FOLIO • 1 2019 FOOTBALLHIGH SCHOOL Preview GAMEBREAKERS MA-30136709 2 • FOLIO ON THE COVER Table of contents Football players from four different dis- tricts are highlighted on the cover of this year’s The Monitor annual high school football edition. Schedules, games to watch, team capsules and more can be 11 games to watch .............................. 6 found inside. Valley schedule ....................................9 Running wild in 30-6A ........................ 10 30-6A players to watch ...................... 19 30-6A preview ...................................20 Field generals in command ................. 27 31-6A players to watch ...................... 28 District 31-6A preview ........................ 33 Gamebreakers galore ......................... 38 5A players to watch ............................41 District 16-5A DI preview .................... 42 Heavy hitters rule 16-5A DII ................ 51 District 16-5A DII preview ................... 52 Sub-Class 5A teams preview ............... 56 Sports Editor Sports Writers Design Staff Photo Staff Henry Miller Raul Garcia Bryan Ramos Delcia Lopez Andrew McCulloch Eddie Mirza Joel Martinez Bryan Ramos Follows us on Like our Follows us on Subscribe to our Twitter RGVSports.com Periscope podcast on iTunes. @RGVSports Facebook page. @RGVSports FOLIO • 3 4 • FOLIO 2019 PSJA - MEMORIAL 2020 Photo provided by: Trevino’s Digital GO WOLVERINES 135616 GOOD LUCK THIS 2019 FOOTBALL SEASON! 5 FOLIO • 5 Family Health Center Knapp Medical Center SUMMER SPECIAL $ SPORTS 10Physicals! $ COLLEGE 10Physicals! Medical care for the whole family! Services Include Monday - Friday t1SFWFOUJWF.FEJDJOF BNUPQN 2810 W. Expy 83 t%JBCFUFT.BOBHFNFOU at N. Mile 2 W Rd. t8FJHIU-PTT "DSPTTGSPN.FE)JHI t8FMMOFTT&YBNT Mercedes, Texas t*NNVOJ[BUJPOT t4QPSUT.FEJDJOF (956) 734-9067 Walk-ins welcome! Minimal wait time! -30136635 A 116 • FOLIO Games to Watch the road this year with a renewed Can’t-miss focus on its passing attack. Rio Grande City at matchups Mission Veterans Friday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. around the First-year head coach Leo Mireles leads the Rio Grande City Rattlers against the defend- Valley in 2019 ing 16-5A DI champion Mission Veterans Patriots. The Rattlers are a team confident they can shake things up and compete with the Mission Veterans vs. big dogs in their 10-team district. Mission High Friday, Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m. McAllen Memorial at Kicking off Week 1 is The Battle Mission High of Conway as inner-city rivals Friday, Sept 27, 7:30 p.m. Mission Veterans and Mission This Week 5 matchup between High meet in non-district action the Eagles and Mustangs could at Tom Landry Stadium. The determine an early favorite in the Patriots and Eagles are 5-5 in their first week of district play. Both last 10 meetings, but Mission High teams have established running holds a 212-174. The Eagles took attacks led by Campbell Speights last year’s battle 24-12, but there and the two-headed monster of Tito are new starters at quarterback on Moronta and Andrew Maldonado. each side coming into this one. With two of the best defenses in Sophomore Jeremy Duran will District 30-6A, this clash could lead the Eagles against sophomore be determined by quarterback Ricky Reyna, who is taking place play between Mission’s fresh- of the graduated Landry Gilpin for faced sophomore Jeremy Duran the Patriots offense. Mission High and McAllen Memorial’s much- also beat Mission Veterans twice improved Joseph Lara. One thing over the summer in 7-on-7 action, is for certain, these two squads Photos by Delcia Lopez | [email protected] but now they’ll have to do it with should light up the scoreboard in a Above, former Mission High quarterback Damian Gomez breaks through the Mission Veterans defense on Aug. 31, pads on. Other Week 1 matchups good old fashioned shootout. to see include Brownsville Hanna 2018 at Tom Landry Stadium. Below, PSJA High receiver Marco Guajardo is brought down by PSJA North safety at McAllen Memorial and La Joya PSJA North vs. PSJA High Seven Sanchez on Oct. 5, 2018 at PSJA Stadium. Palmview at La Joya High. Friday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. This rivalry game will be one of Edinburg Vela at the fiercest throughout the Valley Sharyland Pioneer get together for Brownsville Hanna in 2019. The Raiders return one of their annual meeting. This game Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. the area’s top quarterbacks in Iziaah always seems to come with district A Week 2 meeting between two Rangel while the Bears transition title implications as the Rattlers teams who reached the third round quarterback Justin Morales back to win over the Diamondbacks last of the playoffs in 2018? Yes, please. the position from wide receiver. Both year handed Sharyland High the The SaberCats and Eagles are set should be true dual threat options in crown. A last-second field goal from to clash in non-district action for pass-happy offenses. Last year PSJA Sharyland High gave the Rattlers the second year in a row. Edinburg High and PSJA North were two of the a thrilling 38-37 win last season Vela prevailed 35-20 last season, top three defensive teams in District to take a 4-1 series lead against but this time, the SaberCats must 30-6A and played a 10-7 game in Pioneer in the Snakeskin Classic. go on the road into Brownsville favor of the Bears, but expect a shoot- It’s always a high-scoring affair Hanna’s house. out with plenty of big plays this time when these two get after it on the around. football field, and one should be no Edinburg Vela at different. McAllen Memorial Weslaco High at Edinburg Vela Friday, Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m. Brownsville Pace at Week 3’s Game of the Week will In last year’s game between the Mission Veterans be doozy when two of the Valley’s SaberCats and Panthers, Weslaco Thursday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m. winningest programs in the past High jumped out to a 7-0 lead, Mission Veterans is reloaded decade collide. The SaberCats but Edinburg Vela fought their way and out to defend its district title return one of the area’s high- back for a 17-7 win. These are the in 2019. One of their biggest chal- Weslaco East sets up to be must- Edinburg Vela at Weslaco East est scoring offenses and one of top two talented teams in 31-6A lengers will be Brownsville Pace see action. Two points separated Friday, Nov. 8 7:30 p.m. its stingiest defenses, while the as the winner will have the inside who has starting quarterback these teams the last time they Edinburg Vela blanked Weslaco Mustangs will enter this matchup track at claiming a district cham- Jose Banda back behind center. met as Weslaco High walked East last season 21-0, but Ramsey with one of the most prolific, high- pionship. Mission Veterans won last year’s away with the 23-21 victory. Vasquez and the Wildcats will be scoring offenses in the Valley and contest 48-35. Expect a slugfest each time the out to get their revenge. In the final a much improved defense. Vela Sharyland Pioneer vs. Panthers and Wildcats meet, week of the season, the SaberCats topped Memorial in one of the Sharyland High Weslaco High vs. Weslaco East especially late in the season with and Wildcats will go at it as Weslaco top non-district matches last sea- Friday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. district title and playoff implica- East hopes to take down the defend- son, but McAllen Memorial will It’s the fifth Snakeskin Classic A Week 10 rivarly game tions on the line. ing District 31-6A champions. be looking to avenge that loss on in Week 8 as Sharyland High and between Weslaco High and FOLIO • 7 WE SUPPORT THE McAllen High School BULLDOGS Moore Es Más 4900 N. 10th St. Suite F3 McAllen, Texas 78504 1-888-56-MOORE MA-30136631 8 • FOLIO 2019-2020 WESLACO EAST WILDCATS Good Luck COMMISSIONER PCT 1 Pol. Adv. pd. for by the David Fuentes Campaign, David Martin - Treasurer, PO Box 91, Weslaco, Texas 78599 to All Teams! FOLIO • 9 2019 RGV football schedule Cole, 7 p.m. Valley View at Roma, 7:30 p.m. District 16-5A D1 District 16-5A D1 Week 1 Friday, Sep. 13 District 30-6A PSJA Memorial at La Joya Palmview, 7 p.m. La Joya Palmview at Brownsville Lopez, 7:30 Thursday, Aug. 29 Non-District Games PSJA High at La Joya High, 7:30 p.m. Mission Veterans Memorial at PSJA p.m. Non-District Games Edinburg Economedes at Laredo LBJ, 7:30 McAllen High at McAllen Rowe, 7:30 p.m. Southwest, 7 p.m. Sharyland High at Brownsville Pace, 7 p.m. p.m. McAllen Memorial at Mission High, 7:30 p.m. District 30-6A WEEK 10 Flour Bluff at PSJA High, 7 p.m. Harlingen High at Converse Judson, 7:30 p.m. District 31-6A PSJA High at McAllen Rowe, 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 Edinburg Vela at Laredo United, 7 p.m. Santa Maria at Premont, 7:30 p.m. Weslaco East at Donna North, 7:30 p.m. District 31-6A District 16-5A D1 Friday, Aug. 30 La Villa at Santa Rosa, 7:30 p.m. Edinburg Economedes at Weslaco High, 7:30 Weslaco East at Edinburg North, 7 p.m. Rio Grande City at PSJA Southwest, 7 p.m. Non-District Games Raymondville at Lyford, 7:30 p.m. p.m. District 32-6A District 30-6A MMA at Santa Maria, 7:30 p.m.