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McALLEN — McAllen Memorial has won eight district championships dating back to 2010 and has the potential to add to that number this season.

The Mustangs, who start the 2024 campaign as the No. 8-ranked team in the RGVSports.com 5A/6A Preseason Poll, return 13 starters from last year’s playoff squad ready to fight for the top spot in a new look District 16-5A DI with familiar rivals.

“I think we’re going to have a great season because our whole team is competitive, so throughout the whole summer, throughout every drill, we’re just fighting to be the best, working hard every day and never taking our foot off the gas,” senior running back JP Garza said. “Our expectation is to win every game and we’re going to compete in every game.”

The Mustangs finished 7-4 a season ago but went toe-to-toe against Valley powers Edinburg Vela and PSJA North to place third in 15-5A DI.

Now in District 16-5A DI along with Vela, McAllen High, McAllen Rowe, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, La Joya Palmview, Mission High and Rio Grande City, the Mustangs should be considered a top two favorite to win district along with the SaberCats.

The Memorial offense brings back six starters led by returning leading rusher JP Garza and last year’s district newcomer of the year winner in junior quarterback Kane Coy.

The senior Garza ran for 887 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023 and is ready to handle plenty of touches after bulking up over the offseason. He’ll share the load with junior Jaydin Soliz, junior Christian Little, and potentially sophomore Braxton Speights, the younger brother of former Memorial greats Trevor and Campbell Speights.

Coy showed consistency during his first year as a starter in 2023, delivering some big time throws while also displaying running ability with 4.51 speed. Coy threw for 703 yards and seven touchdowns on 78 attempts last season and added 267 yards and one touchdown on 56 carries.

Coy and Garza are set to lead the Memorial offense along with returning offensive linemen Zeke Ozuna and Shawn Reyes.

Defensively, the Mustangs have experience at every level. Senior defensive end Erick Guajardo is a force up front after recording 44 stops, seven tackles for loss and four sacks, while safeties Nick Luna (50 tackles, two INTs) and Nehemiah Adebowale (22 tackles) provide athleticism and smarts in run support and in the passing game.

Memorial’s strongest position group on defense, however, is its linebacking corps of junior Dalton Keller (57 tackles), senior Adrian Garza (47 tackles, one INT) and senior Nico Lara (74 tackles, TFL). The trio will be leaned upon heavily to lead the Mustangs in 2024.

Memorial starts its season against Brownsville Hanna, Weslaco High and San Antonio Johnson in non-district action before opening 16-5A DI play on the road against Rio Grande City on Sept. 20. The Mustangs will also circle a few matchups on their calendar with a Week 7 matchup against McAllen High, Week 9 against Edinburg Vela and Week 10 against McAllen Rowe.

“It’s open season. We have a tough non-district schedule to get us ready for district,” Garza said. “I think going into district we’re going to be ready to play our hearts out and compete with every team.”

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The Monitor’s 2024 All-Area Baseball Teams and Superlatives

THE MONITOR’S ALL-AREA PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Vinny Cano, PSJA High

PSJA High’s senior left-handed pitcher and first baseman Cano produced on the mound and at the plate during his senior season to earn The Monitor’s 2024 All-Area Baseball Player of the Year honors. Cano led PSJA High to win the District 31-6A title by batting .464 with 40 hits, 25 RBI, and 12 runs, while also serving as the Bears’ ace with an 8-2 record, a 1.84 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 41.2 innings pitched for a 29-9 overall team.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Andy Chapa, Sharyland Pioneer and Homer Munoz, La Joya High

Sharyland Pioneer’s Chapa and La Joya’s Munoz were both problems at the plate for opposing pitchers during the 2024 season to split All-Area Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Sharyland Pioneer’s senior shortstop Chapa posted a team-high .440 batting average with 27 hits, 27 RBI, 20 runs and one home run to lead the Diamondbacks to a District 31-5A championship and area round playoff appearance. 

The senior catcher Munoz, meanwhile, led La Joya offensively with a .400 batting average, 50 hits, 30 RBI, 12 runs and six home runs. He came through when the Coyotes needed him most to lead La Joya into the fourth round of the state playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Jose Rivera, McAllen Memorial

McAllen Memorial junior shortstop Jose Rivera was a model of consistency up the middle of the Mustangs defense. His play helped McAllen Memorial make program history with their first playoff win since 1997 and deepest playoff run in program history that reached the regional final round of the Class 5A playoffs. Rivera also batted .372 with 25 RBI, 24 runs and one home run.

PITCHER OF THE YEAR – Jaime Palacios, McAllen High and Mateo Garcia, La Joya Palmview

McHi’s Palacios, District 31-5A’s Pitcher of the Year, went 3-0 as a starter during the playoffs by recording Game 1 shutout victories against Harlingen South and La Joya Palmview, then limited crosstown rival McAllen Memorial to two runs in Game 1 of their third round playoff series. He was dominant all season as the Bulldog’s No. 1.

Palmview’s Garcia put together a 9-0 record as a starter to finish with a 0.67 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 62.1 innings pitched. He pitched six complete games, three of which were shutouts. Garcia also hit .358 with 27 RBI, 29 runs and two home runs to lead Palmview to the District 30-5A championship.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – John Reyna, Weslaco High

Reyna burst onto the scene with an outstanding debut season at the varsity level with the Panthers to earn All-Area Newcomer of the Year honors. The freshman posted a .386 average with 27 hits, 13 RBI, 13 runs and one home run, while also going 10-2 on the mound with a 1.25 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 61.2 innings pitched. Reyna played a key role in helping Weslaco reach the regional quarterfinal round of the state playoffs.

SUB-5A PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Ian Szczuroski, Hidalgo

Hidalgo’s Szczuroski was productive at the plate all season long to lead the Pirates to win a share of the District 32-4A championship. The junior pitcher and middle infielder was a dominant force near the top of the Pirates’ lineup and displayed power with three home runs on the year.

COACH OF THE YEAR – Roque Cortinas, McAllen Memorial

Cortinas took over head coaching duties at his alma mater in 2022 and turned the McAllen Memorial baseball program around in short order. He coached the Mustangs to reach the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons, win their first playoff series since 1997 and reach the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time in program history. The Mustangs finished as the No. 3 seed in District 31-5A, one of the toughest districts in all of Texas, and posted a 26-16 overall record with playoff series wins over Brownsville Porter, Corpus Christi Veterans, McAllen High and Kerrville Tivy.

The Monitor’s All-Area First Team

P – David An, McAllen Memorial

P – Santiago Tijerina, La Joya High

C – Jacob Delgadillo, PSJA High

1B – Ryan Everitt, Weslaco High

2B – Alec Salazar, Edcouch-Elsa

SS – Stone Gomez, Weslaco High

3B – Emilio Preza, McAllen Memorial

IF – Lucas Zambrano, La Joya High

IF – Branden Leon, McAllen Rowe

OF – Nyles Alvarez, PSJA High

OF – David Cavazos, Sharyland Pioneer

OF – Jorge Garza, La Joya Palmview

OF – Alejandro Islas, Sharyland High

DH – Josiah Gonzalez, La Joya Palmview

Util – Chris Ramos, Mission Veterans

The Monitor’s All-Area Second Team

P – Ruben Lopez, Sharyland Pioneer

P – Rene Vela, Sharyland Pioneer

C – Deandre Rodriguez, Rio Grande City

1B – Juan Castillo, Valley View

2B – Jayden Martinez, Edinburg Vela

SS – Jaime Lopez, PSJA High

3B – Tony Solis, Weslaco East

IF – Raul Prishker, Hidalgo

IF – Andy Rodriguez, Weslaco East

OF – Diego Chapa, Sharyland Pioneer

OF – Homer Garcia, Sharyland High

OF – Sean Lara, McAllen High

DH – Santiago Soto, Sharyland High

Utility – Eric Alonzo, McAllen High

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The Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning Star’s 2024 All-Area Baseball Teams and Superlatives

THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD/VALLEY MORNING STAR’S ALL-AREA BASEBALL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Carlos Garza, Brownsville Veterans

Garza earned The Brownsville Herald and Valley Morning Star’s All-Area Baseball Most Valuable Player honor after putting together a dominant and record-breaking season as a pitcher and shortstop for the District 32-5A champion Chargers. Garza led Brownsville Veterans with 47 hits, a .465 batting average, 22 RBI and 29 runs scored. He also posted a 10-2 record as a starter with 0.92 ERA with 136 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched. His 136 strikeouts broke a school record previously held by Fred Villarreal.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Tristan Garcia, Port Isabel and Oscar Rodriguez, Brownsville Veterans

Port Isabel’s Garcia and Brownsville Veterans’ Rodriguez split offensive player of the year honors after lighting it up at the plate during their senior seasons. The Tarpons’ catcher Garcia batted .673 with 33 hits, 14 RBI and 16 runs on the year. Garcia is set to play college baseball at Texas Southern in 2025. Meanwhile, the Chargers’ catcher Rodriguez hit a team-high .493 with 37 hits, 28 RBI and four runs to lead Brownsville Veterans. He also had a .974 fielding percentage for the 32-5A champion Chargers.

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Derek Garcia, Los Fresnos and Josh Ruiz, Harlingen South

Los Fresnos’ shortstop Garcia handled everything hit his way to finish with a .972 fielding percentage. He also held a .372 batting average with 34 runs, 21 RBI and 22 stolen bases as the Falcons went on to win the District 32-6A title.

Harlingen South’s Ruiz recorded a .964 fielding percentage at catcher and a 9-2 record as a starting pitcher with a 0.84 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 58 innings. Ruiz also batted .426 with 18 RBI and 18 runs. 

PITCHER OF THE YEAR – Joaquin Cavazos, Los Fresnos

THe Falcons’ right-hander Cavazos had one of the top arms in South Texas to finish as the Herald/Star’s All-Area Pitcher of the Year. He posted an 11-1 record for the District 32-6A champion Falcons with a 0.52 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 67.1 innings of work. Cavazos helped lead Los Fresnos to a 27-8-1 record overall.

SUB-5A PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Christopher Galvan and Joshua Laster, Rio Hondo

Galvan and Laster teamed up to form the top tandem at the sub-5A level. They were the No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers for a Bobcats team that went 25-6 overall and 8-1 in district to win the 32-3A championship, the program’s first since 2008. Galvan finished with a 12-2 record, a 1.16 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched, while also batting .413 with 31 hits, 26 RBI and 18 runs. Laster held down the hot corner with a .616 batting average, 45 hits, 37 RBI and 31 runs to go with a 9-2 record on the mound, a 1.29 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 48.2 innings.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – Sebastian Vela, Brownsville Veterans

The sophomore Vela made an immediate impact for the Chargers with a .376 batting average, 19 RBI 16 runs and 38 hits, which ranked second on the team. He stepped in and played a key role for the Chargers all season as Brownsville Veterans captured the District 32-5A championship with a 25-6-2 overall record. Expect Vela to lead the Chargers the next two seasons.

COACH OF THE YEAR – Adam Vera, Brownsville Veterans

Brownsville Veterans was one of the Valley’s top teams from start to finish and fourth-year head coach Adam Vera led them there. Brownsville Veterans won the District 32-5A championship with a 16-2 record in league play, the program’s first in four seasons. Vera coached the Chargers to a 25-6-2 record overall and went on to reach the regional quarterfinal round of the 5A state playoffs.

Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning Star All-Area First Team

P – Omar Banda, Brownsville Porter

P – Bryan Galvan, Brownsville Porter

C – Nehemiah Garcia, Brownsville Lopez

1B – Joaquin Torralba, Harlingen South

2B – Aleck Rodriguez, Los Fresnos

SS – Colby Martinez, Harlingen South

3B – Gael Silva, Lyford

IF – Alejandro Torres, Brownsville Porter

OF – Hector Arellano, Brownsville Lopez

OF – Aiden Olivas-Romo, Lyford

OF – JustinRay Pena, Harlingen South

DH – Jose Jimenez, Brownsville Veterans

Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning StarAll-Area Second Team

P – Mauro Arizpe, San Benito

P – Jace Kushner, Harlingen High

C – Vincent Gonzalez, Brownsville Rivera

1B – John Reyna, Lyford

2B – Christian Lozano, Rio Hondo

SS – Caleb Sandoval, Rio Hondo

3B – Alejandro Rodriguez, Los Fresnos

IF – Mando San Miguel, Brownsville Lopez

OF – Andre Guadarrama, Harlingen South

OF – Aiden Douglas, Los Fresnos

OF – Angelo Villarreal, San Benito

DH – Ruben Castellanos, Rio Hondo

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McALLEN — More than 50 teams from across the Coastal Bend, Laredo and RGV took centerstage under the lights Friday, all gathering at the McAllen Sports Complex for the Bulldogs Friday Night Light Cross Country Invitational.

Two teams stood out among the loaded group, with McAllen High’s girls and Weslaco East boys taking home the team trophy for their second straight overall victory to start the 2024 season.

The Bulldogs had three athletes finish among the top five in a field that featured 185 total runners. Senior Dana Rojas Vazquez led the group, clocking in at 17 minutes, 42.5 seconds for the individual win. The victory marked her second straight of the year, while also breaking the sub-18 mark for a second time this season.

Fellow senior Kenzi Ramirez joined Rojas Vazquez in the top five, coming in fourth with a time of 19:14.5, followed by freshman teammate Sophia Simpson in fifth with a time of 19:34.3. Simpson has now finished in the top five during each of her first two varsity meets.

In the boys division, the Wildcats had their top five runners all finish inside the top 25 to secure their second straight team victory. Senior Adrianno Gonzalez paced the way with a sixth-place finish, clocking in at 15:59.4. Octavian De La Serna (15th), Aaron Nava (16th), Aron Martinez (19th) and Alexander Nava (21st) rounded out the Wildcats top five runners.

While the Wildcats took home the team trophy, the Lions dynamic junior trio stole the show, with the group taking the top three spots during the race.

Anthony Morales cruised to first place with a time of 15:00.3 during his first meet of the 2024 season, followed by his twin sibling Armando in second (15:10.5) and Nathan Salinas in third (15:36.0).

With the trio leading the way, the Lions finished in third in the overall team standings, with Eagle Pass taking second.

For full results from this weekend’s cross country action, click here.

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WRITER’S NOTE: Coaches, please report corrections and updates to [email protected].

VALLEY HS CROSS COUNTRY RESULTS

FRIDAY’S MEETS

Friday Night Lights Bulldog Invitational

McAllen Sports Complex

McAllen, TX

Individual

Boys

1. Anthony Morales, La Feria, 15:00.3; 2. Armando Morales, La Feria, 15:10.5; 3. Nathan Salinas, La Feria, 15:36.0; 4. Zachary Lamar, Harlingen High, 15:53.9; 5. Roehl Rodriguez, McAllen Memorial, 15:53.9; 6. Adrianno Gonzalez, Weslaco East, 15:59.4; 7. Raphael Rosas Garcia, Eagle Pass, 16:02.3; 8. Steven Guillen, Edinburg High, 16:09.8; 9. Juan Manuel Aguinaga, Edcouch-Elsa, 16:14.4.

Girls

1. Dana Rojas Vazquez, McAllen High, 17:42.5; 2. Zaddie Santacruz, Laredo Nixon, 18:58.5; 3. Sophia Sandoval, Laredo Nixon, 19:11.12; 4. Kenzi Ramirez, McAllen High, 19:14.5; 5. Sophia Simpson, McAllen High, 19:34.3; 6. Yazmin Guerra, PSJA Southwest, 19:34.9; 7. Alessa De La Garza, Laredo Nixon, 19:37.2; 8. Juliana Garcia, Harlingen High, 19:42.4; 9. Dana Rodriguez, Edinburg Vela, 19:42.8; 10. Sofia Lauren Garza, Sharyland High, 19:46.6.

Team

Boys

1. Weslaco East, 77; 2. Eagle Pass, 103; 3. La Feria, 108; 4. Harlingen High, 153; 5. McAllen High, 166; 6. Laredo Nixon, 200; 7. Laredo Alexander, 251; 8. Edcouch-Elsa, 271; 9. Laredo Johnson, 287; 10. Laredo United, 305; 11. Edinburg Economedes, 305; 12. Donna High, 325; 13. McAllen Memorial, 357; 14. Harlingen South, 372; 15. Eagle Pass Winn, 406; 16. Corpus Christi Ray, 424; 17. Edinburg Vela, 435; 18. Progreso, 447; 19. Sharyland Pioneer, 449; 20. Laredo United South, 469; 21. McAllen Rowe, 499; 22. La Joya Palmview, 505; 23. Hidalgo, 532; 24. Mission Veterans, 563; 25. Valley View, 719.

Girls

1. McAllen High, 68; 2. Laredo Nixon, 98; 3. Laredo United South, 139; 4. Laredo United, 191; 5. Harlingen High, 197; 6. Edinburg Vela, 203; 7. Edinburg High, 209; 8. La Feria, 211; 9. Edinburg Economedes, 218; 10. Harlingen South, 225; 11. Eagle Pass, 230; 12. Laredo Alexander, 289; 13. Sharyland Pioneer, 299; 14. Weslaco High, 365; 15. Mission Veterans, 423; 16. McAllen Rowe, 430; 17. PSJA Memorial, 433; 18. PSJA North, 438; 19. Donna North, 450; 20. Sharyland High, 454; 21. McAllen Memorial, 482; 22. PSJA High, 617.

 

SATURDAY’S MEETS

Mission Fly Like An Eagle Invitational

Kenneth White Middle School

Mission, TX

Individual

Boys

1. Thomas Tamayo, Los Fresnos, 16:48.6; 2. Josue Cisneros, Mission High, 17:11.4; 3. Raul Delgado, IDEA Pharr, 17:27.4; 4. Gilberto Mares, IDEA Pharr, 17:57.9; 5. Sergio Vargas, Mission High, 18:20.0; 6. Ryan Aguirre, Mission High, 18:23.9; 7. Anthony Picazo, Mission High, 18:40.5; 8. Omar Castillo, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 18:45.4; 9. Tristan Saenz, PSJA North, 18:46.6; 10. Jose Ibarra, Mission High, 18:47.5.

Girls

1. Asante Stewart, La Joya High, 22:09.0; 2. Namoi Cotero, IDEA Pharr, 22:43.6; 3. Delilah Martinez, Los Fresnos, 23:19.3; 4. Chelsea Ibarra, Mission High, 23:42.1; 5. Bella Sanchez, IDEA Los Encinos 23:56.2; 6. Delia Lozano, IDEA Pharr, 24:09.8; 7. Arianna Mares, Mission High, 24:15.0; 8. Ariadna Gonzalez, IDEA Pharr, 24:22.9; 9. Indra Ibarra Mission High, 24:53.5; 10. Mryna Chaidez, Los Fresnos, 25:26.2.

Team

Boys

1. Mission High, 30; 2. IDEA Pharr, 55; 3. Los Fresnos, 68; 4. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 97; 5. La Joya High, 140; 6. PSJA High, 142; 7. PSJA North, 143.

Girls

1. Los Fresnos, 40; 2. Mission High, 43; 3. IDEA Pharr.

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The 2024 high school football season is officially underway, with teams hitting the practice field across the Rio Grande Valley.

With Week 1 of the regular season looming, the RGVSports.com staff compiled a list of the top 30 returning RGV football players for the 2024 season.

Our list continues with two of the area’s top linebackers leading the Mission Veterans and PSJA North defenses, two breakout weapons primed for big seasons offensively at Donna High and PSJA Memorial and a receiver-turned-quarterback in Lyford.

Be sure to check back every Wednesday and Saturday as we announce more players from the list leading up to the reveal of the top five players in the 2024 RGVSports.com Football Tab on Aug. 28.

No. 16: WR Xavier Rodriguez, sr., Donna High

2023 Stats: 73 receptions, 1,143 yards, seven touchdowns; 13 carries, 106 yards, one touchdown

Notes: Rodriguez is a big-play waiting to happen as the receiver possesses 4.4 40-speed and the ability to turn WR screens and deep balls into touchdowns. Donna is creative in the ways it schemes touches for Rodriguez, and the senior has shown a tendency to make the most of his opportunities.

No. 17: LB Aiden Uribe, sr., Mission Veterans

2023 Stats: 165 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception

Notes: Uribe is the latest of a lineage of standout linebackers in the middle of the Mission Veterans defense. He’s an instinctual player in finding the football and laying the hammer when he gets there. His toughness and leadership as a three-year letterman will be leaned upon to set the tone for the Patriots’ “Blue Dawg Defense.”

No. 18: LB Jesse Montez, sr., PSJA North

2023 Stats: 114 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two fumbles recovered, one interception

Notes: Montez is a tackling machine that flies to the ball from sideline to sideline. He’s racked up more than 100 total tackles each year with 343 stops across his first three seasons. Montez is a disruptive force that plays every snap full speed as a mainstay in PSJA North’s “Blackshirt Defense.”

No. 19 ATH Adrian Chavez, sr., Lyford

2023 Stats: 45 receptions, 858 yards, five TDs, 26 carries, 188 yards, 10 TDs, 43 total tackles, one interception

Notes: Chavez was a stud at receiver and safety last season, but he’ll make the transition to quarterback his senior year while still seeing some time defensively. The athleticism that made him one of the top pass catchers in the RGV and a lethal rusher will allow him to hurt defenses through the air and on the ground while leading the Bulldogs’ offense.

No. 20 Emiliano Colunga, sr., PSJA Memorial

2023 Stats: 139 carries, 1,305 yards, 12 TDs

Notes: PSJA Memorial relied heavily on its rushing attack to move the ball, and Colunga was at the center of it. He averaged nearly 10 yards per carry and displayed the ability to turn any touch into six. He’ll be the primary ball-carrier again for the Wolverines and is set up for a big senior campaign.

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HARLINGEN — Harlingen South starts the season ranked No. 9 in the RGVSports.com 5A-6A Top 10 Poll after breaking through with playoff success to end its 2023 campaign.

The Hawks finished last season 8-4 overall with a bi-district playoff victory over McAllen Memorial, the program’s first postseason win in 11 years. Now, the Hawks are hungry for more entering 2024.

“We’re just excited to get on the field with a new roster and see what we can do this year,” senior running back Alvin Edwards said.

The Hawks return 12 starters, with seven on offense and five on defense, giving fourth-year head coach Israel Gonzalez a good group to work with.

The South offense will revolve around its lead back, Alvin Edwards, a senior rusher who ran for 576 yards and seven touchdowns on 86 carries in 2023. He shared the load last season but is ready to handle the majority of the touches out of the South backfield.

“It’s a big moment for me because I’m finally stepping up and being the main running back,” he said. “It’s a lot of pressure, but after your first Bird Bowl, all the pressure is off you. We got some new up and comers that I’m excited about, too.”

The Hawks also return two options at quarterback with senior Dylan Anaya (436 passing yards, five touchdowns; 610 rushing yards, seven touchdowns) and junior Austen Shroyer (546 passing yards, seven touchdowns; 161 rushing yards), both of whom have shown they can move the ball through the air and on the ground.

Junior linebacker Marcus Garza (102 total tackles, two interceptions) will man the middle of the South defense, and senior defensive backs Luis Orozco (29 tackles, one interception) and Joaquin Romero (46 tackles, one interception) patrol the secondary.

South will be in a tougher district in 2024 thanks to the latest UIL realignment, however. The Hawks have their work cut out for them with 15-5A DI matchups against Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi Veterans, Donna High, PSJA Memorial, PSJA North and Weslaco East — all playoff teams from a season ago.

“I think a team can only get better by playing tougher teams,” Edwards said. “I’m excited to play against those teams that people consider harder teams. I think it’s going to be different because now we’re going in as underdogs and I think it’s going to change their perspective in how they try to play us, but I think we can stick with them either way.”

South is slated to open the regular season Aug. 29 at McAllen Rowe before playing host to crosstown rival Harlingen High in the Bird Bowl on Sept. 6. The Hawks then kick off District 15-5A DI action in Week 3 on the road against Flour Bluff.

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EDINBURG — The Vaqueros Performance Center, the on-campus home of UTRGV football, is currently under construction with plans to finish in time for the 2025 season, when the Vaqueros kick off Division I Football Championship Series action in the Rio Grande Valley.

The turf practice field outside the Vaqueros Performance Center is ready to roll right now, however, and so are the 75-plus UTRGV football players that make up the first signing class in program history.

Move-in day and meetings begin Sunday for UTRGV’s football student-athletes, followed by more of the same Monday.

On Tuesday, the work begins.

The Vaqueros will hit the turf practice field for conditioning tests and ramp up leading into Sept. 9, the first full-padded practice for UTRGV football.

“It’s definitely still a work in progress, but super excited. We’re two days away from our young men being here, and everything’s kind of falling into place,” UTRGV head coach Travis Bush said. “Practice facility is ready, we walked through the pavilion where we’ll house out in Year 1, so for us, to have this advantage to bring these guys in with these facilities is phenomenal.”

Bush guided the media through a walkthrough tour of the Athletics Pavilion, which will house UTRGV football temporarily in 2024 while construction continues on the VPC. The Athletics Pavilion features locker, meeting, training and weight rooms, and a path leading to two practice fields — one of turf and one of natural grass from the King Ranch that was just laid down and needs time to settle before the Vaqueros can practice on it.

The Athletics Pavilion is lined with motivational phrases including “Win Today,” which Bush and the UTRGV coaching staff use to push stacking wins daily to lead to positive results.

Bush said his time as an assistant at UTSA, when the Roadrunners launched their football program, was much different than the turf and natural grass practice fields and Athletics Pavilion UTRGV football is starting off with.

“We lived this life before (at UTSA), starting a program in the past in the exact same scenario, but we were in a little gym with everything in the same gym,” Bush said. “We had to drive to a high school field several miles away to practice every single day, so to have our own facilities at home and to come out here and practice and see the VPC being built on a daily basis and being able to move into that next year is big time.”

While the current UTRGV football team will begin conditioning tests and work leading up to its first official practice, aspiring college football players will have a chance to earn a spot alongside the current players.

UTRGV football plans to hold walk-on tryouts for current UTRGV students who meet a list of requirements. Bush said the intent is to add multiple players following the Aug. 26 tryouts, and he’s seen players make the most of these kinds of opportunities in the coaching past.

“We got some low numbers at certain positions, so we’re hoping to find some guys that can help. There’s some requirements they have to do, eligibility, age, etc., so if we can take about 10-12, that can help us out then it’s a success,” Bush said. “We did the same thing at UTSA and we had an open tryout, a young man came off the street and tried out, and ended up earning a starting position and a scholarship and he ended up in camp with the Chicago Bears after he graduated, so you never know when someone gets an opportunity. There could be a great story that starts here on Aug. 26, here to tryout, that’s the exciting piece, too.”

Those interested in trying out for the UTRGV football team must meet the following requirements: be a full-time UTRGV student enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours for the fall semester, have an NCAA ID number from the NCAA eligibility center, must have played high school football within the past two years, completed and submitted a physical form, tryout form, participation waiver form, tryout questionnaire and proof of insurance. More information can be found at GoUTRGV.com.

All necessary forms and proof of insurance are due to UTRGV director of football operations and administration John Simmons via email at [email protected] before 5 p.m. Aug. 21.

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The San Benito Greyhounds have been as consistent as they come the past 10 years, finishing at least at .500 and making it to the postseason every season since 2014.

At the helm of it all has been head coach Dan Gomez, who has posted an 86-31 mark with the Greyhounds during that span, including five 10-win seasons.

Despite returning just seven starters from last year’s squad, the team’s track record combined with one of the top coaching staffs in the area has the Greyhounds ranked among the best in the RGV once again, opening the season at No. 10 in the RGVSports.com preseason 5A/6A poll.

The Greyhounds’ offensive strength will come from its line with several key pieces returning, including first-team all-district center Carlos Vasquez, and seniors Zaylen Graham and Ethan Ruiz.

The trench warriors will be tasked with easing a transition at quarterback and running back, with new faces at both positions set to step in this year.

Replacing the production of three-year starting running back Fabian Garcia will be the top priority this season, with San Benito’s all-time leading rusher now at UTRGV following graduation.

Senior Angel Treviño is likely to take over the starting running back role after rushing for 555 yards and seven touchdowns in limited action last year. Expect San Benito to throw other running backs into the mix as well, including speedy junior Tommy Ramirez.

Meanwhile, junior Tyler Ruiz is expected to take the QB1 snaps this season, entering Year 1 with the Greyhounds after transferring from Edinburg North.

The speedy athlete joins San Benito with two years of varsity experience under his belt, having played receiver for the Cougars in 2022 (16 receptions, 234 yards, 2 touchdowns) and quarterback last season.

Ruiz’s dual-threat capabilities were on full display last year, throwing for 1,057 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he added 208 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Add long, speedy wideouts Adam Cortez and Gabriel Covarrubias into the mix, and the Greyhounds’ offense looks primed for another strong year.

Growing pains are to be expected on defense, with only two starters returning from last year’s elite unit.

Still, with one of the area’s top defensive minds in coordinator Johnny Garza leading the way, expect the Greyhounds to be ready by the time district play rolls around.

A tough non-district schedule should help the Greyhounds find their footing, with five of their six opponents having made the postseason last year.

They’ll kick off the year at home against RGV powerhouse PSJA North on Aug. 30, followed by a road game against Class 6A DI state semifinalist Austin Westlake. Other non-district matchups include Class 6A DI regional semifinalist Laredo United, last year’s 32-6A champion Weslaco High and nine-time state champion Carthage.

San Benito’s non-district gauntlet should have it ready by its District 32-6A opener against Brownsville Hanna on Oct. 11. It will follow it up with games against Los Fresnos and Brownsville Veterans before closing out the year with the Battle of Arroyo against Harlingen High on Nov. 8.

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