By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald
Before the playoffs come the “play-ins.”
Just about every volleyball district in the Rio Grande Valley appears to be having a “play-in” match or two this week to determine playoff qualifiers before the postseason begins in earnest next Monday and Tuesday.
In the Lower Valley, “play-in” matches are scheduled in Districts 32-6A, 32-5A and 32-4A due to ties in the standings after conference play was completed on Tuesday.
In 32-6A, Hanna and Harlingen High finished in a tie for fourth place at 8-6 after each team won Tuesday.
The Lady Golden Eagles and Lady Cardinals are scheduled to play their “play-in” match at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Hanna with the winner meeting 31-6A champion PSJA Memorial next week in the bi-district playoffs.
Hanna just defeated Harlingen High 25-16, 21-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-8 on Oct. 21 at Hanna. Before that, during the first round of district on Sept. 26 in Harlingen, the Lady Cardinals triumphed over the Lady Eagles 28-30, 25-21, 25-17, 25-13.
Harlingen High and Hanna seem to be two of the most evenly matched teams in 32-6A. What will happen on Friday?
“It was an awesome game by both teams (on Oct. 21), and honestly, it was a hard fight and it could have gone either way,” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said recently. “It will be a tough match if we have to play them again.
“I’m so proud of our girls because they played through the little lows they had (in Games 2 and 3) and came back to win (that Oct. 21 match),” Hagemann added.
Rivera, the 32-6A champion, is awaiting the result of Friday’s 6 p.m. 31-6A “play-in” match at PSJA High between the Lady Bears and Edinburg North to see which team the Lady Raiders face next week in bi-district.
Meanwhile, two 32-6A teams already have determined their bi-district pairings. Los Fresnos, the 32-6A runner-up, plays host to 31-6A third-place Edinburg High at 7 p.m. Monday, while 32-6A third-place San Benito is at home against 31-6A runner-up Edinburg Vela at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
32-5A UPDATE
Three of the four bi-district pairings are set for 32-5A teams, while a fourth depends on the results of some “play-in” matches involving three 32-5A squads that tied for fourth place.
Bi-district details of two matches are not yet known, but it will be 32-5A champion Brownsville Veterans Memorial vs. Sharyland High, 32-5A runner-up Edcouch-Elsa vs. Laredo Nixon and 32-5A third-place Donna High vs. Sharyland Pioneer.
Brownsville Veterans takes on Sharyland High in bi-district at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Weslaco High.
Meanwhile, Pace, Lopez and Mercedes tied for fourth place in 32-5A with 6-8 records and one of the three will advance to bi-district competition to face 31-5A champion Mission Veterans, the Valley’s top-ranked team.
The “play-in” competition in 32-5A begins at 7 p.m. Thursday as Pace plays host to Mercedes. The winner of that match plays at Lopez at 4 p.m. Saturday. From there, the winner moves on to bi-district.
32-4A UPDATE
Port Isabel finished as the third-place team in 32-4A and now will go against the District 31-4A runner-up from the Coastal Bend next week in bi-district. La Feria won 32-4A and Raymondville was the 32-4A runner-up.
Rio Hondo and Progreso tied for fourth place in 32-4A at 6-8 apiece and will have a “play-in” match this week to figure out which of them makes it to the playoffs.
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess