La Villa will attempt to win its second consecutive District 16-2A DI championship this week as the Cardinals (7-2, 4-0) collide with Freer (6-3, 4-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Freer.
“Our goal is to stay district champs,” La Villa senior center Jaime Elissetche said at RGVSports.com media day.
The two district title contenders are plenty familiar with each other, with a pair of head-to-head matchups in the bi-district round of the playoffs the previous two seasons.
Freer eliminated La Villa from the 2020 playoffs with a 54-12 win. The Cardinals returned the favor and bounced the Buckaroos from the 2021 postseason with a 34-7 victory last season.
Entering this year’s matchup, the Cardinals hold the edge offensively as they lead the district with 158 points scored across four district games compared to the Buckaroos’ 106 points scored in district. Freer’s defense has been the top unit in 16-2A DI with only 34 points surrendered, and La Villa has given up 83.
The Santa Maria Cougars (6-3, 2-2) also in the district, can guarantee third with a win over Premont at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Premont. A loss and the Cougars drop to fourth.
District 16-4A DI
The La Feria Lions booked fourth place in District 16-4A DI when they beat Kingsville King 42-14 in Week 10 to finish their season.
The Lions (6-4, 3-3) could do no better than fourth regardless of what happens during the final week of the season.
District 16-4A DII
Port Isabel (8-2, 2-1), Raymondville (4-5, 2-1), Bishop (5-5, 2-1) and Grulla (1-8, 0-3) all make the playoffs from the four-team district.
Bishop will be the No. 1 seed because of points scored. Raymondville takes the No. 2 seed because they beat Port Isabel, who will be the third team in the district.
All teams are on a bye this week before the playoffs.
District 16-3A DII
The Santa Rosa Warriors (6-3, 3-2) have a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Banquete Bulldogs (5-4, 2-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Warrior Stadium in Santa Rosa.
The Warriors control their own destiny Friday night: win and they are in. If they lose, the Warriors will need the best team in the district, the Taft Greyhounds (7-2, 5-0), to beat the George West Longhorns (4-4, 3-2) on Friday in Taft.
Santa Rosa holds the tiebreaker over George West when the Warriors beat the Longhorns 14-12 in Week 5.
TAPPS DII District 3
Brownsville St. Joseph clinched the No. 2 seed in the district in Week 10 by beating San Antonio St. Anthony 46-14.
A loss against TMI-Episcopal means little for the Bloodhounds (7-2, 5-1). They hold both tiebreakers over Austin Hyde Park (7-2, 4-4) and Austin St. Michaels (4-4, 4-2).