joseph Academy with a 55-26 victory Friday night.

Running back Brayan Medina was a battering ram for the Tarpons (2-3), spinning and bouncing off of St. Joseph defenders for four touchdowns.

“We’ve been expecting to bounce back,” Medina said. “It was just a matter of time before our team decided to click. We worked our butts off this week. … We just worked for it, and we wanted it better than they did. We’re on track now.”

Trailing by seven during the waning moments of the first quarter, Port Isabel quarterback Joey Krieghbaum went deep for a wide-open Mac Strunk, who hauled in a 61-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 with 1:35 to go.

From then on, it was the Medina show. The senor recorded three touchdowns during the second quarter. His first touchdown — a 4-yarder with 8:18 to go in the second quarter — gave the Tarpons their first lead, 20-14, after a failed two-point conversion attempt.

After St. Joseph turned the ball over on downs. Medina carried for a gain of 28 yards on his first touch of the drive, and on his second, he burst through the Bloodhounds’ defense and went 46 yards for another rushing touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the first half to put Port Isabel ahead 26-14.

Port Isabel coach Jason Strunk said the Tarpons have been missing four to five starters during the first five weeks of the season due to various injuries, but he was impressed by his team’s offensive output Friday night.

After defensive lineman Edgar Orduña forced and recovered a fumble by St. Joseph quarterback John Martinez with 37 seconds to go at the Bloodhounds’ 19-yard line, Medina carried the ball for 14 yards and a first down, and then walked into the end zone from 4 yards out to give Port Isabel a 32-14 edge over SJA (2-3) with 15 ticks to go in the half.

Despite holding St. Joseph to 12 points during the second half, Strunk saw much to be desired defensively from his squad.

“We forced some things and came up with some stops when we needed it, “ Strunk said. “But overall, I’m not happy with the defensive game tonight. We need to get better, we need to improve there. It’s stuff we keep harping on, and eventually it’s going to have to click. It’s not an effort thing, it’s just knowing our assignments.”

Krieghbaum threw his second touchdown pass of the game, a swing pass to Medina, who powered his way past the Bloodhounds’ secondary for a 50-yard touchdown to blow the game wide open, with Port Isabel ahead 40-14 with 9:02 to go in the third quarter.

The Tarpons’ quarterback also rushed for a score, a 4-yarder with a successful two-point conversion by Medina to bring Port Isabel’s lead to 48-20 with 7:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Bloodhounds scored the first points of the night with a 4-yard rushing touchdown by running back Melik Kauachi that helped put SJA up 7-0 with 8:43 to go in the first quarter.

Port Isabel responded quickly, moving the ball upfield with ease in the run game. On the ensuing drive, Mac Strunk carried for a gain of 23 yards to bring the Tarpons to midfield. Then Will Camacho sprinted along the home sideline for a 50-yard rushing touchdown on a jet sweep that helped even the game at 7 at the 7:15 mark of the first quarter.

Martinez led the Bloodhounds back down the field, finishing the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Senad Drvisevic to take a 14-7 lead with 2:04 remaining in the first quarter. St. Joseph did not lead again after the Mac Strunk touchdown at the end of the first quarter.

With the game well in hand for P.I., Martinez tacked on two late touchdowns for the Bloodhounds — a 5-yarder at the 7:48 mark of the third quarter and a 15-yarder that made it 48-26 with 2:50 to play in the fourth quarter.

Port Isabel running back ‪Adrian Nino put an exclamation point on the victory with a 46-yard rushing touchdown with 2:36 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The win came at a crucial point for the Tarpons, as Medina said he and his teammates will need to ratchet up their intensity and focus with just one more non-district game on the road against Grulla at 7:30 p.m. next Friday on their schedule.

“We worked for it,” Medina said. “We could have scored more and we could have stopped them more, but I’m proud of my team and I know we can do better.”

The Bloodhounds are scheduled to play Hidalgo at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

LYFORD – The Lyford Bulldogs were dealt a huge blow when they lost starting quarterback Cayleb Klostermann to a season-ending injury in their season opener against Santa Rosa.

With his team off to an 0-3 start, coach Israel Gonzalez has been up to the task of navigating his team through rough waters in non-district play. Their first district test comes at home tonight in the program’s District 16-3A Division I opener against George West, a program that has built up quite a pedigree, going 30-6 over the last three seasons under coach Brett Kornegay. The Longhorns’ coach recorded his 100th career win last season.

One of Gonzalez’s biggest challenges has been getting consistent focus from his young team. But he’s been thinking about the bigger picture with this group all along.

“ We’ve faced some adversity,” Gonzalez said. “At the same time, it gives us an opportunity to teach these kids life lessons. “A great coach once said that you don’t know how good of a coach you are until 5, 10, 15 years after your kids graduate… We try to teach our kids to march forward through adversity and fight to the finish.”

Another potential setback for the Bulldogs will be the absence of freshman Osmar Martinez, who broke out onto the scene after entering the game after Lyford’s third-string quarterback was injured, racking up 103 rushing yards on 11 carries against Raymondville on Sept. 13. Gonzalez said he intends to ease his young running back into the Bulldogs’ system and not rush his development by playing at the varsity level, and the decision was not due to health issue.

“ He’s not ready yet,” Gonzalez said. “We’re taking our time and making sure he has a full grasp of the offense… I’m not saying he won’t play moving forward in the future, but he needs some time to get some stuff correct, and we’ll do that for anyone that we throw out there.”

Matthew Sanchez (124 receiving yards, two touchdowns in a loss to Hidalgo) and Diego Guerra have also been key contributors to the offense.

Another source of stability for Lyford on both sides of the ball has been junior defensive back/running back Devon Mendoza. Mendoza’s value is in his versatility as a utility player who can play any position in the secondary, as well as his consistent offensive production as a pass-catching tailback and occasional receiver.

“ I’m a team player,” Mendoza said. “If coach needs me to play different position, I’ll do what’s best for the team. I don’t really have a designated position (on defense).”

Mendoza has become a respected figure on both sides of the ball on a young Bulldogs squad, and described his leadership style as quiet and by example. His coach confirmed his self-assessment.

“ Devon’s a great leader,” Gonzalez said. “More than anything, he leads by example. He’s going to be at practice every day and work hard and do what you ask him to do, and when you have kids like that, the sky’s the limit for them.”

Mendoza has also been an important presence for freshman quarterback Brenden Nunez, who has stepped in to assume the signal-caller duties after Klostermann’s injury.

“ We have to help (Nunez) feel like he’s welcome,” Mendoza said. “When Caleb went down, it really shocked all of us, and we didn’t know how to react. Now I think we need to welcome him and make (Nunez) feel more welcome with the team and get that chemistry right with him.”

Kickoff for Lyford’s district opener against George West is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. tonight at Lyford Stadium.

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

San Benito has reaped the benefits so far of a challenging non-district schedule, one that has already seen them travel more than 800 miles after opening the year at home against Corpus Christi Calallen.

After playing Victoria West at Callen, at PSJA High, and at Laredo United, the Greyhounds (2-2) are set for an 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday at Midland Lee.

The 47th-ranked Rebels (4-0) are certainly the biggest challenge San Benito will face in its regular season, having suffered a 49-0 defeat at the hands of Midland Lee at home last season.

But the Greyhounds will look to build off a strong offensive performance in last week’s 45-37 shootout loss at Laredo United, in which San Benito put up a season-high 456 yards.

Also in District 32-6A, Harlingen South will have a challenging task in front of them when the Hawks (2-2) head north to face Odessa High at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Bronchos (1-3) are off to a slow start, with their lone win of the season coming against Jefferson County in Fayette, Miss.

In District 16-4A Division I, undefeated La Feria will put its winning streak on the line against Brownsville Rivera at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Sams Stadium. The Lions (4-0) will pit their elite offense, averaging 467 yards per game, against the much-improved defense of the Raiders (1-3) , who have started to see a turnaround under new coach Beto Leal.

Bobcats seek bounce-back

Rio Hondo will travel to face Grulla at 7:30 p.m. Friday looking to go back above .500. The Bobcats (2-2) dropped their contest with Hidalgo 35-17 last Friday. Rio Hondo beat Grulla 55-42 in 2018.

In District 16-4A Division II, Raymondville continues its non-district slate against Kingsville King, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday The Bearkats (3-1) topped King 45-10 in last season’s meeting. Raymondville defeated Brownsville St. Joseph in a blowout last week., 69-14.

The top two teams in District 16-3A Division II will clash in the first week of league play, when Santa Rosa will attempt to avenge a 42-14 loss to Odem. The Warriors (2-1) have won two straight, including a resounding 36-6 win against Progreso, while the Owls (3-1) are coming off a victory over Santa Gertrudis Academy.

Lyford will open play in District 16-3A Division I when it welcomes George West to town at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Bulldogs (0-3) were on a bye last week.

STAFF REPORTS

La Feria has been firing on all cylinders during its 4-0 start.

And while the Lions are in good company with four rushers racking up at least 100 yards through the first month of the season, they have an additional dimension of which few other teams can boast as complement to a strong ground game — a pair of receivers with at least 300 yards apiece in senior Caleb Flores and junior Dereck Perez.

The wideouts have been the top targets for dual-threat quarterback Dorian Hernandez this season. Perez has four touchdowns, and Flores has hauled in three touchdown catches.

They played pivotal roles in La Feria’s first come-from-behind win over Mercedes, and have helped the Lions establish insurmountable leads in their other three victories.

Flores said his chemistry with Hernandez and the duo’s leadership going back to 7-on-7 helped establish trust between the veterans and the newcomers.

“We’ve showed (the younger players what happens) once we started making catches,” Flores said. “They’ll get pumped up to do the same, and it all translates.”

The result has been the emergence of younger players like sophomore Aaron Trevino, who was the hero against Mercedes with his 34-yard touchdown catch. It was made possible, of course, by a clutch reception from Flores on the previous play.

The Lions are so deep that even backup quarterback Dario Sanchez (six catches for 78 yards) has become a solid option out of the slot, and Chris Diaz, one of the four La Feria running backs with at least 100 yards, has proved himself a capable pass-catcher out of the backfield. Diaz has 38 yards on three catches this season.

“We have great receivers,” Flores said. “We can make plays, and Dorian trusts us.”

SHOOTOUT LOSS

The San Benito Greyhounds were put to another test this past Saturday in Laredo. San Benito lost a wild one, 45-37 against Laredo United.

San Benito is 2-2 on the year with wins over Victoria West and PSJA High. Of note, the Greyhounds’ offense has scored more than 30 points in three of its first four games.

Senior QB Smiley Silva threw for a season high in attempts during a 16-for-19 night, with 119 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

On the ground, Silva ran 22 times for 168 yards and two scores. Backing up Silva was junior running back Kyler Castilleja, who ran 19 times for 159 yards and also punched it in two times on the ground.

Sophomore receiver Jermaine Corbin had a breakout game with five catches for 61 yards.

The Greyhounds will hit the road once again this Saturday to take on Midland Lee. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. Last year, the Rebels paid a visit to San Benito and walked away with a 49-0 win.

San Benito then has a Week 6 bye week. In Week 7, the Greyhounds kick off district play at Harlingen High in the traditional Battle of the Arroyo.

SPREADING ITS WINGS

After an 0-2 start to the season, the Hanna Golden Eagles have rattled off two straight victories, with the latest a 22-17 win at Sharyland High.

The difference in the tight game was sophomore Anthony Ambriz, who intercepted Sharyland High quarterback Benji Valdivia and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown, breaking a 15-15 tie early in the fourth quarter.

Hanna’s defense racked up five interceptions and recovered one fumble on the night.

That performance helped offset a sluggish outing by quarterback Victor Campos. The senior QB struggled through the air with three interceptions and 164 yards on a 10-of-26 passing night, but he did rush for the offense’s only two touchdowns.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Pace quarterback Jose Banda threw the ball sparingly during his team’s 28-14 win over District 16-5A Division I foe PSJA Southwest on Saturday night at Sams Memorial Stadium.

But the junior signal caller made each toss count, including a 97-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Marc Garcia near the end of the first half that put the Vikings (3-1, 3-0 16-5A DI) ahead of the Javelinas (3-1, 2-1 16-5A DI) for good.

The late bomb from Banda came as a pleasant surprise, even to Pace coach Danny Pardo.

“I thought we were just going to run the clock out,” Pardo said. “Then (offensive coordinator Rodney Morales) dialed up a pass. It was a heck of a catch.”

One of Banda’s most crucial completions came as an immediate response to a PSJA Southwest score — an answer to wide receiver Angel Hernandez, who put the Javelinas on the board first with a 35-yard rushing touchdown with 9:37 to go in the first quarter to give the Javelinas a 6-0 lead after the extra point attempt by Erik Malpica was wide.

On the ensuing drive, Banda hit tight end Chase Morales for a gain of 21 to set up first and goal for the Vikings.

Banda then punched it into the end zone himself from 3 yards out for a Pace touchdown with 5:50 to go in the first quarter to put Pace up 7-6. He later found Matthew Cuellar on a screen pass for a 16-yard touchdown to help the Vikings open a 14-6 advantage with 7:03 remaining in the second quarter.

Pardo said he was pleased with his running back tandem of Dylan Barron and Cuellar, who helped Pace dominate time of possession and methodically control the game clock during the second half.

“They’re both pretty good,” Pardo said. “When we go to a two-back set, they both can really run. Matthew is more of a power runner, and Dylan is more shifty and gets out in the open.”

PJSA Southwest running back Justin Hinojosa took the handoff from quarterback Ramiro Ramirez and burst into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown. Hinojosa got the ball again and crossed the plane for the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 14 at the 1:09 mark of the second quarter.

On the first play of the following Pace drive, Banda went deep over the middle for Garcia, which put the Vikings ahead again, 21-14, with 39 seconds left in the first half.

The Pace defense also had a significant impact, shutting out PSJA Southwest on each of its four fourth-down conversion attempts. Most notably, the Vikings stopped the Javelinas on fourth-and-5 from the Vikings’ 47-yard line with 7:08 to go in the third quarter and fourth-and-17 at the Pace 37-yard line.

With 8:15 to play in the fourth quarter, freshman linebacker Andrew Gonzalez intercepted a Ramirez pass and returned it 73 yards for a Pace touchdown to double up the Javelinas 28-14. The play ultimately iced the game, as Banda and the Vikings ran out the clock to secure the victory.

“That was huge,” Pardo said. “That was big for him. He’s really going to grow from that and get a lot of confidence off of it.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Brownsville Rivera’s 2019-20 volleyball campaign in District 32-6A is off to a strong start.

The Lady Raiders (21-9, 1-0 32-6A) swept Brownsville Hanna on the road, 25-20, 25-16, 25-16, in what was the first match of district play for both teams.

“Our girls played awesome,” Rivera coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said. “They played together, they played without fear and they communicated well. (Hanna) has some good hitters on that side, and there were some good battles back and forth. I’m really proud of the way we stepped up today.”

Rivera got out to a 5-2 lead in the first game, before Odalys Gonzalez sparked a 5-0 run for the home team that put the Lady Eagles (4-11, 0-1 32-6A) in front, capped by a Gonzalez kill that made the score 8-6.

But Hanna’s lead was short-lived, as Rivera hung on for a 25-20 win in a competitive first game that ended on a kill by sophomore middle blocker/right side hitter Alondra Garza.

Hanna’s Aliyah Castillo narrowed the margin back to four at 19-15 in the third game after she and the Hanna back line made an impressive save to extend a rally that set her up for a kill and gave the Lady Eagles a momentum boost in an otherwise lopsided affair.

The Lady Raiders surged ahead 9-1 to open the second game, in which Rivera unleashed sophomore middle blocker Kenya Ibarra. Ibarra delivered a pair of kills in the late stages of the game, including one that put the Lady Raiders up 21-11, giving Rivera its largest lead of the day.

Ibarra’s play helped counter Odalys Gonzalez’s strong performance in a losing effort, particularly during the third game, which remained a close game until Ibarra helped Rivera pull away with a kill via a powerful spike that put the Lady Raiders ahead 16-12.

“(Ibarra) played an awesome game,” Avelar-Guerra said. I think she was just ready to play today. She’s an awesome player, and she’s been playing well for us all season.”

Rivera junior outside hitter Christina Garza and sophomore middle blocker Kimberly Chavez were effective in slowing down Gonzalez and the Hanna attack by disrupting shots near the net, and also in providing chances for Ibarra, Rivera’s big hitter.

Ibarra seemed to increase her intensity after each point her team earned, and that trickled down to the rest of the team.

“We had some plays where we had to move (the ball) around,” Avelar-Guerra said. “The other girls came through, too. It was a team effort.”

Hanna is slated to visit Harlingen High at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, and Rivera is scheduled to travel to play Los Fresnos at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.