Football: Valley high school playoff picture coming into focus

The final playoff spot in District 30-5A will come down to Week 10.

McAllen Memorial and Rio Grande City are tied for fourth with 3-3 league records. If both lose next week, RGC would be in because it owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Rattlers beat the Mustangs 42-35 in Week 5 in what has turned out to be one of the key games in 30-5A this season.

It will not be that simple if the teams win their respective games next week. Memorial (6-3 overall) needs to beat Donna next week by 10 or more points, and it will punch its ticket to the postseason. If Memorial wins by anything less than 10, RGC, which is playing host to La Joya High, would extend its season by at least one week.

Sharyland, McAllen High and Donna have all clinched. Other than Donna, which will compete in the Class 5A Division I playoffs, undefeated Sharyland and 7-2 McHi are not sure what division they will compete in.

If RGC (4-5) makes it, Sharyland and McAllen High will be Division II competitors. If Memorial gets in, Sharyland will compete in Division I with Donna.

In District 29-5A, the teams 30-5A will take on in the first round, San Antonio Southwest finished first followed by Del Rio, Laredo United and Eagle Pass, respectively. Del Rio and Laredo United will play in Division I and Southwest and Eagle Pass in Division II.

As far as the District 30-5A title, Sharyland needs to beat La Joya Palmview to secure the championship outright.

-- Peter Rasmussen

DISTRICT 31-5A

HARLINGEN — All season long it seemed that District 31-5A was one of the toughest and most competitive leagues in the Valley.

Early on, 31-5A fielded as many as four teams on the Valley Freedom Newspapers’ Top 10 poll, but as the season rolled along, teams fell out mostly because they beat each other out.

A couple of teams remain constants on the poll, though, as Harlingen High and PSJA North occupied the top two spots for several weeks straight. Nonetheless, it’s no surprise the Cardinals and Raiders secured playoff berths following Week 8 wins.

Harlingen’s win against PSJA North on Friday clinched at least a share of the district title for Big Red.

Edinburg High and Edinburg North clinched the final two postseason slots with wins on Friday, too.

For Edinburg, it’s the Bobcats’ first playoff appearance since 2005.

In The Field

There’s still a lot to be figured out in neighboring 32-5A, but it looks like the Cardinals will face the San Benito Greyhounds in Battle of Arroyo 80.5 in a Division I matchup

PSJA North will face the lower Division II team, which could be Brownsville Pace.

Edinburg is the other Division I team in 31-5A and will likely face the high-flying Brownsville Hanna Eagles in a bi-district clash.

Finally, it looks like the Cougars from Edinburg North will have a rematch with Los Fresnos in a Division II bi-district game.

-- Eladio Jaimez

DISTRICT 32-5A

The last few weeks of District 32-5A football has kept every fan on the edge of his or her seat, and with one week of regular season games to go there is still a lot that can happen.

Hanna is a perfect 6-0 in district after ending Los Fresnos’ three-year reign as district champions. After losing their opening game of the season to Sharyland, the Golden Eagles have earned eight straight wins and boast arguably the best three offensive weapons in 32-5A with Enrique Saldaña, the Rio Grande Valley’s leading rusher, and wideouts Mike and Anthony Garza (no relation).

In The Field

Hanna will be the top seed, and Pace earned its third consecutive playoff berth with its 33-28 win Saturday over San Benito. The city rivals will battle for the 32-5A title next Thursday at Sams Stadium.

Still In Contention

Rivera is alive after winning its last two district games and will battle San Benito on the road for a postseason spot. Another possibility is a three-way tie, if the Greyhounds lose and Porter defeats Los Fresnos. Then a postive points tiebreaker will be needed.

The Falcons can earn a playoff berth with win or a San Benito loss.

As far as the split of division is concerned, if the Raiders get in (assuming Los Fresnos wins) that puts Rivera and Los Fresnos in Division II with the Falcons getting the high seed due to their win earlier this season over the Raiders.

If San Benito wins (assuming Los Fresnos wins) Pace will be in Division II with Los Fresnos. In either scenario, Hanna is the top seed in Division I no matter what happens in Week 10.

-- Louie Vera

DISTRICT 32-4A

With one week remaining in the regular season, the District 32-4A playoff races are settled.

Mission High can clinch the outright championship with a win this week against Valley View. Regardless of whether the Eagles win the title outright, they are assured of being the district’s top Division I playoff team.

The Eagles’ playoff matchup is also set, as they will face Alice in a rematch of last year’s bi-district game. Since the Eagles visited Alice last year, this season’s game is already locked into being the first Friday of the postseason at Tom Landry Stadium.

Mission Veterans Memorial, which clinched the final playoff spot with a win over Roma, will enter the postseason as 32-4A’s No. 2 big-school team. The Patriots will face Flour Bluff and are hoping to play their bi-district game in Kingsville. If they cannot play there, the teams will flip for home field.

The Division II race also is settled.

Mercedes, which can still clinch a share of the district title with a win and a Mission High loss, will flip Monday for its game against Tuloso-Midway. The Tigers have clinched the top small-school spot thanks to their one-game lead and head-to-head advantage over Weslaco East.

The Wildcats will face Calallen, rounding out the 32-4A playoff matchups.

-- Brian Sandalow

DISTRICT 32-3A

Things got pretty clear in District 32-3A after Week 9’s games.

The 9-0 Lyford Bulldogs are district champions and have clinched their first league crown since 2003. It’s just their third title since 1991.

The Bulldogs have been perfect so far and have earned every win. Whether close games or blowouts, Jaime Infante’s squad has been steady.

But behind them it’s been topsy-turvy to say the least.

Tradition-rich programs such as Port Isabel and Raymondville are out of the playoff picture and will once again watch the playoffs from the bleachers.

Hidalgo and Progreso are also out.

Nevertheless, there are two teams still alive for the final playoff spot in one of the toughest districts around.

In The Field

Lyford of course, is in and as the smallest school in the district, they’ll go Division II. As it stands, the ’Dogs could likely face Mathis in the first round, however things aren’t certain just yet (see below).

The Zapata Hawks (5-4, 5-1) clinched their spot after a 62-43 shootout win over Progreso at home.

Zapata, the largest school in 32-3A, will be the D-I representative.

There is a bit of jostling left in 31-3A, however.

There’s a three-way tie at the top of that district with Mathis, Sinton and Ingleside at 5-1 in league play. Robstown sits a game back at 4-2. The Cotton Pickers meet up with Ingleside next week in a game that will clear things up. That winner should get in and be the D-I representative to face the Hawks.

Still In Contention

Rio Hondo (4-2 in district) La Feria (3-3) are the two teams fighting for the third and final spot.

Ironically, those two face one another in Week 10. It’s rather simple: Rio Hondo wins, they’re in. La Feria wins, they’re in. The Lions would tie the Bobcats but would have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The winner of this game would likely face Sinton as things fall right now. But of course, that’s subject to change.

-- Armando Garza

DISTRICT 32-2A

In The Field

Hebbronville is once again the district champ and Bishop is back in the playoffs in second place. Each will be D-II representatives.

Still In Contention

Santa Rosa didn’t help themselves with a crushing 24-7 loss to the Badgers on Friday.

However, the Warriors can still get in. Josh Gonzalez’s squad needs to defeat San Diego in next week’s finale by more than 9 points.

As it stands, the Warriors would tie the Vaqueros and with the nine points, would advance on the positive points tiebreaker.

The breakdown of points is complicated, but the Warriors need to win by more than nine. If not, San Diego is in.

-- Armando Garza

DISTRICT 32-1A

In The Field

Ben Bolt (7-1 overall, 5-0 district) is the district champion. The high-flying Badgers clinched that a couple weeks ago. The other Badgers in the district, Bruni (7-1, 4-1), also punched its ticket.

Still In Contention

La Villa (4-5, 3-2) now must win its game against Benavides next week by more than 10 points to win the third spot. The Cards would also get it via a positive points tiebreaker should they complete their task.

If not, a win by Benavides (3-5, 2-3) would force a tie and the Eagles would take the head to head.

-- Armando Garza