By ANDREW CRUM | The Brownsville Herald
Hanna makes unexpected history
It’s been a while since Hanna recorded a victory over Harlingen High. In fact, it took 14 meetings over the past 24 years to be exact after the Golden Eagles (7-2, 5-1 in District 32-6A) defeated the Cardinals, 32-6, in Week 10. Hanna last enjoyed a win over Harlingen in 1993, and making the triumph even sweeter was the revelation that the Cardinals are now eliminated from playoff contention. The Eagles bounced back from a loss to San Benito in Week 9, going on the road to upend the Cardinals. The Eagles not only won, but did so in impressive fashion when you consider Hanna had been outscored 486-191 during its 13 straight losses to the Cardinals. The Eagles were solid on both sides of the ball, as the offense piled up 341 yards, including 226 yards on the ground. Hanna’s rushing attack was led by junior running back Cesar Mancias, who finished with 103 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown. Through the air, sophomore quarterback Victor Campos threw for 115 yards and a score. The defense did its part in holding Harlingen to 195 yards along with two interceptions. Both units came together to put an end to a long history of losing to the Cardinals. Balance and chemistry on both sides of the ball has fueled Hanna’s doubling of its win total from a year ago and earned the Eagles a postseason berth for the first time since 2009. Hanna isn’t finished yet and would love to head to the playoffs with momentum, and must top fellow postseason-bound ball club Weslaco East at Sams Memorial Stadium to do it before a long awaited postseason return next week.
Los Fresnos gets a wake-up call
Los Fresnos has taken an easier route to the postseason than it did last season, although its Week 10 outing against Rivera wasn’t exactly trouble-free. The Falcons (6-3, 4-2 District 32-6A) were tied with the Raiders after three quarters, but on the strength of a pair of touchdowns during the final three minutes, Los Fresnos survived Rivera, 28-14, and earned a playoff berth. On the back of senior quarterback Charles Chapa, who finished with two rushing touchdowns to go with 183 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns to sophomore receiver Nico Valencia (five catches for 138 yards), Los Fresnos earned a critical win to return to the playoffs once again. Last season, the Falcons had to win four of their final five contests to earn a postseason spot. This fall, the road has been smoother, but after starting 2-2 in district play, the Falcons have won their last two games, including a 27-20 comeback win over Harlingen High in Week 9. Los Fresnos had to hold off a spirited yet 1-8 Rivera team Saturday and it might be better off because of it. The Falcons got a wake-up call of sorts against Rivera and know they must play better to make a postseason run like they did last season, when they advanced to the third round.
Pace’s comeback brings victory, playoff berth
Hanna wasn’t the only team last week to earn a playoff berth while also ending a lengthy postseason drought. Pace (5-4, 4-2 in District 32-5A) started 1-2 in district play this season, but has since won three straight games, including a 35-31 comeback win over Donna High on the road last week. The Vikings’ offense was led by senior quarterback Randy Aguilar (232 yards passing and a touchdown), who used his legs for the game-winning score, which came via a 1-yard run with just under two minutes remaining. Junior running back Brandon Zapata ran for 98 yards and a pair of scores. Pace also earned a come-from-behind road win over Donna North in Week 8 to motor a push to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Sandwiched in between the road wins in Donna was an impressive shocker in Week 9. Pace showed how much its defense has improved in a 34-17 victory over Edcouch-Elsa. It forced four turnovers and limited the Yellowjackets’ trips into the end zone, allowing just a pair of rushing touchdowns and a field goal. The Vikings have really come together as a team and seem to be clicking on both sides of the ball, but will face playoff-bound Lopez in the season finale Friday, with both teams looking to take some momentum into the postseason.
The Tarpons’ playoff hopes live or die in Week 11
It’s been an up-and-down season for Port Isabel, as it has learned a new offensive scheme under new head coach Jaime Infante. On top of that challenge, a rash of injuries has also affected the Tarpons this fall. Those injuries were especially harsh early in the season, especially for P.I.’s top-two signal callers in the first two weeks of the season. Port Isabel (2-6, 1-3 in 16-4A, Division II) has since learned Infante’s offense and steadily improved on defense, but it hasn’t translated to the win column. With second-string quarterback Jeremy Martinez back in the lineup after an injury, Port Isabel has shown growth on offense and finds itself in a position that didn’t look possible a month ago. In the season finale, the Tarpons face West Oso with the winner earning district’s last postseason berth. West Oso has improved this season, but has struggled at times in district play. Port Isabel has given itself a chance to return to the playoffs after losing 5 of 6 games to start the season. A win would not only get the Tarpons in the playoffs, but would also be something to build on in Infante’s second season at the helm in 2018.
St. Joseph gets a shot at a district title nearly 40 years in the making
Two weeks ago, St. Joseph Academy got a monkey of its back with a TAPPS Division I, District 2 win over Central Catholic (San Antonio), its first victory over the Buttons in four years. After a rough non-district loss to All Saints Academy (Fort Worth) in Week 10, the Bloodhounds (5-4, 1-0) will get an opportunity to capture their first district title in 37 years. Senior dual-threat quarterback Kai Money, who has accounted for over 3,000 yards of offense and 32 touchdowns on the season, hopes to lead St. Joseph to a district title that has eluded the program during his outstanding four-year career. The Bloodhounds get their chance with a trip to San Antonio to face Antonian Prep, who they defeated 42-21 at home a year ago. If St. Joseph can earn a victory, it would be the first district title for the school since 1980. After starting the season 1-3, the Bloodhounds have won 4 of 5. Already with a big win over Central Catholic this year, St. Joseph hopes to run the table and reach the postseason in statement-making fashion.
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.