Category: Week of Oct. 6-12, 2013

WEEKEND VOLLEYBALL REPORT: Holy Cross battles back to beat TMI in fifth game

East Central, Harlandale maintain second-place ties

HERE IS A LINK TO THE WEEKLY VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP ON THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/southside/news/article/Volleyball-roundup-for-Southside-Teams-4895234.php

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, East Central, Fox Tech, Harlandale, Holy Cross, Kennedy, Lanier, Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

Holy Cross (24-11, 4-4) lost the first two games Saturday to Texas Military Institute 25-19 and 25-14, but recovered to sweep the next three for a TAPPS District 3-4A win. The Knights salvaged the victory 25-21, 25-22, 15-11 at TMI.

Senior setter Mallory Ozuna led the way by averaging more than nine assists per game. She finished with a whopping 47 assists and also produced three service aces. Victoria Gonzalez added a team-high 14 kills/ Julia Ibarra contributed 19 digs.

Harlandale d. Kennedy 

The Indians (21-9, 7-2) ended a two-game losing streak with a 25-12, 25-12, 25-9 victory over Kennedy (6-20, 1-8) Friday at Harlandale in District 29-4A match.

Harlandale senior Catherine Silva finished with eight assists and five service aces. Freshman Alicia Garcia also dealt eight assists. Katie Neira added six kills, six digs and three aces. Sabrina Esparza also made six kills. Yolanda Garcia contributed three blocks.

The Rockets received five kills and two aces from Ashley Garza. Omni Garcia and Taylor Martinez each added four digs.

The Indians had lost to Floresville and Uvalde (18-17, 7-2) in their previous matches. They remained in a second-place tie with Medina Valley (19-16, 7-2) and Uvalde.

East Central d. Corpus Christi King

The Hornets (17-14, 4-1) held second place in District 29-5A with a three-game sweep of Corpus Christi King (12-15, 1-4) Friday at . Game scores were unavailable.

Brittany Campos led East Central with 23 digs and two aces. Sophomore Lindsey Lubianski and Kaylin Mills each recorded eight kills and .5 blocks. Danny Alvarez produced 17 assists and Alex Pena dealt eight. Madison Simon finished with eight digs.

Lanier d. Fox Tech

Junior Roseanna Perez led the Voks (8-20, 5-7) with five aces as they downed Fox Tech (10-29, 2-10) 25-21, 25-23, 25-19 Friday in District 28-4A match in the Buffaloes’ gym.

LeeAnna Martinez had eight kills and four blocks to lead Lanier. Samantha Ibarra dealt 10 assists. Sarah Chavez finished with three digs.

Senior Elisabeth Crane produced an outstanding all-around match for the Buffaloes with 15 kills, seven digs, three aces and three blocks. Ruby Chapa dished 22 assists and made nine digs. Valerie Villarreal notched 15 digs. Adelind-Iris Sifuentes made five digs. Ruby Zavala contributed five kills and two blocks. Defensively, Brianna Campos chipped in with seven digs.

Brackenridge d. YWLA  

The third-place Eagles (12-22, 8-3) defeated Young Women’s Leadership Academy 25-17, 25-27, 25-10 Friday for their third-consecutive District 28-4A victory.

Jolicia Shelton-Brown provided 12 kills, nine digs and two aces. Senior Miranda Flores dealt 26 assists and made four digs. Jacklynn Navarez added four digs and three aces. Darlene Jackson connected for eight kills. Kathy Sifuentes made a team-high 11 digs and served four aces. Alyssa Quiroz and Skyler Reyna each made seven digs. Reyna also served two aces.

YWLA statistics were not available.

FOOTBALL: Scott leads Southwest to 36-20 victory at South San in stellar season debut

Bobcats’ Zamarripa produces 165 receiving yards and two touchdowns

HERE IS A LINK TO THIS STORY ON THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/southside/news/article/Southwest-makes-a-winning-new-beginning-4895236.php

Southwest senior running back Nathaniel Scott played like he was making up for lost time in his first game action of the 2013 season Friday at South San Stadium.

Scott ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 27 attempts in leading the Dragons (3-3, 1-0) to a 36-20 victory over South San (2-4, 0-1). Southwest had lost its previous two games going into the District 28-5A opener, while the Bobcats had a two-game winning streak.

“We just got really determined,” Scott said. “We talked about this as a fresh start. It’s the beginning of district season and we came out here like we were 0-0.

“Obviously, we weren’t happy after our last game, but we’re proud now. This was a good start. Now we’ve just got to get ready for next week.”

Scott accounted for 22 points for the Dragons, including a pair of two-point conversion runs in the third quarter. Of the 10 Southwest ballcarriers, who ran for 361 yards, the 165-pound back made the biggest impact.

“He’s back,” Southwest coach Pete Wagner said. “He did a fantastic job, and the offensive line did a fantastic job. We have a very young offensive line. They’re starting to get it.”

South San was within 14-13 at halftime, but the Dragons scored the next three touchdowns.

“I just think we need to continue to improve,” South San coach Marcus Booker said. “I can’t be disappointed in my kids when they’re giving maximum effort. Southwest is a good football team.”

Southwest took control of a tight game by focusing on its running game, starting with the second-half kickoff.

The Dragons received the kickoff and drove down the field on eight running plays. Senior power back Bryan Donnell (31 yards, 4 carries) got the drive started with a 25-yard run.

The speedy Scott ran for 31 of the 53 yards, finishing it with a one-yard touchdown and tacking on the two-point conversion for a 22-13 lead.

“We wanted the offense to take it at them,” Wagner said. “It was just good blocking up front. We remembered how to block. That was something we struggled with in the first half.”

The Dragons overcame a holding penalty to complete the drive. Penalties helped to short-circuit Southwest’s offense in the first half. Wagner cited his team’s nine penalties for 85 yards as a big concern moving forward.

A sack by Southwest linebacker Efrain Mejia returned the ball to the Dragons at their 16, they drove to the Bobcats 39, where defensive end Kevin Ellis recovered a fumble.

South San was unable to capitalize on the break. Two plays later, Dragons defensive back Brandon Salinas produced an interception.

“The first drive hurt us,” Booker conceded, “but what hurt us more was that we weren’t able to finish drives. We got a turnover, and we weren’t able to take it in. They got a turnover and they were able to cash it in. That’s a 14-point swing right there.”

It only took Southwest three plays to score on a 24-yard sweep by junior Jon Cruz to the left side and hike their lead to 30-13 with 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

On the third play after the ensuing kickoff, Southwest intercepted South San again. Joshua Gloria reacted to a read in the right flat at the Dragons 44.

“It just hyped the whole team up,” Scott said. “I’m very proud of the way we played today.”

Scott got some extra carries because junior back Reilly Riggs was dinged up and had to sit out a couple of series. Riggs (73 yards, 12 attempts) was in the backfield to alternate carries with Scott throughout the third quarter. His 23-yard burst helped put Southwest in scoring position, but the Dragons were dealt a blow when Donnell was injured on the next snap.

The Dragons’ effectiveness running the ball set the Bobcats up for the pass. On just the second (and last) pass Southwest quarterback Bowen Crisp threw in the second half, he found Cody Johnson (45 yards, 2 catches) on a 31-yard route for a 23-point led with 9:34 to play.

The Bobcats cashed in a turnover for the game’s final touchdown. Cody Quiniones recovered a fumble at the Southwest 19 on a South San punt.

On the next play, backup quarterback Isaiah Gutierrez threw to senior Juan Zamarripa (165 yards, 7 receptions) for his second touchdown.

The Bobcats lost a fumble on their first play from scrimmage, leading to a three-yard touchdown by Scott. Zamarripa gave South San’s response after a teammate blocked a 33-yard field goal try on the last play of the opening quarter.

He streaked down the middle of the field to take a pass from Southwest transfer Darrin Tinajero (5 of 16, 142 yards) at the Dragons 35. Zamarripa’s long strides prevented Southwest’s pursuing defensive backs from getting close and he manufactured a 76-yard touchdown. South San trailed 7-6 just 56 seconds into the second quarter.

“Juan’s a great kid,” Booker said. “Give him the opportunity, and he’s going to make the catch. He’s a playmaker. We’ve got to get him the ball.”

South San’s other big offensive threat, back Christian Morales, never made it to the end zone Friday. He rushed for 228 yards against Central Catholic in the Bobcats’ previous game and was a target for the Dragons defense.

“We just did our assignments,” Wagner said. “Our defensive line is really starting to come through. We also tackled better in the second half. That’s something we had to clean up.”

Southwest’s new featured back struck one play after Zamarippa’s first touchdown. Scott went 65 yards on a sweep to increase the Dragons’ lead to 14-6.

“I had good blocking from my offensive line all night,” Scott said. “I had good blocking all night. They just told me, “Let’s go.’ When I turned the corner, I was going to break it all the way. I tried to flash my speed.”

Although Morales finished the game without a touchdown, he was quietly effective all night. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound senior gained 106 yards on 17 rushing attempts.

He appeared to be stopped at the Dragons 24 on South San’s third possession of the second quarter, but bounced outside and picked up 22 yards. The big play set up a one-yard sneak from Tinajero with 2:32 until the half.

“Christian has been running well,” Booker said, “and that’s partly because our offensive line has gotten so much better. You’re only as good as your offensive line.”

South San will play defending district champ Steele (5-1, 1-0) 7 p.m. Friday at Robert Lehnhoff Stadium in Cibolo. Southwest returns home to play East Central (3-3, 1-0) next Friday at 7:30 p.m.

While Scott’s return fortified the Dragons’ ground game, the likely loss of Donnell – who also is a linebacker, punter and, most of all leader, for Southwest – is a huge potential setback. The extent of his leg injury was not known.

“Brian will be a four-year letterman,” Wagner said. “He’s one of the best kids I’ve ever had the privilege to coach. He means a lot to the kids. He’s a rock. He’s been here for years. His freshman year, he scored a touchdown down there.”

Wagner pointed to the far end zone at South San Stadium.

FRIDAY FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Rockets knock Harlandale out of first place with 31-21 upset

East Central snaps three-game losing streak in district opener

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Central Catholic, East Central, Harlandale, Holy Cross, Kennedy, McCollum, Memorial, Southside.

Anyone who thought Kennedy’s playoff hopes in District 29-4A were shrinking needs to re-evaluate.

The Rockets (4-2, 1-2) may have dropped their first two district games, but they came back fighting and felled   previously undefeated Harlandale (5-1, 2-1) 31-21 Friday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium. What’s more, Kennedy led from the outset.

Kennedy scored one minute and one second into the game on a four-yard pass from sophomore Eric Lira (9 of 16, 120 yards) to big-play specialist Matthew Guzman (44 yards, 2 catches). It was just the Rockets’ second play of the game.

By the end of the first quarter, the Rockets led 21-0 and the Indians were in a hole that would prove difficult to dig out of. They got no closer than seven points.

The district has been nothing if not unpredictable so far.

Before the season, no one picked Uvalde (4-2, 3-0) to lead the pack, but the Coyotes have risen to the top. Harlandale fell into a three-way tie for second with Floresville and Medina Valley (both 4-2, 2-1). Kennedy is tied with McCollum and Memorial (both 4-2, 2-1) for fifth.

Of course, the top four finishers will qualify for the postseason after the next four weeks of potential craziness unfold.

Some of that seems to have taken place Friday.

Senior back Matthew Avalos (176 yards, 18 carries) scored the Rockets’ next two touchdowns on one-yard runs. The second followed a 74-yard run from Avalos.

Harlandale scored its first touchdown with 7:35 until halftime on a seven-yard pass from Brandon Ramon (12 of 31, 206 yards) to Eddie Pedroza.

The Rockets answered with an important touchdown at the 3:50 mark, scoring two plays after recovering an Indians fumble. A 15-yard pass from Lira to tight end Isaiah Garcia extended Kennedy’s lead to 28-7.

Harlandale pulled within 14 before halftime. Ramon scored on a two-yard run 42 seconds from intermission.

The Indians also struck first in the second half. Ramon threw 11 yards to Ian Martinez (110 yards, 4 receptions) to make it 28-21 with 5:43 remaining in the third quarter.

Kevin Garduno booted a clinching field goal for Kennedy 2:21 before the end.

Harlandale’s Nicholas Martinez ran for 52 yards.

The Indians will play Memorial next Friday at Mata Stadium (7 p.m.). Kennedy travels to Southside Friday for a 7 p.m. game.

East Central 31, Corpus Christi Carroll 28

Seemingly, nothing has come easily for the Hornets this year and Friday was no exception.

It took a spurt of 17 unanswered points for East Central (3-3, 1-0) to hold off a hungry Corpus Christi Carroll team that only won one District 28-5A game last year. Although the Tigers (1-4, 0-1) scored twice late in the contest, the Hornets held them off to end a three-game losing streak and win their district opener at East Central.

East Central broke a 14-14 tie with 7:36 remaining in the third quarter when New Mexico State commit Johnathan Jackson (102 yards, 23 carries) pounded the ball in from the one-yard line to record his third touchdown of the game.

The Hornets forged ahead by two touchdowns on a 95-yard pass play to Wanya Ward from quarterback Justin Upshaw-Mendoza late in the third quarter. Little more than two minutes later, Dennis Chavez belted a 37-yard field goal to give East Central a 31-14 advantage.

Carroll scored on a one-yard run from quarterback Jesse Jones (126 passing yards, 87 rushing yards) and a 24-yard pass to Chris Gutierrez from T.J. Kassner. Both touchdowns were scored in the last 2:33.

The teams traded touchdowns in the early going.

East Central struck first on a one-yard run from Jackson. Carroll’s top rusher, Noah Lisk, tied it with 3:50 remaining in the first quarter. The Hornets limited Lisk to five rushing yards and the Tigers to 233 total yards.

Jackson dashed 32 yards for East Central’s second touchdown with 10:19 left in the second quarter. The Tigers scored 2:08 before halftime on an eight-yard run from Jones.

Javion Polk added 57 yards on 15 carries) for East Central.

Holy Cross 48, San Marcos Academy 7

Holy Cross (4-2, 3-0) breezed to victory Friday in San Marcos and is one of three undefeated teams in TAPPS District 3-II, along with Austin Hyde Park Baptist and Austin Regents (both 6-0, 3-0).

Junior Greg Scott (145 yards, 13 carries) scored the Knights’ first four touchdowns as they rolled to 48 consecutive points. He returned the opening kickoff 77 yards for a touchdown. Scott scored on runs of one, two and eight yards by the 9:20 mark of the second quarter.

Jacob Rodriguez added a one-yard touchdown run to give Holy Cross a 34-0 halftime lead.

The Knights scored on a six-yard run by  quarterback Cisco Flores and a 15-yard run by Rudy Gonzalez (69 yards, 6 carries) in the second half.

San Marcos Baptist ended the shutout bid with an 85-yard run from Christian Wilson two minutes before the game concluded. Holy Cross limited the Bears to 140 total yards.

Brackenridge 34, Edison 7

The Eagles (4-3, 2-1) bounced back from a loss to district-leading Brennan with a commanding victory over Edison (2-4, 0-2) Friday at Wheatley Heights Sports Complex.

Brackenridge built a 21-0 halftime lead. Lee Undra Terrell (61 yards, 5 receptions) caught two touchdown passes and Jordan Beasley hauled in another to stake the Eagles to the lead.

As quarterback Ramon Richards sat out with an injury, his replacement Antonio Lopez completed eight of 14 passes for 139 yards and four touchdowns. Lopez also connected with Jonathan King on a 52-yard pass play  little more than two minutes into the second half.

Sophomore Josh Leal (97 yards, 9 attempts) accounted for Brackenridge’s final score with a four-yard run. Junior Trey Mathis led the Eagles with a career-high 186 rushing yards on 20 carries. Tyrus Mathis ran 11 times for 71 yards.

Edison scored on a 50-yard pass from Jonathan Hernandez (8 of 21, 144 yards) to Francisco Gomez (86 yards, 3 receptions). Gomez also ran for 31 yards.

Brackenridge outgained the Golden Bears 507-183 and its defense produced two interceptions.

Uvalde 41, McCollum 24

Uvalde (4-2, 3-0) scored two touchdowns in the last five minutes against a pesky McCollum team to assure itself of an undisputed District 29-4A lead Friday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium.

t McCollum (3-3, 1-2) had been matching the Coyotes’ touchdowns throughout the game and closed within 24-21 with 7:01 remaining in the game. Mike Ramirez (74 yards, 18 carries) found the end one on a 24-yard run. Uvalde scored a half-minute before. The 53-yard jaunt was the third touchdowns of the evening for Zach Sanchez (227 yards, 17 attempts).

The Coyotes pulled away with a nine-yard run from Marco Blanco (167 yards, 20 carries) and a 54-yard dash from Sanchez at the 1:42 mark.

Jeff Valdez (164 yards, 8 receptions) scored McCollum’s first two touchdowns, on receptions of 59 and 55 yards from Ralph Vidal (9 of 12, 180 yards). The Cowboys were within 21-17 at halftime, thanks to a 38-yard field goal from Guillermo Carrillo.

Vidal also rushed for 62 yards.

Uvalde gained 504 total yards to McCollum’s 352. The Coyotes ran for 411. The Cowboys completed 13 of 16 passes for 207.

Austin St. Michael’s 28, Central Catholic 17

Quarterback Reed Carlton ran for two touchdowns and passed for two in leading St. Michael’s (3-2, 1-0) to victory Friday at Bob Benson Stadium. Carlton passed for 203 yards and ran for 85 for the Crusaders, who scored the game’s first three touchdowns.

The Buttons (2-4, 0-1) answered with 17 consecutive points, but never made up the deficit St. Michael’s manufactured by the first 10 seconds of the second quarter. Jacob Rodriguez (85 yards, 17 carries) scored on a five-yard run, Justin Rodriguez kicked a 25-yard field goal and Joseph Nava (90 yards, 19 carries) added a one-yard scoring run.

Nava, Jacob Rodriguez and Jimin Suh (50 yards, 11 carries) combined for 225 rushing yards as Central Catholic outgained St. Michael’s 353-302 in total yards. Nava completed 13 of 25 passes for 128 yards. The Buttons had three turnovers while the Crusaders were error-free.

Carlton ran 29 yards for the clinching touchdown with 6:35 remaining in the game.

Floresville 41, Memorial 0

Playing without its star back Gilbert Ortiz didn’t slow down Floresville (4-2, 2-1). The Tigers ran for 473 yards Friday in a District 29-4A game at Frank Mata Stadium.

Memorial (3-3, 1-2) mustered 138 total yards, equally divided between running and passing.

Alex Mermea (150 yards, 7 carries) and Koby Wilkerson (116 yards, 9 carries) each rushed for more than 100 yards for the Tigers. Mermea and Kyle Bippert each ran for two touchdowns. Mermea scored on runs of 32 and 65 yards.

Dillon Gaither added 50 rushing yards and a touchdown for Floresville. Wilkerson also completed five of 11 passes for 103 yards.

Memorial junior Alfred Ramos threw for 69 yards. Manases Cano caught two passes for 37 yards.

Medina Valley 48, Southside 0

Bradley Griggs scored three touchdowns and David Olvera threw three touchdown passes leading the Panthers (4-2, 2-1) to a District 29-4A victory at Medina Valley.

Griggs (107 receiving yards, 82 rushing yards) gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead on a 45-yard pass from Olvera (9 of 13, 212 yards). He also scored on a 17-yard run and 31-yard reception.

Southside (0-6, 0-3) was limited to 28 rushing yards and 101 total yards. Cardinals quarterback Jake Ramos completed seven of 19 passes for 73 yards. Medina Valley gained 360.

Brennan 69, Burbank 0

Six Bears scored, led by quarterback Da’Shawn Key Friday in a District 28-4A game at the SAISD Sports Complex. Key ran for 88 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 200 yards with two scores as Brennan (7-0, 3-0) remained undefeated.

Alex Hill led Brennan with 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns on four carries. The Bears compiled 589 yards of total offense.

Burbank senior quarterback Daniel Tello finished with 31 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs gained just 54 yards.

FOOTBALL: Week 6 previews (Friday’s games)

FRIDAY

Austin St. Michael’s (2-2, 0-0) at Central Catholic (2-3, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.

Central Catholic has had a week to regroup from a 31-24 loss to South San and to prepare for their distant rivals from Austin St. Michael’s.

The Buttons led South San 17-10 early in the third quarter Sept. 27, but the Bobcats scored three of the last four touchdowns, including the game-winner with just 26 seconds remaining.

Central Catholic’s defense hadn’t allowed any points in six of the eight quarters prior to the South San game, but gave up 356 total yards and 295 rushing yards to the Bobcats. That should be of particular concern to the Buttons because St. Michael’s is primarily a running team, led by back Malcolm Postell and quarterback Reed Carlton.

The Crusaders have averaged 39 points a game offensively. They defeated San Antonio Christian 32-24 in the season opener.

Central Catholic unveiled back Jimin Suh against South San. He ran for 85 yards on 14 carries. That should help give balance to the Buttons’ offense, although quarterback Joseph Nava will need to bounce back from the South San game, in which he threw for just 49 yards.

A victory here won’t come easily, but would be a huge asset for a Central Catholic team that needs to establish consistency as it ventures into the TAPPS District 2-I season. 2012 score: Austin St. Michael’s 36, Central Catholic 29.

Brennan (6-0, 2-0) vs. Burbank (3-3, 2-0) at SAISD Sports Complex, 7:30 p.m.

Brennan’s 62-6 win over Brackenridge last Saturday didn’t offer much hope to the other SAISD teams in District 28-4A that have yet to face the Bears.

Burbank takes a two-game winning streak into their meeting with the district leader Friday. Senior Daniel Tello ran for 244 yards and passed for 146 in the Bulldogs’ 40-33 win over Jefferson last Friday. They rang up 534 total yards.

Tello likely will need support in Burbank’s running game from Tru Bradford Damien Gusme and Marcos Luna to be able to move the ball successfully against Brennan’s top-flight run defense. To set up Tello’s play action, that will be an essential element.

Brackenridge had the same approach against the Bears, No. 3 in the TexasHSFootball.com statewide Class 4A poll, last week, but weren’t able to implement it. An injury to Ramon Richards, who missed a couple of series but returned to action, didn’t help.

Brennan can score quickly, either with long runs or pass plays. When they wanted to run the clock against Brack, they sustained drives, too.

The Bears won the only game in the series last year. 2012 score: Brennan 63, Burbank 6.

Corpus Christi Carroll (1-4, 0-0) at East Central (2-3, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.

The Hornets have had a week to retool after dropping a 28-3 decision to previously winless New Braunfels Sept. 27. On paper, it seems like Corpus Christi Carroll is the perfect opponent for East Central’s return home and District 28-5A opener.

Carroll has only won two of its last 14 games.

That stat might be a bit misleading, though. The Tigers’ only win this year was a 38-14 victory Sept. 13 over  Gregory-Portland, a solid Class 4A team.

East Central is hoping to recover from a three-game losing streak, after winning its first two games this year. The Hornets were outscored 126-31 in losses to Brennan, Judson and East Central.

There’s a basis for comparison between Carroll and East Central. Judson defeated the Hornets 49-7 Sept. 20 and beat the Tigers 54-18 a week later.

East Central gained 254 total yards against the Rockets, while allowing 520. Carroll mustered 204 total yards against Judson’s defense and surrendered 403. Back Noah Lisk rushed for 83 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers.

The Hornets only mustered 151 total yards and threw for just 52 against a hungry New Braunfels team. Junior Joseph Gutierrez split quarterbacking duties with senior Jeremy Jones.

East Central has installed a new offense under first-year coach Clint Hartman. It didn’t really click during the non-district season. Hopefully for the Hornets, another week to work on the finer points will produce better results in their 28-5A debut. 2012 score: East Central 43, Corpus Christi Carroll 14.

Edison (2-3, 0-1) vs. Brackenridge (3-3, 1-1) at Wheatley Heights Sports Complex, 7:30 p.m.

Both teams will have a sense of urgency as they try to recover from Brennan aftershock.

Brennan was the last team to face each of them. In fact, the Bears ended two-game winning streaks in both cases.

Edison has had an extra week to recover.

In terms of playoff possibilities, Brackenridge-Edison isn’t quite a must-win game, but regaining the lost traction will be a priority for both teams.

Brackenridge scored its only points against Brennan on an 80-yard run from Trey Mathis late in the third quarter. The Eagles will count on a solid game from Mathis again, as well as a return to form from quarterback Ramon Richards, who got a bit dinged up against Brennan.

The Eagles will need to limit their turnovers. They’ve committed 13 in the last four games.

Edison, which gained just 65 total yards against the Bears, will need to re-establish its running attack with Andres Aguilar. The Golden Bears also will need a big game from quarterback Jonathan Hernandez. On the plus side, Edison was turnover-free against Brennan.

This one could come down to which defense is more effective.

Brack leads the series 14-11 and has won the last two games. 2012 score: Brackenridge 42, Edison 32.

Floresville (3-2, 1-1) vs. Memorial (3-2, 1-1) at Frank Mata Stadium, 7 p.m.

There will be an element of mystery on both sides of the field.

Floresville could be in uncharted waters if it doesn’t have standout running back Gilbert Ortiz available.  Ortiz was injured in the second half of the Tigers’ 28-17 loss to Harlandale last Friday and did not return.

In his absence, Floresville’s offense struggled to move the chains.

For Memorial, the question is how the Minutemen will respond to a 36-35 heartbreaking loss to McCollum last Thursday. The Cowboys scored the last 15 points.

Even if Floresville is without Ortiz, Memorial will need to play four solid quarters against the Tigers to have a chance for its third win in four games.

The Tigers’ ball-carrying duties will fall to Kyle Bippert and Travis Morales. Floresville quarterback  Koby Wilkerson also is a running threat. He’s also able to pass effectively, once the ground game is established.

The Minutemen will have an edge through the air with quarterback Alfred Ramos and receiver Manases Cano. Re-establishing the ground game behind Raul Rangel will be a key, after McCollum limited Memorial to 112 rushing yards. 2012 score: Floresville 49, Memorial 8.

Holy Cross (3-2, 2-0) at San Marcos Academy (0-5, 0-2), 7 p.m.

Holy Cross has been challenged in both of its first two TAPPS District 3-II opener, and found a way to win both.

This should be a less-strenuous test for the Knights, but then TMI didn’t seem to be on paper as it proved to be last Saturday in Holy Cross’ homecoming game. The Knights pulled out the 34-20 win on the strength of a 55-yard run by Greg Scott just before halftime and a 14-7 scoring advantage after halftime.

A week earlier, against San Antonio Christian, Holy Cross won the second-half scoring battle 15-7.

The Knights limited San Antonio Christian to 222 total yards, but gave up 402 last week. Continued improvement on the defensive side of the ball will be important if Holy Cross is to defend its district title.

Offensively, the Knights are playing very well. Greg Scott rushed for a season-high 232 yards and Cisco Flores added 162 against TMI.

San Marcos Academy has been overpowered in its first two district games, losing 56-7 to Austin Hyde Park last Friday and 41-0 to Austin Regents a week earlier. Offensively, the Bears have scored just 19 points this year. The touchdown against Hyde Park was their first since the opening week.

Bears quarterback Kyle Robbins is a run-pass threat. 2012 score: Holy Cross 34, San Marcos Academy 0.

Kennedy (3-2, 0-2) vs. Harlandale (5-0, 2-0) at Harlandale Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.

It’s Harlandale’s high-powered offense against Kennedy’s big play defense. Well, that’s half the equation in this District 29-4A match up, anyway. The strength-versus-strength half.

Brandon Ramon and the Indians’ offense have drawn so much attention, there hasn’t been much left over for Harlandale’s defense.

The Indians have given up 219 yards a game and an average of 12.3 points a game over the last three games. They’ve also forced eight turnovers during that span.

The Harlandale defense’s mission for Friday will be to keep Kennedy’s Matthew Avalos in check. The senior back is the key to the Rockets’ offense.

Matthew Guzman made final score close (34-26) against Medina Valley last Friday with a 13-yard touchdown reception and an 85-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter. The Rockets have been alternating Blade Alvarado and Eric Lira at quarterback.

Harlandale, No. 22 in the TexasHSFootball.com statewide Class 4A rankings, has the district’s best quarterback in Ramon. He confidently uses several receivers and back Nick Martinez gives the Indians a consistent ground game.

Kennedy’s best chance might be for its opportunistic defense to create turnovers, but Ramon has only thrown one interception this year to go with 12 touchdowns.

These teams have played since 1964, but very sporadically. In recent years, they’ve seldom been in the same district. Harlandale has won the last four games against Kennedy and leads the series 14-2-1. Kennedy hasn’t won in the series since 1984. 2012 score: Harlandale 35, Kennedy 7.

McCollum (3-2, 1-1) at Uvalde (3-2, 2-0), 7 p.m.

Ball control should be the name of the game, and McCollum demonstrated in its 36-35 win over Memorial last Friday that it’s ready and willing to play.

Uvalde also had something to prove last weekend. The Coyotes showed that they were able to throw when the situation called for it in a 45-14 win at Southside. They also had the look of a legitimate title contender in District 29-4A.

The Cowboys defeated Memorial with an impressive, sustained drive. To assemble long drives against Uvalde, they’ll have to do a better job of mixing passes in with their running attack. Sophomore back Mike Ramirez had all three receptions for McCollum.

On the plus side, both Ramirez and junior quarterback Ralph Vidal rushed for more than 100 yards for the first time.

Defensively, the Cowboys shut down Memorial’s running attack in the second half, limiting the Minutemen to 112 rushing yards. That should be good preparation for Uvalde.

The ground game still is the Coyotes’ bread and butter, even though Uvalde quarterback Jerry Almaraz is capable of mixing in passes when needed. They have big capability, scoring three times on plays of 50 or more yards (two runs, one pass) against Southside.

Uvalde totaled 522 yards and scored 32 points in the first half, but the Cardinals’ patchwork defense limited the Coyotes to 13 points after halftime. Defensively, they limited Southside to 233 yards and Kennedy to 121 in their previous game.

Getting on the board early could be a key factor for McCollum, especially so because Uvalde can be a tough place to play. 2012 score: McCollum 52, Uvalde 14.

Southside (0-5, 0-2) at Medina Valley (3-2, 1-1), 7 p.m.

Both teams have seen their share of injuries, so the outcome of Friday’s game may depend on who’s healthiest.

Medina Valley is coming off a 34-26 win over Kennedy last Friday, but the Rockets actually outgained the Panthers 318-315 in total yards. Medina Valley used Bradley Griggs as its featured back. The Panthers lost   leading rusher Nathan Stein a week earlier in a 33-14 loss to Harlandale.

Panthers quarterback David Olvera took to the air a little more often and had good results, completing 11 of 19 throws for 165 yards. Both Griggs and Devin Ogden had more than 100 reception yards.

That will be a concern for a Southside secondary that had four new starters against Uvalde because of injuries.

The Cardinals also had a non-injury-related wrinkle against the Coyotes. Senior Jake Ramos moved from reciver to quarterback to make his first start at that position.

Ramos threw for 144 yards, completing 11 of 20 passes. The change means that Southside will have both Timmy Rodriguez and Johnny Trevino carrying the ball, sometimes at the same time. Look for the Cardinals’ offense to be more effective Friday, with another week to work out the new dynamics.

Limiting turnovers will be a key for the Cardinals. 2012 score: Medina Valley 41, Southside 29.

Southwest (2-3, 0-0) at South San (2-3, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.

South San will be champing at the bit Friday, taking a two-game winning streak into the District 28-5A opener for the first time in recent memory.

The Bobcats defeated Burbank 20-7 Sept. 20 and came from behind to win 31-27 over Central Catholic 31-27 Sept. 27.

A couple of key offensive developments have helped South San get those wins, while giving it a more balanced attack.

Senior back Christian Morales has developed into a force. He rushed for 228 yards against Central Catholic.

Senior Darren Tinajero made his first start at quarterback for the Bobcats against Central Catholic. Tinajero completed eight of nine passes for 61 yards, including a 15-yard pass to senior Thomas Fonseca for the winning touchdown with just 26 seconds remaining.

The Buttons led South San 17-10 early in the third quarter Sept. 27, but the Bobcats scored three of the last four touchdowns for an impressive win.

Defensively, South San allowed just 48 yards against Burbank and 211 against Central Catholic.

Southwest, like the Bobcats, were idle last week. The Dragons undoubtedly used that time to make adjustments to an offense that didn’t quite jell during non-district season, despite showing some flourishes,

The Dragons have a two-game losing streak, albeit against two strong teams, since beating Lee 31-7 on Sept. 13. Brennan shut out Southwest 48-0 and New Braunfels Canyon won 36-7 in the next two weks.

Against Lee, the Dragons were turnover-free and limited the Volunteers to 136 total yards while gaining 328. Brian Donnell rushed for 153 yards and quarterback Bowen Crisp threw for 73.

The Dragons only allowed Brennan’s potent offense 211 total yards, but they gained just 93. Canyon mustered 316 yards, but Southwest finished with 102.

Re-asserting the running attack behind Donnell and Reilly Riggs will be important for the Dragons Friday. More important will be continued improvement in the passing game to give the backs more room to run.

Southwest leads the series 10-3. The Dragons have an eight-game winning streak. South San hasn’t won since seizing an overtime win in 1996. 2012 score: Southwest 49, South San 2.

FOOTBALL: Voks build winning streak with late touchdown against Jefferson

Mustangs can’t hold on to land first 2013 victory

Lanier assembled the long drives and manufactured the key plays when needed to record its second-consecutive win.

The Voks (2-4, 2-0) took the lead with a 15-play, 96-yard drive near the end of the first half. Then they rallied to regain it late in the District 28-4A game and produced a stop on Jefferson’s final possession for a 20-14 win at the SAISD Complex.

In the waning seconds of the first half, following Lanier’s go-ahead touchdown, a skirmish broke out on the field and a Lanier player was ejected.

“When that play happened,” Lanier coach Don Gatian said, “our guys were fired up. One of our guys got ejected, and I thought one of their guys should have been ejected.

“I’m going to fight for our guys. I believe in them.”

The Voks had taken a 12-8 lead with 59 seconds until halftime. Senior tight end Steven Horton scored on a 26-yard pass play from Nicholas Garcia. The touchdown capped a drive that consumed 7 minutes, 29 seconds. The drive enabled Lanier to double Jefferson’s time of possession in the half.

On the ensuing kickoff, tempers escalated. Despite some pushing and shoving, no further incidents occurred.

Jefferson (0-7, 0-3) wrestled the lead back with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter, following a fumble recovery by defensive end Troy Mendez on the Voks 16. The big defensive play temporarily stopped Lanier’s momentum as it was driving off a 59-yard interception return.

The Mustangs went ahead 14-12 on a screen pass to the right flat from Weston Redding (10 of 17, 205 yards), son of Jefferson coach Doyle Redding. Senior receiver D’Andre Melton turned the short pass into a 69-yard touchdown.

A 59-yard pass from Voks quarterback Nicholas Garcia  (11 of 21, 205 yards) to senior Rodrigo Garcia (83 yards, 3 receptions) set up the winning touchdown.

Lanier sophomore back Joe Orta (91 yards, 18 carries) scored on a four-yard run with 4:04 left in the game. The Voks quarterback dashed around left end to add the two-point conversion, giving Lanier a six-point lead.

Then it was up to Lanier’s defense to preserve it. The Voks stopped Jefferson at the 50-yard line and turned the ball over to the Voks’ offense to run  out the clock.

Jefferson’s defense forced a fourth-and-1 at the Mustangs 41. However, Orta rambled behind a block from fullback Stephen Veliz to the 28-yard line and a Jefferson penalty put the Voks inside the red zone.

“When we get inside of the 30, we’re in four-down territory,” Gatian said. “Our offensive coordinator made a great call, and we executed it.”

Jefferson was ahead 8-0 with 10:26 remaining in the first quarter. With the wind at his back, Redding connected with sophomore Phillip Hudspeth (61 yards, 3 receptions) for a 44-yard touchdown. Redding’s backup, senor Brian Febus threw to Jesse Brito for the two-point conversion.

Orta picked up a fourth-and-6 for Lanier on a screen pass from Nicholas Garcia. That put the Voks at the Jefferson 5. Veliz scored from there on the next play, pulling Lanier within 8-6 as the first quarter ended. 

FOOTBALL: Week 6 previews (Thursday’s game)

THURSDAY

Jefferson (0-6, 0-2) vs. Lanier (1-4, 1-0) at SAISD Sports Complex, 7 p.m.

These teams have split their last four meetings, which somehow seems appropriate because either team seems capable of winning this 34th renewal of a series that began in 1972.

Lanier has to rate as the favorite, after breaking through to the win column last Friday against Highlands (21-8). A couple of important developments helped the Voks snare their first 2013 win: 1) The defense, which had struggled in Lanier’s non-district games limited Highlands to 181 total yards. 2) Joe Orta emerged as a ballcarrier, rushing for 94 yards.

The Voks defense caught a break because Owls quarterback Jordan DeLuna didn’t play, but the yardage allowed still was impressive and the confidence boost will carry over to Friday’s game. Lanier didn’t allow Highlands to establish a passing threat. Almost all of the Owls yardage came on the ground, yet they only averaged a still-managable 6.0 yards per carry.

Offensively, Lanier has improved as quarterback Nicholas Garcia has gained experience. Orta’s development means that teams can no longer key on Stephen Veliz. With a solid ground game, senior Rodrigo Garcia caught seven passes for a season-best 140 yards.

Jefferson also has been improving recently as it gears up, potentially, for its first win of the season.

A confident Burbank team defeated the Mustangs 40-33 last Friday, holding off a furious comeback by Jefferson. The Mustangs scored 27 of the last 42 points in the game.

Senior quarterback Brian Febus passed for 124 yards in his first significant playing time of the season. Receiver D’Andre Melton caught five passes for 141 yards in his best game this year. Those performances, coupled with 96 rushing yards from sophomore Jesse Flores (which increased his season total to 676), gave the Mustangs more balance than they’d shown in previous games.

Jefferson’s defense still is allowing more than 40 points a game this year. If it’s offense is cooking, it might not need to keep the Voks too far under that number to come up with a victory.

Four of the last five Jefferson-Lanier games have been decided by 10 points or fewer. The Mustangs lead the series 25-8. 2012 score: Jefferson 31, Lanier 21.

MID-WEEK VOLLEYBALL REPORT: Edison outlasts determined YWLA for five-game win

Southwest digs itself out of deficit to beat Corpus Christi King

TEAMS INCLUDED: Burbank, East Central, Edison, Fox Tech, Highlands, Jefferson, McCollum, South San, Southside, Southwest, Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

Young Women’s Leadership Academy (2-28, 0-11) got off to a strong start Wednesday at Lanier, winning the first two District 28-4A games 26-24 and 25-22 over fifth-place Edison (10-22, 6-4), but the Cardinals weren’t able to hang on for their first district victory of the season. The Golden Bears recovered to win 25-17, 25-13, 15-6.

Edison was led by senior Karen Guerrero with 17 kills, sophomore Marissa Cortinas with 24 assists and senior Juanita Gomez with 19 digs. Elizza Torres, Kalani Wood and freshman Liann Mayen all made four blocks. Amy Marcos served three aces.

Junior Sabrina Cantu pounded 14 kills for YWLA. Tatianna Sorwell recorded seven aces. Junior Alejandra Ramirez hustled for 24 digs. Karease Williams dealt 16 assists for the Cardinals.

Southwest d. Corpus Christi King

Southwest (13-21, 2-2) lost the first two games Tuesday at Corpus Christi King (12-14, 1-3). The Dragons then fought through the next two games to even the District 28-5A match at 2-2. The last game, though, was a breeze for Southwest.

The Dragons stomped the Mustangs 15-4 in the fifth game. King jumped to a 25-21, 25-22 advantage. Southwest stayed alive with 26-24 and 25-18 wins in Games 3 and 4.

Senior Kamerie Vidales led the Dragons with 16 kills and three blocks. Zoe Marin made 21 digs and Brandy Martinez added 13. Lindsey Calderon recorded seven kills. Kassandra Cruz contributed a team-best four blocks.

Highlands d. Fox Tech

The Owls (16-19, 9-2) bounced back from a loss to first-place Brennan Friday to defeat the Buffaloes (10-28, 2-9) 25-21, 25-17, 25-14 Tuesday in a District 29-4A match at Highlands.

The second-place Owls were led by Analisa Garza with 18 assists and two service aces. Emily Pearce made 17 digs. Jazmine Jackson recorded eight kills.

Fox Tech received eight kills, nine digs and two blocks from Ruby Zavala. Carla Ponce chipped in with five kills, five digs and two aces. Ruby Chapa added 16 assists and seven digs. Valerie Villarreal provided a team-high 20 digs. Elizabeth Narezo finished with nine digs and four kills. Adelind-Iris Sifuentes made eight digs.

East Central d. South San

The Hornets (16-14, 3-1) claimed a 25-21, 25-14, 25-19 sweep Tuesday at South San (12-13, 0-4) in District 28-5A. 

Lindsey Lubianski and Nichole West each slammed six kills for East Central. Kaylin Mills served four aces and made 1.5 blocks. Brandi Campos finished with 18 digs. Danny Alvarez dealt nine assists.

Senior Kimberly Tobias led the Bobcats with 21 digs. Rebekah Rodriguez distributed nine assists. Giselle Mata served four aces for South San. Angel Salazar made six kills. Kaitlyn Serna added two blocks.

McCollum d. Southside

The Cowboys (9-19, 4-4)  notched their third-consecutive win Tuesday, defeating Southside (5-22, 1-7) in 25-14, 25-15, 25-21 the Cardinals’ gym. The win put McCollum securely in fifth place in 29-4A.

Danielle Saldivar and Neyda Sanchez led McCollum with 10 kills apiece. Sanchez also added two blocks. Jasmine Cordova served five aces and made 25 digs. Erin Stinnett distributed 14 assists.

Southside statistics were not available.

Jefferson d. Burbank

The Mustangs (19-9, 7-3) defeated Burbank (7-21, 2-9) 25-23, 26-24, 25-9 Tuesday in a 28-4A match at Jefferson.

Junior Gabby Vasquez led Jefferson with nine kills and 17 digs. Courtney Garcia dealt 14 assists. Emerald Arenas recorded two blocks. Cecilia Campos served two aces.

Alejandra Martinez led Burbank with 29 digs. Antwainsha Riddle put down five blocks. Leticia Gomez added seven assists. Jenna Villanueva contributed seven kills. 

TUESDAY VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Southwest wears down Corpus Christi King in Game 5

East Central, Highlands sweep way to district wins

TEAMS INCLUDED: Burbank, East Central, Fox Tech, Highlands, Jefferson, McCollum, South San, Southside, Southwest.

Southwest (13-21, 2-2) lost the first two games Tuesday at Corpus Christi King (12-14, 1-3). The Dragons then fought through the next two games to even the District 28-5A match at 2-2. The last game, though, was a breeze for Southwest.

The Dragons stomped the Mustangs 15-4 in the fifth game. King jumped to a 25-21, 25-22 advantage. Southwest stayed alive with 26-24 and 25-18 wins in Games 3 and 4.

Senior Kamerie Vidales led the Dragons with 16 kills and three blocks. Zoe Marin made 21 digs and Brandy Martinez added 13. Lindsey Calderon recorded seven kills. Kassandra Cruz contributed a team-best four blocks.

Highlands d. Fox Tech

The Owls (16-19, 9-2) bounced back from a loss to first-place Brennan Friday to defeat the Buffaloes (10-28, 2-9) 25-21, 25-17, 25-14 Tuesday in a District 29-4A match at Highlands.

The second-place Owls were led by Ruby Zavala with eight kills, nine digs and two blocks. Carla Ponce chipped in with five kills, five digs and two aces. Ruby Chapa added 16 assists and seven digs. Valerie Villarreal provided a team-high 20 digs. Elizabeth Narezo finished with nine digs and four kills. Adelind-Iris Sifuentes made eight digs.

Fox Tech statistics were unavailable.

East Central d. South San

The Hornets (16-14, 3-1) claimed a 25-21, 25-14, 25-19 sweep Tuesday at South San (12-13, 0-4) in District 28-5A. 

Lindsey Lubianski and Nichole West each slammed six kills for East Central. Kaylin Mills served four aces and made 1.5 blocks. Brandi Campos finished with 18 digs. Danny Alvarez dealt nine assists.

Senior Kimberly Tobias led the Bobcats with 21 digs. Rebekah Rodriguez distributed nine assists. Giselle Mata served four aces for South San. Angel Salazar made six kills. Kaitlyn Serna added two blocks.

McCollum d. Southside

The Cowboys (9-19, 4-4)  25-14, 25-15, 25-21 third-consecutive win Southside (5-22, 1-7) in the Cardinals’ gym. Fifth place 29-4A

Danielle Saldivar and Neyda Sanchez led McCollum with 10 kills apiece. Sanchez also added two blocks. Jasmine Cordova served five aces and made 25 digs. Erin Stinnett distributed 14 assists.

Southside statistics were not available.

Jefferson d. Burbank

The Mustangs (19-9, 7-3) defeated Burbank (7-21, 2-9) 25-23, 26-24, 25-9 in a 28-4A match at Jefferson.

Junior Gabby Vasquez led Jefferson with nine kills and 17 digs. Courtney Garcia dealt 14 assists. Emerald Arenas recorded two blocks. Cecilia Campos served two aces.

Alejandra Martinez led Burbank with 29 digs. Antwainsha Riddle put down five blocks. Leticia Gomez added seven assists. Jenna Villanueva contributed seven kills. 

VOLLEYBALL: This week’s schedule/results (Oct. 6-12)

NOTE: teams we cover are in boldface

Matches of Oct. 6-12

Tuesday’s results

VOLLEYBALL

District 28-5A

Steele (20-15, 4-0) 3, Corpus Christi Carroll (14-12, 2-2) 0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-16)

Southwest (13-21, 2-2) 3, Corpus Christi King (12-14, 1-3) 2 (21-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-4)

East Central (16-14, 3-1) 3, South San (12-13, 0-4) 0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-19)

District 28-4A

Brennan (29-3, 11-0) 3, Lanier (7-20, 4-7) 0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-10)

Jefferson (19-9, 7-3) 3, Burbank (7-21, 2-9) 0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-9)

Highlands (16-19, 9-2) 3, Fox Tech (10-28, 2-9) 0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-14)

District 29-4A

Floresville (20-14, 7-1) 3, Kennedy (6-19, 1-7) 0 (25-6, 25-14, 25-13)

Uvalde (17-17, 6-2) 3, Harlandale (20-9, 6-2) 1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-13, 25-16)

McCollum (9-19, 4-4) 3, Southside (5-22, 1-7) 0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-21)

Medina Valley (18-16, 6-2) 3, Memorial (10-21, 1-7) 0 (25-15, 25-8, 25-18)

District 28-3A

LaVernia (18-16, 4-0) 3, Hawkins (4-16 ???, 0-4) 0

Pleasanton (18-9, 3-1) 3, Poteet (1-18 ???, 0-4) 0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-17)

Somerset (17-7 ???, 3-1) 3, Sam Houston (18-10, 2-2) 0 (25-12, 25-4, 25-21)

TAPPS District 3-4A

Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (???) 3, Holy Cross (23-11, 3-4) 0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-17)

San Antonio Christian (5-12???, 0-3 ???) at Cornerstone Christian (???), 6 pm.

TMI (13-14???, 2-1???) 3, San Marcos Academy (???) 0 (25-6, 25-16, 25-9)

Victoria St. Joseph (???) 3, Austin Regents (???) 0 (game scores unavailable)

Wednesday’s results

District 28-4A

Edison (10-22, 6-4) 3, Young Women’s Leadership Academy (2-28, 0-11) 0 (24-26, 22-25, 25-17, 25-13, 15-6)

TAPPS District 2-5A

Antonian (26-14, 7-1) 3, Incarnate Word (20-9, 8-1) 2 (25-22, 21-25, 25-13, 22-25, 15-13)

St. Anthony (16-11, 4-3) 3, Providence (10-17, 2-5) 0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-12)

Thursday’s results

VOLLEYBALL

TAPPS District 3-4A

Victoria St. Joseph (30-4, 7-0) 3, Austin Hyde Park Baptist (10-14, 6-1) 0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-9)

TAPPS District 2-5A

St. Anthony (15-11, 3-3) at Austin St. Michael’s (15-7, ???), 7 p.m. (re-scheduled for Oct. 19)

Friday’s results

VOLLEYBALL

District 28-5A

East Central (17-14, 4-1) 3, Corpus Christi King (12-15, 1-4) 0 (game scores unavailable)

South San (12-13, 0-4) at Corpus Christi Carroll (15-11, 3-1), 7 p.m. (scores unavailable)

Steele (21-15, 5-0) 3, Southwest (13-22, 2-3) 0 (25-18, 25-13, 26-24)

District 28-4A

Highlands (17-19, 10-2) 3, Edison (10-23, 6-5) 1 (14-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-12)

Brennan (30-3, 12-0) 3, Jefferson (19-10, 7-4) 0 (25-13, 25-12, 25-20)

Lanier (8-20, 5-7) 3, Fox Tech (10-29, 2-10) 0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-19)

Brackenridge (12-22, 8-3) 3, Young Women’s Leadership Academy (2-29, 0-12) 0 (25-17, 27-25, 25-10)

District 29-4A

Floresville (21-14, 8-1) 3, Memorial (10-22, 1-8) 0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-17)

Harlandale (21-9, 7-2) 3, Kennedy (6-20, 1-8) 0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-9)

Uvalde (18-17, 7-2) 3, McCollum (9-20, 4-5) 0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-18)

Medina Valley (19-16, 7-2) 3, Southside (5-23, 1-8) 0 (25-6, 25-17, 25-9)

District 28-3A

Hawkins (4-16 ???, 0-4) at Poteet (1-17???, 0-4), 5:30 p.m. (scores unavailable)

LaVernia (18-16, 4-0) 3, Sam Houston (18-11, 2-3) 0 (25-10, 25-15,  25-15)

Somerset (18-7 ???, 4-1) 3, Pleasanton (18-10, 3-2) 1 (25-22, 25-21, 12-25, 26-24)

Saturday’s results

TAPPS District 2-5A

Antonian (25-14, 6-1) 3, Laredo St. Augustine (???) 0 (25-7, 25-4, 25-8)

Antonian (26-14, 7-1) 3, Laredo St. Augustine (???) 0 (25-8, 25-5, 25-12)

Providence (10-17, 2-5) at Austin St. Michael’s (15-7, ???), 1 p.m. (scores unavailable)

St. Anthony (16-11, 4-3) at Corpus Christi John Paul II (???), 1 p.m. (scores unavailable)

TAPPS District 3-4A

Cornerstone Christian (???) at San Marcos Academy (???), 11 a.m. (scores unavailable)

Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (???) at San Antonio Christian (5-12???, 0-3 ???), noon (scores unavailable)

Holy Cross (24-11, 4-4) 3, TMI (13-15???, 2-2???) 2 (19-25, 14-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-11)

VOLLEYBALL: Young Hornets learning to win, despite setback in Steele showdown

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THIS STORY ON THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/southside/news/article/Volleyball-roundup-4876819.php

East Central’s young team has kept improving throughout the season to the point that the timing for a big test against a district favorite couldn’t have been better.

“I’m a firm believer that there are four stages to building a team,” first-year East Central coach Todd Dorgan said. “First they have to be able to compete. Then they have to learn how to win. Then they have to win consistently. Finally they have to be able to handle (the pressure that comes with) winning.

“They’ve definitely learned how to compete and they know how to win. They know what it takes to work through (adversity). They know they have to be on their ‘A’ game.”

East Central had won its first two District 28-5A matches over Corpus Christi Carroll (14-11, 2-1) and Southwest (12-21, 1-2). That set up a showdown with Steele (19-15, 3-0) last Friday  at East Central’s Stan Bonewitz Center The Hornets (15-14, 2-1) entered the match tied with Steele for first place. Although the Knights prevailed 25-22, 25-19, 25-15, the Hornets are aware of what they need to continue working on for the Oct. 22 rematch at Steele.

“Steele does a very good job of taking care of things on its side of the net,” Dorgan said. “They don’t beat themselves, and they put a lot of pressure on us. We have to realize that, if we’re going to beat them, we’re probably going to have to beat them in five (games) in sets of five points or less.

“We have to have that mindset going in. We have to come out of our blocks with a little more explosion and press them over the net. If they’re the district favorite, we have to realize we’re probably going to have to go five, and they’re going to be tough sets.” East Central’s roster is comprised of eight juniors, three seniors and two sophomores. Many of the upperclassmen gained experience last year under coach Robin Wunderlich, who is now coaching Clemens.

The leadership duties are split between much improved senior outside hitter-middle blocker Lisa Lopez, junior all-district libero Brandi Campos and versatile junior Nichole West.

“Brandi flies around the court, chasing loose balls. She always plays hard and hustles hard,” Dorgan said. “Nichole plays all around. She’s our top and she’s very explosive at the net. Lisa is our emotional leader. There’s an instant energy (surge) when she steps on the court.” Campos led East Central with 31 digs while West contributed 10 kills and 19 digs against Southwest. The Hornets pulled out a 27-25, 28-26, 25-27, 16-25, 15-12 win Oct. 1 at Southwest.

“We won the first two games and I think we were behind in both, but we knew when to start working and competing for every point” Dorgan said. “In the third game, we were up something like 18-10, but we didn’t close it out. In the fourth set, we were just kind of there. In the fifth game, I told them, “It’s all about how we want to finish out.’ ” The Hornets get contributions from setters Danny Alvarez (11 digs, 8 assists vs. Steele) and Alex Pena (5 assists). Although East Central can get a more or less equal distribution of kills from any of the three front-court positions, the best weapon is senior outside hitter Madison Simon (6 kills).

“The beautiful thing about Madison is that when she’s able to take take over a match,” Dorgan said, “when she decides she wants to. She can really take over.

“When we’re clicking, we legitimately have six girls – we’re not talking Destinee Hooker-esque – but six girls who can terminate a play.”

Dorgan plans on defense being the core element of his program.

“They’re understanding what we want from them (defensively),” he said. “They’re recovering and compensating, and taking away the shots we need them to take away.” Dorgan ran the offseason program as a Hornets assistant, which he finds has eased the transition to replacing Wunderlich. He’s been impressed by the resiliency his team has developed during the season, in addition to the degree of its improvement.

“We were down all three sets against Carroll. Last year, I don’t know it that’s a match we would have won,” he said. “It’s not because of the girls having a different coach. Maybe it’s because the girls are starting to believe in themselves.”

East Central plays at 7 p.m. Tuesday at South San (12-12, 0-3) and returns to the Bonewitz Center for a 7 p.m. match against Corpus Christi King (12-13, 1-2).

WEEKEND VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Brackenridge tough when needed in three-game win over Edison

McCollum wins second match of week as Harlandale falls in 29-4A

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, East Central, Edison, Fox Tech, Harlandale,  Holy Cross, Jefferson, Lanier, McCollum, Memorial, Sam Houston, Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

HERE’S A LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEEKLY VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/southside/news/article/Volleyball-roundup-4876819.php

Brackenridge (11-22, 7-3) eked out the first game and finished strong to win 25-22, 25-14, 17-25, 25-13 Friday at Edison (9-22, 5-4).

The victory moved the Eagles ahead of idle Jefferson (18-9, 6-3) into third place in District 28-4A.

In other volleyball Friday, three teams incurred their first district losses. In 29-4A, Floresville ended Harlandale’s 10-match winning streak, 25-18, 26-28, 18-25, 26-24, 15-13. In 28-5A, Steele defeated East Central 25-22, 25-19, 25-15 in another battle for first place. In 28-3A, Pleasanton defeated Sam Houston 25-18, 25-6, 23-25, 29-27.

For Brackenridge, senior Miranda Flores distributed 28 assists. Darlene Jackson hammered 11 kills. Jacklynn Nevarez served four aces. Ana DeLeon made three blocks. Kathy Sifuentes added 13 digs.

Fifth-place Edison received 15 digs from Juanita Gomez. Marissa Cortinas dealt 15 assists. Karen Guerrero finished with nine kills and two aces. Kalani Woods put down three blocks.

Lanier d. Burbank

Like Brackenridge, Lanier (7-19, 4-6) made some movement in the 28-4A standings Friday at Burbank. The Voks pulled off a surprising sweep of Burbank (7-20, 3-8) 25-18, 25-23, 25-19, which vaulted them past the Bulldogs into sixth place in the district.

For the Voks, LeeAnna Martinez manufactured six kills and seven blocks. Samantha Ibarra had a team-high 14 assists. Defensively, Emily Huerta finished with eight digs. Sarah Chavez served two aces.

Burbank had a big hitting and blocking game from senior Jenna Villanueva, who totaled seven kills and seven blocks. Alejandra Martinez recorded 19 digs. Leticia Gomez added 12 assists.

McCollum d. Memorial

The Cowboys (8-19, 3-4) won their second match of the week, defeating Memorial (10-20, 1-6) 25-20, 25-8, 25-16 Friday after winning by a similar score over Kennedy on Tuesday. Both matches were at McCollum.

Senior Jasmine Cordova had her second-straignt outstanding match for McCollum, recording 15 digs and seven aces. Danielle Saldivar finished with eight kills. Erin Stinnett dealt 13 assists. Neyda Sanchez added two  blocks for the fifth-place Cowboys, who began the week with a four-match losing streak.

Memorial was led by Miranda Puente with three blocks. Larissa Lopez served three aces. Defensive specialist Jatziry Duarte chased down 11 digs.

Fox Tech d. YWLA

The Buffaloes (10-27, 2-8) defeated Young Women’s Leadership Academy (2-27, 0-10) 25-20, 25-15, 25-16 Friday at Fox Tech.

Senior Ruby Chapa dealt 19 assists, made three digs and served  two aces to lead Fox Tech. Elisabeth Crane produced 11 kills and five digs. Valerie Villarreal hustled to make 16 digs. Elizabeth Narezo played a solid all-around match with four aces, four kills and five digs. Ruby Zavala contributed six kills and two blocks. 

YWLA statistics were not available.

Floresville d. Harlandale

The Jaguars (19-14, 6-1) ascended to a first-place tie with Harlandale by virtue of their win Friday at the Indians’ gym.

The Indians were on the verge of closing out the match in Game 4, but Floresville held them off to pull out a key 26-24 win. With the match tied, the  Jaguars prevailed 15-13 in the decisive game.

Harlandale had a strong hitting performance in the loss, led by 16 kills from Katie Neira and 14 from Cera Cerda. Jackie Espinoza and Madaline Mendez (2 blocks) each blasted nine kills. Yolanda Garcia chipped in with five, to go with a team-best three blocks.

Neira also contributed five digs and three aces. Cerda added digs, which was second to Sierra Sandoval’s 17 for Harlandale. Sandoval also led the Indians with four aces while junior Erika Arredondo (2 blocks) served three.

Freshman Alicia Garcia led Harlandale with 20 assists and added six digs. Catherine Silva made 19 assists to go with four digs.

Pleasanton d. Sam Houston

The Hurricanes (18-9, 2-1) lost their claim on first place in District 28-3A  Friday, falling 25-18, 25-6, 23-25, 29-27 to the Eagles (17-9, 2-1) at Sam Houston.

Six-foot-3 junior Karisma Mitchell pounded a remarkable 22 kills in a losing effort for Sam Houston, which tried valiantly to overcome a slow start. Rita Davis contributed 15 assists and two aces. Tashonna Williams led the Hurricanes with 11 digs.

Steele d. East Central

Steele (19-15, 3-0) swept the Hornets (15-14, 2-1) to take possession of first place in District 28-5A Friday at the Stan Bonewitz Center. 

The loss dropped into East Central in a second-place tie with Corpus Christi Carroll (14-11, 2-1). The Hornets had won their previous four matches.

Senior setter Danny Alvarez led East Central with 11 digs and eight assists. Brandi Campos had a team-best 13 digs. Madison Simon pounded six kills. Alex Pena added five assists. Junior Nichole West served two aces.

Chloe Cavazos led the Knights with 13 kills.

FOOTBALL: Undefeated Uvalde pounces on Southside for 45-14 victory

Ramos makes QB debut for winless Cardinals

PLEASE RETURN TO THIS STORY TUESDAY FOR A LINK TO THE SAME STORY ON THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/southside/news/article/Uvalde-thrashes-Southside-4876540.php

Uvalde (3-2, 2-0) blitzed the host Cardinals (0-5, 0-2) with 32 first-quarter points on the way to a 45-14 District 29-4A victory Frday at Southside.

The Coyotes, who are tied with Harlandale for first place in the district, scored five touchdowns in the quarter, and each of them covered more than 20 yards. They finished with 522 total yards.

Uvalde took advantage of a patchwork Southside secondary. The Cardinals sent four defensive backs who were backups at the start of the season against a Coyotes team that is known for its running attack.

“They took advantage of our depleted secondary,” Southside coach Paul Haberer said. “We’ve had one starter out for a couple of games, then we lost the other three (Sept. 27) against Memorial.

“It took some time for those young kids to step up. It just took them a while to get up to game speed.”

Uvalde opened the scoring with a 50-yard run just 52 seconds into the game. About three minutes later, Max Buysee caught a pass from Jerry Almaraz (16 of 28, 200 yards) for a 66-yard touchdown. Trae Garcia (105 yards, 8 receptions) added a 22-yard touchdown catch with 5:28 left in the first quarter.

The Coyotes also scored on a 32-yard interception return and a 62-yard run from Marco Blanco (124 yards, 6 carries) before the quarter ended.

“We strung together three good quarters against Uvalde,” Haberer said. “We’re looking for consistency. When we put together four quarters, I think we’ll be a successful team.”

The Coyotes increased their lead to 38 points before Southside scored its first touchdown.

Sophomore Johnny Trevino, who shifted from quarterback to running back, reached the end zone on a one-yard dive 13 seconds before the end of the third quarter. Trevino’s place at quarterback was taken by  senior Jake Ramos.

Ramos and Trevino had battled for the quarterback job in the preseason. When Trevino earned the start, Ramos returned to wide receiver, where he had played in 2012.

In his new role, Ramos completed 11 of 20 passes for 144 yards.

“Jake did well,” Haberer said. “He made a couple of mistakes early, but for his first quarterback experience at the varsity level, he did a pretty good job.”

The Cardinals were without nine starters against the Coyotes because of injuries.

Southside has been besieged by injuries since before the season began.  Aaron Porras who gained 592 rushing yards as a 2012 starting back won’t play this season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

In Porras’ absence, sophomore Timmy Rodriguez (64 yards, 15 carries) has developed into a reliable back.

“Timmy has really stepped up and done a nice job,” Haberer said.

With Trevino moving to the backfield, Southside was able to lighten Rodriguez’s load. Following another Uvalde touchdown, Rodriguez scored for the Cardinals on a three-yard run with exactly five minutes remaining in the game.

“This will give us another option out of the backfield instead of just Timmy,” Haberer said. “I think it’s going to help make us better.”

Southside (0-5, 0-2) will travel to Medina Valley (3-2, 1-1) for a 7 p.m. game Friday. The Panthers defeated Kennedy 34-26 Friday.

“They’re doing some good things,” Haberer said of the Panthers. “They’re learning a new system under a new coach. They’re making the transition and they’re coming off a good game this week.”

FOOTBALL: Week 6 results (complete)

NOTE: teams we cover are in boldface

Games of Oct. 10-12

Thursday’s game

FOOTBALL

District 28-4A

Lanier (2-4, 2-0) 20, Jefferson (0-7, 0-3) 14

Friday’s games

FOOTBALL

District 28-5A

East Central (3-3, 1-0) 31, Corpus Christi Carroll (1-5, 0-1) 28

Steele (5-1, 1-0) 49, Corpus Christi King (2-4, 0-1) 20

Southwest (3-3, 1-0) 36, South San (2-4, 0-1), 20

District 28-4A

Brennan (7-0, 3-0) 69, Burbank (3-4, 2-1) 0

Brackenridge (4-3, 2-1) 34, Edison (2-4, 0-2) 7

District 29-4A

Floresville (4-2, 2-1) 41, Memorial (3-3, 1-2) 0

Kennedy (4-2, 1-2) 31, Harlandale (5-1, 2-1) 21

Uvalde (4-2, 3-0) 41, McCollum (3-3, 1-2) 24

Medina Valley (4-2, 2-1) 48, Southside (0-6, 0-3) 0

District 28-3A

La Vernia (6-1, 1-0) 32. Pleasanton (6-1, 0-1) 26

Somerset (5-1, 1-0) 44, Poteet (1-6, 0-1) 0

TAPPS District 2-I

Antonian (5-1, 1-0) 52, Corpus Christi John Paul II (0-6, 0-1) 0

Austin St. Michael’s (3-2, 1-0) 28, Central Catholic (2-4, 0-1) 17

TAPPS District 3-II

Austin Hyde Park Baptist (6-0, 3-0) 56, Cornerstone Christian (2-4, 0-3) 7

Holy Cross (4-2, 3-0) 48, San Marcos Academy (0-6, 0-3) 7

San Antonio Christian (3-3, 2-1) 35, TMI (3-3, 0-3) 20

Austin Regents (6-0, 3-0) 42, Victoria St. Joseph (1-5, 1-2) 6

Saturday’s game

TAPPS District 2-I

Brownsville St. Joseph (4-2, 1-0) 62, St. Anthony (2-4, 0-1) 48