By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Port Isabel earns a playoff spot
Port Isabel did what it set out to do Friday, earning a postseason berth with a 36-6 victory over Raymondville in District 16-4A Division II. The Tarpons again relied on their powerful running back Omar Silva, who led the way with 183 yards and a trio of touchdowns — including the majority of those by the break. P.I. raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and led 21-0 at halftime. The Tarpons added the rest of their points in the third quarter, taking a 36-0 advantage into the fourth. Although Port Isabel didn’t earn the shutout, the defense was stingy once again, as it finished with two sacks, an interception by Carlos Orduna and held the Bearkats to just 157 offensive yards and six points in the postseason-clinching victory. But P.I. wants more. Rio Hondo, the only team to defeat the Tarpons this season, was upended by Orange Grove, thus creating a three-way tie for the district crown. If Port Isabel wins this week, it will earn at least a share of the district title with Rio Hondo and Orange Grove, provided they both finish out the district season with a win. “It feels great. I’m happy for the kids,” P.I. coach Monty Stumbaugh said. “All the stuff we do in the offseason and all that hard work is what’s it’s about, to get into the playoffs. I’m very happy and very proud of them. Their job is to carry on the tradition at Port Isabel and they did.”
Pace gives itself a chance
Pace is making a push to earn a postseason berth in District 32-5A and furthered its case with a 20-14 win over Donna High. The Vikings’ offense found its groove early in jumping out to a 20-0 lead in the first half before the defense held off the Redskins down the stretch. The win coupled with Lopez’s road loss to Edcouch-Elsa sets up an important showdown for the last game of the regular season. Pace (3-3 in district) and Lopez (4-2) will meet in Week 11, with the winner earning the final playoff berth in the district. Just a few weeks ago, the Vikings and Lobos were headed in opposite directions as Pace was struggling to keep up in the district and Lopez was inching toward a share of a 32-5A title. But the tides have turned and the two teams find themselves meeting with a playoff spot up for grabs. Randy Aguilar, the Vikings’ senior quarterback, passed for 200 yards and a touchdown during their win over Donna High. “It’s great to be in this position (of contending for the playoffs) with one game left against Lopez,” he said. “We have to get ready for it and do our best.”
Brownsville Veterans Memorial quietly keeps winning
Brownsville Veterans Memorial continues to roll along in District 32-5A. The Chargers built a 28-point halftime lead and easily got past Donna North 42-15 as the offense amassed 426 total yards, including 335 on the ground. Quarterback Gustavo Vasquez led the offensive output with 190 yards — 110 yarss and a pair of touchdowns on the ground and 80 and two scores through the air — to help the Chargers win their fourth straight game. The BVM defense did its job, totaling two sacks, a forced fumble and allowed nothing on the scoreboard until the second half. The victory clinched a postseason trip for Brownsville Veterans, but its still in the hunt for at least a share of the district title. “We’re practicing with a purpose,” Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu said. “And an understanding that if we keep improving, we may have a chance to play for a while and that’s our goal. We’re happy to get this one and have a chance (to earn at least a share of the district title).”
St. Joseph’s win sets up high-stakes battle
St. Joseph Academy never trailed against San Antonio St. Anthony’s and earned a 35-8 road victory in the TAPPS Division I, District 2 game. The Bloodhounds’ defense was the catalyst; it shut down the Yellowjackets’ Slot T offense and gave SJA plenty of possessions. The Bloodhounds’ offense took advantage as running back Mario Garcia scored three touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Kai Money also found the end zone on a run and threw a touchdown pass to Andres Martinez as St. Joseph built a 20-0 lead in the first half and pushed it to 35-0 through three quarters. The district victory sets up a big game with San Antonio Antonian in which the victor will grab the second seed in the postseason and an opportunity to host a playoff game. “I haven’t seen our defense play this well all year, my hat’s off to them,” SJA coach Tino Villarreal said. “They stepped up their game.”
Rivera starting to figure it out
Rivera lost another district game, 27-7, to Los Fresnos, but the Raiders finally feel like they’re playing better football. Rivera trailed 20-0 at the break, but matched the Falcons’ output in the second half with a touchdown apiece. Even Los Fresnos coach Patrick Brown gave credit to the Rivera squad for how hard it played and never quit from the first snap to the last. Running back Joel Guzman scored the lone touchdown for the Raiders. Rivera has struggled this season to match the depth and talent of a deep District 32-6A, but after a better showing against the Falcons, the Raiders and coach Tom Chavez feel the team has finally turned a corner. “I felt that way,” he said. “We lost, but it was a win for us. We played better than we have all year long with the improvements we made. It’s a big credit to the kids; they didn’t lay down or quit. We’ve had a tough season but hopefully this will carry over to next week.”
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.