Category: Week of Sept. 14-20, 2014

VOLLEYBALL: Southside off to solid third-place start in 29-5A

Cardinals take first-place Somerset to five games in loss

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/communities/southside/article/Southside-VB-off-to-solid-third-place-start-5773322.php

Southside quickly has identified itself as one of the title contenders in revamped District 29-5A.

With two wins in its first three district matches, the Cardinals (12-11, 2-1) have shown that they’re ready to compete with the best in the district which stretches south to Laredo and west to Eagle Pass. Southside split two 29-5A matches last week, defeating Laredo Cigarroa (14-15, 1-2) Sept. 19 on its first road trip and falling in five games at home against fellow challenger Somerset (13-7, 3-0) Sept. 16.

“I think it’s going to come down between us, Medina Valley and Somerset,” Southside coach Anna-Rosa Soto said. “We had a tough preseason to prepare for this. It’s going to be a challenge – and I know the girls want to be challenged. I’m hoping they’ll keep fighting for it.”

Somerset and Medina Valley (17-7, 3-0) shared the district lead at the end of the first full week of competition. The Cardinals were alone in third place after defeating Cigarroa 27-25, 14-25, 27-25, 25-13 in Laredo.

A Sept. 16 match at Southside unfolded as essentially a battle of coaches’ daughters.

The Bulldogs won the first game 25-17 as Southside missed four serves, most of which were rally killers. The Cardinals then took charge, winning the next two sets 25-21 and 25-18 as they relied increasingly on Soto’s stepdaughter, freshman Mia Soto (25 kills, 2 aces).

“We got the momentum back our side in the second game and the third game,” Soto said. “We did a better job of receiving serve and a better job of serving.

“One of my biggest concerns was that Mia Soto had 25 kills, but we went away from her. Against teams like that, you need to keep finding your go-to person.”

Soto tied Game 2 15-15 with a block that sparked the Cardinals. Briana Martinez increased the lead with two-straight kills, the first on an alert play for a kill and the second that ended a long rally.

“She’s a big leader for us,” Soto said. “She’s very tenacious.”

Klaryssa Vela provided a lift for Southside in Game 3. With the Cardinals ahead 20-18, Vela supplied a crosscourt kill, two consecutive aces and another kill on a hustle play. Her efforts brought Southside to game point and the Bulldogs made an error to close it out.

“ Klaryssa worked really hard in the offseason,” Soto said. “Then she ended up stepping up. This is going to be a huge confidence booster for her.”

Southside led Somerset led 16-15 in Game 4, after trailing 9-2. The Bulldogs recovered to force a fifth game after Cierra Patlan (20 kills, 25 digs, 3 blocks) produced a sideout that gave Somerset the lead. The Cardinals fought valiantly, scoring six of the next seven from game point, but Patlan and Lauren Valero (13 kills) had back-to-back points. A Southside hitting error enabled Somerset to close it out, 31-29.

“(Patlan) is a great hitter and a great all-around player,” Soto said. “There are no words to describe her. She’s just a great competitor. We tried to get them out of system to keep the ball away from her, but they always found her.”

Patlan, Somerset coach Norma Patlan’s daughter, was dominant with four kills in Game 5. She scored the match point with a kill on a high, outside set that increased Somerset’s lead to 15-11.

“We were really flat at the start, so we changed up a couple of things,” Somerset coach Norma Patlan said. “We’re just to finish strong and play well. We’re still trying to find the right lineup.”

Against the Cigarroa Toros, Ashley Sanchez turned in an outstanding all-around match with 14 digs, 13 kills, four assists and three aces. Martinez recorded 10 kills, eight digs and four aces. Alyssa Gallardo hustled for 20 assists and 17 digs.

Analee Uriegas had a team-high 18 digs, while Vela (6 assists, 4 kills) chipped in with 12. Brianna Rodriguez added seven digs and three aces. Lisa Casarez had eight assists, eight digs and two aces. Chloe Davis nailed six kills.

The Cardinals will play Sept. 30 at Medina Valley.

WEEKLY VOLLEYBALL REPORT: McCollum seizes 28-5A lead with two key wins

Holy Cross tops rival; Edison wins pair

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Edison, Harlandale, Highlands, Lanier, McCollum, Sam Houston, South San.

Holy Cross junior Victoria Gonzalez produced seven digs against rival Providence.
Holy Cross junior Victoria Gonzalez produced seven digs against rival Providence.

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/communities/southside/article/Southside-VB-off-to-solid-third-place-start-5773322.php

In a week that could shape the District 28-5A race for the rest of the season, McCollum (14-8, 6-0) rose to the challenge and snared sole possession of first place.

The Cowboys handed Highlands (16-10, 5-1) its first district loss 25-22, 22-25, 25-17, 25-11 Friday at McCollum. McCollum won 25-16, 15-25, 25-15, 25-12 Tuesday at Brackenridge (8-20, 5-1).

Freshman Miranda Rich led McCollum with nine kills against Highlands. Other big hitters were Victoria Yzaguirre (8 kills, 7 aces, 4 digs) and Neyda Sanchez (6 kills, 4 blocks). Savannah Borjas had a team-high 17 assists and Alysia Garcia supplied 11. Emily Solis served six aces and tallied six assists.

As a result of the loss, Highlands shared second place with Jefferson (19-5, 5-1).

The Owls were led by Jazmine Jackson with 12 kills and two blocks. Sara Denton also contributed two blocks. Analisa Garza distributed 20 assists and served two aces. Genesis Garcia also added two aces. Kiara Pesina made 22 digs.

Against Brackenridge, McCollum received nine kills, six aces, six digs and three blocks from Yzaguirre. Rich again led in kills with 10, while Sanchez pounded eight. and Cassandra Maldonado and Celeste Ramirez each finished with six kills. Borjas (21) and Garcia (16) were the assist leaders.

Jolicia Shelton-Brown led the Eagles with nine kills, nine digs and two blocks. Eshe Malone (4 kills) and Courtney Hansford also made two blocks apiece. Jacky Nevarez served four aces and made three digs. Junior Skyler Reyna made eight digs and Kathy Sifuentes added seven. Marquanique Freeman (17 assists) and Anesha Kincheon each had five digs.

Holy Cross/Providence

Holy Cross (24-12, 7-1) won two of three matches last week, including a TAPPS District 4-4A win over rival Providence (13-12, 4-3) 25-12, 25-18, 25-12 Tuesday. The Knights only loss was an impressive one, falling in five sets to powerful Boerne (25-5) Friday.

The Knights finished the week with a three-game sweep of Texas Military Institute. At Holy Cross, the hosts won by three identical scores of 25-18 Saturday.

In the Providence match, Victoria Gonzalez (7 digs, 3 aces, 2 blocks) and Henrianna Ibarra (19 digs, 3 aces) hammered 13 kills apiece. Erin Torralva added 4.5 blocks. Kimberley Butcher dealt 12 assists and Autumn Lopez (7 digs) was credited with 11. Daisy Flores finished with six aces and six digs.

For the Provets, senior Mital Patel notched a team-high 12 digs. Jazzmyne Williams produced seven kills. Sophomore Juliet Alanis dealt six assists.

In Friday’s match, the Knights got stronger as the match at Holy Cross went on. However, Boerne won 25-15, 25-22, 17-25, 26-28, 16-14.

Three Knights put up big numbers.Ibarra made 33 digs, had 26 kills, made four blocks and served two aces. Gonzalez recorded 20 kills, 20 digs and five blocks. Junior Anna Zuniga finished with 22 assists, 17 digs, six blocks and five kills.

Providence finished the week Saturday with a 4-4A win at Laredo St. Augustine 25-22, 25-27, 25-23, 25-20.

Williams led Providence with 24 kills and 30 digs. Mia Ybarra also contributed 30 digs. Freshman Baleigh Creighton distributed 32 assists. Junior Emily Pearson (2 blocks) and freshman Jessica Banelos each supplied four aces.

Edison

The Golden Bears (10-17, 3-3) registered two wins and ascended to a fifth-place tie in 28-5A with Harlandale (11-12, 3-3). The Indians also won two matches .

Edison downed Burbank (6-19, 0-6) 25-21, 16-25, 25-21, 25-13 Friday. The Golden Bears also stunned Sam Houston (11-12, 1-6) 25-20, 25-17, 25-22 Tuesday. Both matches were played at the Alamo Convocation Center.

Kalani Wood led Edison with 10 kills and five blocks against Burbank. Marissa Cortinas added 23 assists. Lauren Gutierrez had a team-best 19 digs.

For the Bulldogs, Katherine Regalado made a match-best 27 digs. Savannah Casiano finished with 10 blocks and 10 kills. Jessica Molina dished 10 assists and served two acess. Felicity Meskah also served two aces.

The Golden Bears received 18 assists and six digs from Cortinas. Gutierrez supplied a team-high 10 digs Elizabeth Robledo chipped in with seven. Wood (2 blocks) finished with seven kills and Samantha Garza added five.

Karisma Mitchell led Sam Houston with seven kills and five blocks. Rita Davis added 10 assists. Senior Dajah Thomas made seven digs.

Harlandale/Lanier

The Indians (11-12, 3-3) pushed past Sam Houston 25-14, 25-22, 25-16 Friday in a District 28-5A match. Harlandale also defeated Lanier (3-16, 0-6) 25-8, 25-15, 25-10 in a district match Tuesday.

Harlandale’s Dominique Delgado (7 digs) served four aces and Kianna Sandoval (12 assists) delivered three against Sam Houston. Alicia Garcia contributed 11 assists. Madeline Mendez led the Indians with seven kills. Other top hitters were Kassandra Munoz (9 digs) and Angel Huron with five kills apiece and Keana Ramos with four.

Natalie Coburn led Sam Houston with two blocks and 15 digs. Mitchell pounded nine kills. Thomas provided 11 digs. Tiaria Mackey added six assists and served two aces. Davis (4 assists) had eight digs and Jasmine Darden provided five.

Against Lanier, Garcia distributed 17 assists for the Indians. Up front, the leaders were Huron (8 kills), Valeria Stokes (7 kills, 2 blocks) and Tanya Ramos (5 kills, 2 blocks). Delgado led with 12 digs and Breanna Soto was credited with five. Sandoval added five digs, four assists and two aces.

For the Voks, Emily Huerta had a team-best 10 digs. Rae Ann Douglas dealt four assists. Jackie Juarez served two aces.

Lanier defeated Fox Tech (5-24) 23-25, 25-15, 27-25, 25-19 Friday at the Buffaloes’ gym.

Carla Ponce led Fox Tech with eight kills and seven assists. Melody Gutierrez had a team-high18 digs. Lilliana Capistran contributed 12 assists. Mercedes Villarreal added five kills, three blocks and two aces. Deanna Rodriguez added five digs.

Lanier statistics from the Fox Tech match were unavailable.

South San

The Bobcats (14-13) swept Laredo LBJ 25-21, 25-16, 25-18 Friday in a non-district match at South San.

Lauren Estrada led the Bobcats with 13 kills, four digs and three blocks. Miranda Gonzalez also finished with four digs. Clarissa Ruiz led South San with four aces. Erica Jimenez recorded 18 assists.

FOOTBALL: Brack overtakes Harlandale in second half of 28-5A showdown

Indians build three-touchdown lead through air

 

There’s no doubt that Brackenridge is a second-half team.

After wiping out a three-touchdown deficit against Edison in its district opener, the Eagles (2-2, 2-0) scored 24 points after halftime Saturday at Alamo Stadium. In a battle of preseason District 28-5A co-favorites, Brackenridge prevailed 24-21 over Harlandale (2-2, 1-1).

As they had a week earlier, the tandem of Eagles quarterback Antonio Lopez (20 of 28, 282 yards) and receiver Lee Terrell (133 yards, 6 receptions) fired the comeback. They hooked up on touchdowns of 27 and 24 yards in the first seven minutes of the third quarter after the Indians had established a 21-0 halftime lead.

Brackenridge tied it 21-21 when senior back Trey Mathis (119 yards, 16 carries) broke loose for a 52-yard touchdown with 3:52 left in the third quarter. The Eagles had scored twice in less than two minutes and three times in little more than seven minutes.

Eagles senior Jesus Millan iced the win with a 35-yard field goal with 6:56 remaining in the game.

Brackenridge overcame four turnovers, including three interceptions, to build a two-game winning streak. The Eagles have outscored their first two 28-5A opponents 51-3 in the second half.

Harlandale, which committed two turnovers, opened the scoring with a 27-yard pass from Jacob Delgado (12 of 20 for 150 yards) to Ian Martinez (79 yards, 5 receptions) at the 10:23 mark of the first quarter.

The Indians increased their lead to 14-0 on a 32-yard pass from Delgado to John Aguirre with 7:23 until halftime. Aguirre also ran for 113 yards on 18 attempts.

Fifteen seconds before halftime, Harlandale upped their scoring advantage to 21 points. Noah Avina hauled in Delgado’s third touchdown pass, covering just four yards.

The Eagles outgained the Indians 480-397 in total yards. Senior Macco Marble contributed 63 rushing yards and 59 reception yards. Jalen Davis caught four passes for 50 yards.

Vincent Hernandez added 96 rushing yards on nine carries for Harlandale.

FOOTBALL: Week 4 previews (Saturday’s game)

# – denotes current San Antonio South Side Sports area ranking

SATURDAY

#7 Harlandale (2-1, 1-0) vs. #8 Brackenridge (1-2, 1-0) at Alamo Stadium, 7 p.m.

Before the season, by consensus, this was projected to be a battle of the co-favorites for the District 28-5A title. After the first week of the district season, it looms as large, even though both teams struggled a bit out of the gate. The chase pack might be a little closer than expected, though.

There is one common opponent to base this year’s comparisons on.

Harlandale defeated Devine 17-7 in Week 1. The Warhorses edged Brackenridge 34-28 a week later.

Harlandale took its lumps in Week 2 also, falling 40-15 to Somerset. The Indians bounced back to defeat Jefferson 34-25 last week.

The Eagles gave up 21 unanswered points to Edison from kickoff last week, but recovered to defeat the Golden Bears 48-31 on the strength of its passing game.

Tonight’s contest may hinge on ability of each to move the ball on the ground, as well as turnovers and other residual factors.

Harlandale’s offense absolutely relies on back John Aguirre. The senior bounced back from a rough ouiting against Somerset to run for 131 yards against Jefferson. The Indians need to be able to control the ball behind Aguirre and get surgical strikes from first-year quarterback Jacob Delgado (153 passing yards vs. Jefferson).

Defensively, the Indians can’t allow Brack’s Antonio Lopez and Lee Terrell to carve them up as they did against Edison. Lopez threw for 382 yards a week ago and Terrell caught 230 yards worth of passes, including two long touchdowns.

That’s a concern for Harlandale because Somerset quarterback Koy Detmer Jr. threw for 228 yards (not an outrageous figure for Detmer, by the way) and Jefferson’s Weston Redding had his season high against the Indians.

While Aguirre is more of a straight-ahead runner, Brack back Trey Mathis also can bounce outside and go to the house. The Eagles also have solid runner Macco Marble in the backfield, who’s an outstanding possession receiver.

The Eagles defense was dinged for 504 yards by Edison, including 264 on the ground. Although the Golden Bears only mustered three points after halftime, Brack can’t afford early defensive lapses.

In short, Harlandale must control the ball (which includes short passes to Ian Martinez) and keep the score low to win. They can’t afford to let the Eagles hang around because of their quick-strike capability.

The series has a rich history that dates back to 1928 (thank you warpath1.com). Brackenridge has a 32-17 edge, having incredibly won the first 20 games through 1952. Harlandale didn’t score a point against the Eagles until the eighth meeting.

The pendulum swung toward Harlandale, thereafter. The Indians notably defeated Brack’s 1962 state championship team. Their last game was in 2004, when they met for the bi-district championship. Harlandale won 28-0, giving the Indians a three-game winning streak.

Series leader (record): Brackenridge (32-17). 2013 score:  did not play. 2014 favorite: Harlandale.

VOLLEYBALL: Area rankings (thru Sept. 19)

Through Sept. 19

 

TOP 15:

 

Rank-Team-Last week

1. Holy Cross – 1

2. East Central – 2

3. Southwest – 3

4. McCollum – 6

5. Jefferson – 5

6. Highlands – 4

7. Southside – 7

8. South San – 8

9. Harlandale – 9

10. Providence – 10

11. Brackenridge – 11

12. Edison – 13

13. Sam Houston – 12

14. Burbank – 14

15. Kennedy – 15

 

NR = not ranked

FOOTBALL: Lee survives lull to defeat South San 35-12

Bobcats defense slows, but can’t stop Vols

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During a stretch of the first half, South San’s defense forced Kyle Fuller into throwing eight consecutive incomplete passes Friday at South San Stadium.

The Bobcats (2-2) eventually saw what district rival Southwest and other previous opponents learned about the promising Lee junior quarterback. Fuller (25 of 43, 430 yards) is tough to keep in check throughout an entire game.

He threw for five touchdowns as Lee pulled away to a 32-13 victory over South San. The first touchdown came on a 37-yard pass to Mark Sullivan just 52 seconds into the non-district game.

“I think what happened on the first series, was the defense wasn’t used to their speed,” South San coach Marcus Booker said. “As soon as we got used to their speed, we didn’t really control (Fuller), but we were able to contain the guy.”

South San’s defense recovered two fumbles in addition to the incomplete passes, which spanned the first and second quarter. However, the Bobcats couldn’t cut into the deficit.

They were stopped at the Lee 13 on their first possession and lost a fumble on the second. After a South San defensive stop, another fumble struck. This time, though, Joe Alcorta pounced on a fumble and got the ball back three plays later.

With 7:37 remaining until halftime and the Volunteers leading 7-0, South San quarterback Isaiah Gutierrez completed passes to Tyrell Courtney and Joseph Miera into Lee territory. Two Vols penalties propelled the drive, but two from the Bobcats helped stall it at the Lee 35.

“I thought we played well,” Booker said. “What killed us was that every time we were (35 yards from scoring), we had a penalty or a fumble or a missed assignment. We had three missed blocks, all on fourth down.”

Lee marched 99 yards to score six seconds before the half on a 22-yard pass from Fuller to Sergio Solis. The Volunteers led 14-0.

The Bobcats closed to within 14-6 little more than two minutes into the second half. Efrain Medina blocked a punt to set South San up 41 yards from the end zone. Junior back Justin Acosta (86 yards, 14 carries) covered the distance in two runs, scoring from 34 yards out.

Fuller and company regrouped again to score at the 5:02 mark of the third quarter. Sullivan scored once more on a 38-yard pass play. Following an interception, the junior threw 45 yards to Chris Adams for a 26-6 advantage.

“We just stuck with what we were doing,” Fuller said. “It feels good (to win). It kept us rolling, going into district next week.”

With Gutierrez out because of a shoulder injury, replacement Enrique Andrade threw 22 yards to Rafael Lopez to complete the scoring with 3:51 remaining. Lopez stretched out in the end zone to make the catch.

FOOTBALL: Week 4 previews (Friday’s games)

# – denotes current San Antonio South Side Sports area ranking

FRIDAY

Brooks Academy (1-2) at St. Mary’s Hall (3-0), 7:30 p.m.

St. Mary’s Hall will be the toughest challenge yet for Brooks Academy.

Barons quarterback Gus Rowland is a run-pass threat who scored on runs of 2 and 54 yards in last Friday’s 13-6 win over TMI. Thomas Casey, Deion Locklear and Jesse Llamas also are runners to watch. Rowland’s favorite targets include Jordon Miller, Joe Alcido and Joe Heath.

The Bengals will need a big game from quarterback Dennis Perales and its defense on the heels of a 50-6 loss to Cornerstone Christian last Friday. Brooks Academy mustered just 125 total yards, 85 on passes from Perales, so re-establishing the ground game in its multiple attack will be a key priority.

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: St. Mary’s Hall.

Devine (1-2) at #5 Central Catholic (2-1), 7:30 p.m.

The Buttons unveiled a new offensive wrinkle last Saturday in a 35-19 win over Holmes.

Senior quarterback Joseph Nava threw for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Joseph Barrera, Troy Lozano and William Prouse combined for 15 catches and 244 reception yards. Coupled with the backfield combination of Jimin Suh and emerging Thomas Palomera, and Nava’s running ability, Central Catholic should be able to keep Devine’s defense off balance.

Defense has been the Warhorses strongest asset this season, although the offense put up 28 points on Brackenridge. Laredo Johnson defeated Devine 14-2 last week.

Although the offense doesn’t seem to have clicked yet, Devine put up 290 total yards against Johnson.

Quarterback Hunter DuBose can run and pass effectively. He threw for 100 yards and ran for 59 in the Warhorses’ third game. Reagan Anderson was Devine’s top receiver with seven catches for 78 yards.

Central Catholic will need to keep DuBose in check defensively. The Buttons limited Holmes to 160 total yards last week, but allowed the Huskies to climb back into the game in the second half.

They’ll need a more consistent effort this Friday.

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: Central Catholic.

#12 Edison (0-3, 0-1) vs. #11 Highlands (0-2, 0-0) at Alamo Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Edison made forward strides offensively in public last week during a loss to Brackenridge, while Highlands may have made its improvements in private.

In a 48-31 loss to Brackenridge, Edison unveiled sophomore back Matthew Garcia, who ran for 145 yards on 30 tries. Garcia’s presence allowed the Golden Bears to open up their no-huddle offense and took some pressure off senior quarterback Jonathan Hernandez, who had been Edison’s top running threat.

Bryan Bolton also stepped forward for Edison as a deep receiving threat.

Although the Golden Bears’ offense should be more potent six days later, its defense needs to make similar gains. Edison did an admirable job against Brackenridge’s high-powered offense in the early stages of the game, as the Bears scored the first three touchdowns.

In the second half, though, the Eagles wore Edison down. The Golden Bears will need four good quarters against a Highlands defense that stacks up as a little stronger than Brack’s.

The Owls limited Floresville to a touchdown in a 13-7 loss but wasn’t as impressive in a 42-29 loss to Uvalde, which runs a similar offense to Edison’s.

Senior back Quindon Boston is averaging about six yards per carry for Highlands. The Owls need to give him more help in the passing game, which certainly was a point of emphasis for coach Bert Lopez and his staff in the past week.

It will be interesting to see what Highlands comes up with offensively after a week to prepare for Edison.

Series leader (record): Highlands (19-11-1). 2013 score: Highlands 35, Edison 7. 2014 favorite: Uvalde.

Floresville (2-1, 0-1) vs. Kennedy (0-3, 0-1) at Edgewood Veterans Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Floresville is a familiar foe in a new district for Kennedy.

The Rockets have shown improvement in their first three games under new coach Michael Insco, but this will be a tough assignment. However, it’s one of the District 27-5A games they have a chance to win, so a Kennedy team in need of its first victory must step up to the plate.

is appears to be a game that could go either way.

The Rockets were overwhelmed 41-0 by Alamo Heights last Friday in their district opener, but showed spunk in a 38-33 loss to Burbank a week earlier.

Jesus Hernandez ran for 92 yards in that game and Raul Hale went for 63 on three carries. Being able to run the ball consistently could be a huge factor for the Rockets.

The passing game is a work in progress. Kennedy mustered just 40 total yards and 29 passing yards while completing five of 15 throws. Quarterback Eric Lira threw for 115 against the Bulldogs and needs to at least match that to keep Floresville’s defense honest.

A word of caution. Kennedy allowed Burbank quarterback Daniel Tello to ring up 368 yards of total offense. Floresville quarterback Koby Wilkerson plays a similar style and the Rockets must do a better job of containment.

Wilkerson has run for a team-best 535 yards this year and thrown for 231, but he proved last year that he’s capable of throwing when needed.

Luke Smith is Floresville’s leading receiver (107 reception yards) and one of its defensive standouts.

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: Floresville 7, Kennedy 0. 2014 favorite: Floresville.

#1 Holy Cross (1-1) at Hondo (2-1), 7:30 p.m.

Holy Cross has had a week to prepare for life without quarterback Cisco Flores, at least temporarily.

Sophomore Steven Gutierrez will play his first full game under center after getting three quarters in relief of Flores in the Knights’ 30-0 loss to Antonian Sept. 6. By the fourth quarter, Gutierrez appeared more comfortable in his role and was able to hit some short passes.

However, Holy Cross will need to rely heavily on senior back Greg Scott and a veteran defense.

Holy Cross’ defense gave up 300 yards to the Apaches after a strong showing against San Antonio Christian. The Knights will need to get back on track against a solid Hondo offense.

The Owls are coming off a 27-21 win in their rivalry game against Medina Valley. Their only loss was 38-22 in the opening week to a Boerne team that routed Antonian Thursday.

Quarterback Carson Stoner has thrown for 496 yards so far, but with four touchdowns. Holy Cross must keep a strong pass rush on and be opportunisitc.

All-state linebacker Jon Koch leads Hondo’s defense.

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: Hondo.

Lee (2-1) at #6 South San (2-1), 7:30 p.m.

What we have here is heralded Lee quarterback Kyle Fuller versus South San’s swarming defense.

Central Catholic coach Marcus Booker wanted to test his team against Northeast ISD 6A squads and the ever-improving Volunteers should live up to expectations. The Bobcats will need to apply lessons learned in last Friday’s 42-14 loss to MacArthur.

The Bobcats fell behind the Brahmas 21-7 in the first half and never could catch up. They gave up 420 total yards, as quarterback Josh Jung completed 10 of 13 passes for 223 yards in a balanced MacArthur offense.

Fuller already has thrown for 1,064 yards with 14 touchdowns and just one interception. Back Sammy Davis is effective enough to keep defenses honest, but the quarterback and his receiving corps will be the primary concern. Sergio Solis has been a possession receiver. Fuller looks to Mark Sullivan and Chris Adams to stretch the field.

Southwest’s defense held Fuller below 50 percent accuracy, but he still threw four touchdown passes and amassed 191 yards in a 42-27. South San will aim to be more effective, as it doesn’t have the Dragons’ quick-strike capability.

The Bobcats have thrown effectively with Isaiah Gutierrez at times, but only completed one pass for two yards against MacArthur. Keeping drives alive with short passes will be a necessity while Gutierrez, Willie Sanchez and Justin Acosta must improve on the Bobcats’ 138 rushing yards versus the Brahmas.

Series leader (record): tied (1-1). 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: Lee.

Memorial (0-3, 0-1) at Lockhart (3-0, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.

Memorial had a rough introduction to District 27-5A last Friday in a 42-2 loss to Boerne Champion. Undefeated Lockhart will be no picnic either.

The Lions scored 90 points in their first two games, before prevailing 14-13 in a defensive struggle at Seguin in their 27-5A debut.

The Minutemen will try to slow Lockhart’s two-pronged running attack of Curtis Hawkins and D.J. Ellison. Each is averaging more than 100 yards a game. The Matadors held Hawkins to 76 rushing yards last week, but Ellison went for 163.

The Lions seem to only throw when they need to. They had four attempts against Seguin.

Defensively, Lockhart only allowed Seguin 229 total yards and kept them scoreless after falling behind 13-0 less than four minutes into the second quarter.

Memorial has been a little too reliant on its passing game, behind veteran quarterback Alfred Ramos would welcome the idea.

Ramos has thrown for a respectable 353 yards so far, but has as many interceptions as touchdowns. Jose Pargas (258 reception yards) and Greg Rosemond (131 yards) have been solid receivers.

Further growth from back Jacob Martinez will be needed as Memorial gets deeper into its district schedule..

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: Lockhart.

Reagan (2-1) at #2 East Central (1-2), 7:30 p.m.

East Central never really got out of the starting gate in the lightning delayed 39-3 loss to a motivated Smithson Valley team. Reagan will be no less of a challenge for the Hornets.

The Rattlers have thumped two consecutive opponents after falling 28-23 in a barnburner of an opener against O’Connor.

Quarterback Kellen Mond is the Rattler to watch, with 301 passing yards and 271 yards on the ground. Reagan has a veteran line and no shortage of weapons, all of which helped it to compile 369 total yards in a 42-14 win over Warren last Friday.

Skyler Wetzel contributed more than 10 yards a carry while compiling 167 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

East Central back Jauwon Hall ran for 90 yards against Smithson Valley, but was one of East Central’s few bright spots.

The Hornets gained 232 total yards. They must find ways to get the ball to explosive Wanya Ward, who had one catch for five yards. The Rangers geared up to stop featured back Javion Polk and Reagan can be expected to as well.

East Central will need a big night from quarterback Justin Upshaw-Mendoza in addition to a solid ground game if it is to prevail.

After holding New Braunfels Canyon to 85 total yards. East Central allowed Smithson Valley to produce 457. The Hornets will need a stronger showing against an even more balanced Rattlers offense.

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: Reagan.

#9 Sam Houston (1-2, 1-0) vs. #10 McCollum (1-2, 1-0) at Harlandale Memorial Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

If McCollum has Mike Ramirez in the lineup, this will be a much different game. Otherwise, the scales tip to Sam Houston, after the Hurricanes notched a 26-6 win over Burbank last Friday in its District 28-5A opener.

The Hurricanes finished with 303 total yards, 86 from back Devin Harris. A welcome development was an 155-yard passing performance from junior quarterback Raymonte Prime. Achieving that kind of offensive balance elevates the Hurricanes.

The defense had been ahead of the offense in Sam Houston’s first two games. It remained solid, holding the Bulldogs to 196 yards and preventing senior leader Daniel Tello from having a big game.

McCollum also has been led by its defense. Lanier was only able to muster 191 total yards and a late fourth-quarter score in the Cowboys’ 19-7 win last Friday. The big factor was that Noe Trevino and Alex Herrera each returned fumbles for touchdowns, which would have produced a victory by itself.

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they only gained 175 yards without Ramirez. On the plus side, Edward Mora and Rudy Anthony now have been indoctrinated to varsity play.

The saving grace was quarterback Ralph Vidal, who threw for a season-best 193 yards and ran the ball a bit more as he returns to health. Expect Vidal and receivers Robert Salas and Allen Ojeda to build on that performance.

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: Sam Houston.

#4 Southwest (1-2) at Del Rio (1-1), 7:30 p.m.

It’s hard to get a handle the Dragons, after losing to their two strongest opponents, Lee and Victoria West by two touchdowns apiece.

It’s a good sign that a young Southwest team kept those games close but, with their talent, they need to be able to get over the hump.

Del Rio doesn’t seem to be the same caliber of opponent, but the Rams do have speed. They lost 36-0 to San Angelo, but bounced back to hammer Holmes 41-7.

Quarterback Steven Salinas completed 19 of 29 throws for 262 yards and six touchdowns, so the Dragons will need to do a better job of pressuring the quarterback. Shane Cramer had three receiving touchdowns and Gaston Flores had two.

No Ram rushed for more than 26 yards, so that will simplify the Dragons’ task defensively.

In the 42-27 loss to Lee, Southwest put up 405 yards of total offense, but allowed Lee to score five unanswered touchdowns and put the game out of reach in the second half. The Dragons had led 21-7 before Volunteers quarterback Kyle Fuller (191 passing yards) got rolling.

On the plus side, senior quarterback Bowen Crisp completed 10 of 16 passes for a career-best 159 yards. That bodes extremely well for the Dragons moving forward.

Jon Cruz carried the ball 31 times, emerging as an every down back with 120 rushing yards. Sophomore Tyrone Middleton added 101 yards.

Defensively, the Dragons gave up 345 yards.

Mostly, though, it comes down to fine tuning for the Dragons, as they prepare for the district season. Finishing strong will be the top priority.

The Rams essentially are coming off a bye week. They faced Holmes Sept. 5. Their Sept. 12 game against Jay was canceled because of lightning.

Series leader (record): unknown. 2013 score: did not play. 2014 favorite: Southwest.

FOOTBALL: Mustangs overtake Lanier in final minute for first win

Voks outscore Mustangs 14-8 after halftime, but come up empty

Lanier back Julian Castillo carried the ball 14 times for 85 yards against Jefferson.
Lanier back Julian Castillo carried the ball 14 times for 85 yards against Jefferson.

The Mustangs line up for a scrimmage against Laredo United.
The Mustangs line up for a scrimmage against Laredo United.

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Jefferson didn’t throw a pass on its time-consuming final drive until it needed to win the game.

The Mustangs (1-3, 1-1) cut Lanier’s lead to a point with 58 seconds remaining on an 11-yard touchdown run from senior Jesse Flores. Jefferson then took to the air for the two-point conversion.

Weston Redding threw to Drew Lopez in the left corner of the end zone for a 15-14 District 28-5A victory Thursday at Alamo Stadium.

“It was time to believe in the team,” said Flores, who ran for 152 yards on 25 carries. “We had to do what we worked hard for in practice. We put it all together.”

The Voks (0-4, 0-2) had driven 62 yards in eight plays to overtake Jefferson with 6:25 remaining. Adrian Losoya caught a 27-yard pass from Jeremiah Esquivel for the touchdown and a 14-7 lead.

Jefferson’s Eric Flores returned the ensuing kickoff 16 yards from the end zone to begin the winning drive. He also carried the ball three times for 21 yards, taking the Mustangs to 50.

“They were running the same plays they ran all game,” Lanier coach Don Gatian said. “We just over-ran the ballcarrier or lined up wrong. It wasn’t Jeff. It was us.

Jesse Flores took over on the Lanier 26. On his fifth-consecutive carry, he darted right and found blocking ahead. Utilizing the blocks of Arturo Garcia and Cruz Salazar, Flores made a sharp cut and scored untouched.

“Whatever they get for me,” Flores said of his linemen, “that’s where I am.”

Lanier put together a 13-play, 76-yard drive to erase Jefferson’s halftime lead. Joe Orta powered over a would-be tackler on a three-yard scoring run with 23 seconds to play in the third quarter.

Eric Flores was the only player to reach the end zone in a penalty riddled first half. The junior returned a punt 54 yards down the left sideline, with help from Davion Clark’s block.

Lanier outgained Jefferson 162-111 in total yardage in the first half, but an illegal substitution added five yards to an unsuccessful field-goal attempt and had a touchdown wiped out by a holding penalty. The Voks were rejuvenated in the second half by the running of Orta (132 yards, 20 carries), who returned from an ankle injury, and Julian Castillo.

“Being healthy helps. My younger guys are getting better each game,” Gatian said. “For the most part, we’ve played pretty good defense all year. It’s just that, offensively, we weren’t moving the ball. Now we’re moving the ball and getting some points.”

Despite the touchdown, Jefferson only mustered three first downs in the first half and ran just one play in Lanier territory.

The Voks attained nine first downs, but two were courtesy of Jefferson penalties. Lanier had a touchdown taken away by a holding penalty with 32 seconds left in the half and an illegal substitution added five yards to an unsuccessful field-goal attempt.

The Voks were penalized six times for 55 yards in the first half. The Mustangs were flagged five times for 49 yards.

The Mustangs had lost a close game to Harlandale six days earlier in their 28-5A opener.

“We knew we had unfinished business,” Jesse Flores said. “No one believed in us. We had to show everyone what we were capable of.”

FOOTBALL: Week 4 previews (Thursday’s game)

# – denotes current San Antonio South Side Sports area ranking

THURSDAY

#13 Lanier (0-3, 0-1) vs. #15 Jefferson (0-3, 0-1) at Alamo Stadium, 7 p.m.

Both teams showed signs of growth against Harlandale ISD opponents last week. One will pick up its first victory tonight in this District 28-5A matchup.

Lanier welcomed back senior back Joe Orta. Although Orta ran for just 33 yards in the 19-7 loss to McCollum last Friday, which was his season debut, he’s more than capable of being a big factor against Jefferson.

The combination of Orta and Julian Castillo should help the Voks offset Jefferson’s steady Jesse Flores.

Mustangs quarterback Weston Redding had one of the best passing games of his three-year career last Friday in a 34-25 loss to Harlandale.

Redding and tight end Henry Bocko have emerged as a combination that can move the chains. For Lanier, continued growth in the passing game may be a key tonight.

Turnovers have been a problem for Jefferson and Lee. Each will need to limit them to pull off their first win.

The Voks have won two of the last three games in the series, which began in 1972.

Series leader (record): Jefferson (25-9). 2013 score: Lanier 20, Jefferson 14. 2014 favorite: Lanier.

VOLLEYBALL: This week’s results (thru Sept. 20)

NOTE: teams we cover are in boldface

Matches of Sept. 14-20

Monday’s matches

No matches scheduled

Tuesday’s matches

District 27-5A

Lockhart (15-15, 2-3) 3, Kennedy (3-20 ???, 1-4) 0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-13)

Alamo Heights (28-5, 6-0) 3, Memorial (3-27, 0-5) 0 (25-, 25-9, 25-5)

Kerrville Tivy (19-9, 5-1) 3, San Marcos (8-13, 0-5) 0 (scores unavailable)

Floresville (19-12, 3-2) 3, Seguin (16-15, 3-3) 1 (25-20, 25-27, 25-19, 25-21)

District 28-5A

Edison (7-14, 2-3) 3, Sam Houston (11-11, 1-5) 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-22)

Harlandale (10-12, 2-3) 3, Lanier (3-16, 0-6) 0 (25-8, 25-15, 25-10)

Highlands (16-9, 5-0) 3, Burbank (6-18, 0-5) 1 (25-15, 25-16, 12-25, 25-9)

McCollum (13-8, 5-0) 3, Brackenridge (8-19, 5-1) 1 (25-16, 15-25, 25-15, 25-12)

District 29-5A

Eagle Pass Winn (5-8 ???, 0-0 ???) at Uvalde (3-12 ???, 0-1) (scores unavailable)

Laredo Cigarroa (14-14 ???, 1-1) 3, Laredo Martin (0-3 ???, 0-2) 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-13)

Somerset (12-7, 2-0) 3, Southside (11-11, 1-1) 2 (25-17, 21-25, 18-25, 31-29, 15-11)

Medina Valley (16-7, 2-0) at Laredo Nixon (1-3 ???, 0-1 ???) 0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-17)

TAPPS District 4-4A

Cornerstone Christian (4-7 ????, 3-4) 3, Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (3-11 ???, 1-5) 1 (scores unavailable)

Victoria St. Joseph (30-1, 9-0) 3, Corpus Christi John Paul II (4-6 ???, 1-6) 0 (25-9, 25-12, 25-9)

Holy Cross (23-12, 6-1), 3, Providence (12-11, 3-3) 0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-12)

TMI (9-10 ???, 5-2) 3, San Antonio Christian (5-8 ???, 3-4) 0 (scores unavailable)

Non-district

Boerne (23-5) 3, South San (13-12) 0 (25-19, 25-19, 27-25)

St. Mary’s Hall (18-9) 3, Young Women’s Leadership Academy (6-16 ???) 0 (25-21, 25-8, 25-19)

Jefferson (18-5) 3, Fox Tech (4-23 ???) 0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-6)

Incarnate Word (13-14) 3, East Central (12-15) 0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-22)

Wednesday’s matches

No matches scheduled

Thursday’s matches

TAPPS District 4-4A

Victoria St. Joseph (31-1, 10-0) 3, Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (3-12 ???, 1-6) 0 (scores unavailable)

Friday’s matches

District 27-5A

Alamo Heights (28-5, 6-0) 3, Boerne Champion (10-10, 4-2) 1 (25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21)

Floresville (20-12, 4-2) 3, Kennedy (3-21 ???, 1-5) 0 (25-16, 25-8, 25-10)

Lockhart (15-15, 2-3) 3, Memorial (3-27, 0-5) 0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-16)

Seguin (17-15, 4-3) 3,  San Marcos (8-14 ???, 0-6) 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-16)

District 28-5A

Edison (10-17, 3-3) 3, Burbank (6-19, 0-6) 1 (25-21, 16-25, 25-21, 25-13)

Harlandale (11-12, 3-3) 3, Sam Houston (11-12, 1-6) 0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-16)

McCollum (14-8, 6-0) 3, Highlands (16-10, 5-1) 1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-17, 25-11)

Jefferson (19-5, 5-1) 3, Brackenridge (8-20, 5-2) 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-21).

District 29-5A

Somerset (13-7, 3-0) 3, Eagle Pass Winn (5-9 ???, 0-1 ???) 0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-10)

Laredo Nixon (1-3 ???, 0-1) at Laredo Martin (0-3 ???, 0-2) (scores unavailable)

Medina Valley (17-7, 3-0) 3, Uvalde (3-13 ???, 0-2 ???) 0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-16)

Southside (12-11, 2-1) 3, Laredo Cigarroa (14-15 ???, 1-2) 1 (27-25, 14-25, 27-25, 25-13)

TAPPS District 4-4A

San Antonio Christian (5-8 ???, 3-4) at Cornerstone Christian (4-7 ????, 3-4) (scores unavailable)

Non-district

Boerne (25-5) 3, Holy Cross (23-13) 2 (25-15, 25-22, 17-25, 26-28, 16-14)

South San (14-13) 3, Laredo Johnson (1-4???) 0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-18)

Boerne Geneva (17-8) 3, Providence (12-12) 0 (scores unavailable)

Antonian (27-9) 3, East Central (12-16) 1 (19-25, 25-5, 25-18, 25-22)

MacArthur (15-16) 3, Southwest (14-12) 1 (25-7, 25-18, 24-26, 25-13)

Lanier (4-16) 3, Fox Tech (4-24 ???) 1 (23-25, 25-15, 27-25, 25-19)

Saturday’s matches

TAPPS District 4-4A

Providence (13-12, 4-3) 3, Laredo St. Augustine (8-10 ???, 1-7) 1 (25-22, 25-27, 25-23, 25-20)

Holy Cross (24-12, 7-1) 3, TMI (9-11 ???, 5-3) 0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-18)

WEEKLY VOLLEYBALL REPORT: McCollum knocks Jefferson out of first in 28-5A

Brackenridge benefits from Cowboys win

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Edison, Harlandale, Highlands, Jefferson, Lanier, McCollum, Sam Houston, South San, Southside.

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In a match destined to shake up District 28-5A, McCollum (12-8, 4-0) outlasted Jefferson (17-5, 4-1) for a 21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 23-25, 15-12 win last Friday at the Cowboys’ gym.

The Cowboys’ win dropped Jefferson out of first place and elevated surprising Brackenridge (8-18, 5-0) to sole possession of the district lead. McCollum and Highlands (15-9, 4-0) were tied for second.

McCollum’s Neyda Sanchez and Victoria Yzaguirre each pounded 13 kills. Savannah Borjas and Alysia Garcia distributed15 assists apiece. Emily Solis led the Cowboys with 20 digs. Cassandra Maldonado served five aces.

Jefferson received 19 kills and two blocks from Gabby Vasquez. Marisol Montejano also made two blocks. Cecilia Campos made a whopping 36 digs. Angela Hardcastle produced 20 assists and three service aces for the Mustangs.

Brackenridge 3, Burbank 0

The Eagles, who only won three non-district matches, now rule the roost in 28-5A. They downed Burbank (6-17, 0-4) 26-24, 25-16, 25-12 last Friday in the nightcap at Alamo Convocation Center.

Senior Jolicia Shelton-Brown led Brackenridge with 10 digs, nine kills and two aces. Other top hitters for the Eagles were Eshe Malone (8 kills) and Skyler Reyna (7 kills). Jacky Nevarez served four aces and made four digs.

Marquanique Freeman dealt 24 assists for the Eagles. Kathy Sifuentes added 10 digs. Jasmin Gutierrez made two blocks.

For Burbank, Savannah Casiano was the team leader with five kills and three blocks. Katherine Regalado added five digs.

Southside 3, Uvalde 0

The Cardinals (11-10, 1-0) began their District 29-5A season with an impressive 25-13, 25-20. 25-21 win over Uvalde (3-12, 0-1) last Friday at Southside.
Briana Martinez (11 kills), Mia Soto (11 kills, 4 digs) and Ashley Sanchez (10 kills, 8 digs, 3 aces) all recorded double-digit kills for Southside. Analee Uriegas (2 aces) led the Cardinals with 18 assists.

Alyssa Gallardo contributed 16 assists, six digs and two aces. Tyler Bolton supplied 14 assists, five digs and three aces. Amanda Esparza had four digs.

South San 3, Harlandale 2

Junior Erica Jimenez had 20 assists and senior Nicolette Lopez made four blocks as the Bobcats (13-12) came from behind to defeat Harlandale (9-12) 20-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-13, 15-10 in a non-district match Friday at Harlandale.

Mariah Gonzalez chipped in with 11 digs and Angel Salazar dished seven assists for South San.

Harlandale was led by Dominique Delgado with 22 digs. Kianna Sandoval finished with 12 assists and nine digs. Keana Ramos served five aces and Alicia Garcia (7 kills) served four. Brandie Herrera had 10 assists.

Other kill leaders for the Indians were Tanya Ramos (13 kills, 5 blocks), Madeline Mendez (9 kills, 2 blocks),

Lauren Gutierrez (8 kills), Angel Huron (6 kills, 4 digs) and Valeria Stokes (4 kills, 5 blocks).

Edison 3, Lanier 0

The Golden Bears (8-17, 1-3) notched their first District 28-5A win Friday, defeating Lanier (3-15, 0-5) in 25-8, 25-14, 28-26 at Alamo Convocation Center.

Marissa Cortinas led Edison with 19 assists and nine digs. Lauren Gutierrez also had nine digs while Destiny McCarty recorded seven. Kalani Wood had eight kills.

For Lanier, Emily Huerta tracked down 25 digs and served two aces. Elisa DeHoyos also recorded two ace. Lauren Viduarri had a team-high two blocks.

Highlands 3, Sam Houston 1

The Owls (15-9, 4-0) held second-place with a 25-14, 25-27, 26-24, 25-15 victory over Sam Houston (11-10, 1-4) Friday in a 28-5A match at Alamo Convocation Center.

Highlands’ Bryten Mitchan and Emily Pearce each smacked 12 kills. Analisa Garza contributed 37 assists. Libero Kiara Pesina chipped in with 26 digs. Sara Denton and Jenelle Rodriguez each had two blocks.

Sam Houston received eight kills from Jordyn Stewart. Rita Davis distributed 20 assists. Dajah Thomas and Karisma Mitchell led the Hurricanes with seven digs and 2.5 blocks, respectively.

VOLLEYBALL: Hornets battling doldrums at end of non-district schedule

East Central falls to Steele, Canyon

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Maybe it’s best to be in a district with eight to 10 teams.

That’s a question the UIL might want to consider at some point. For the area’s District 28-6A representatives – East Central, South San and Southwest – being among the few teams not already engaged in district play appears to be exacting a toll.

Combined, the three teams posted a 2-4 record in their matches last week.

“This is the hard part of the season,” East Central coach Todd Dorgan said. “They start to get tired legs. I’m trying to find some (motivation techniques) to keep them playing with enthusiasm.”

The Hornets (12-14) lost both of their matches last week, falling 25-20, 26-24, 25-15 at Steele (15-16) Tuesday and 25-20, 19-25, 25-21, 25-22 to New Braunfels Canyon (15-16) Friday at East Central.

Playing without defensive wizard Brandi Campos, who had a minor injury, the Hornets took the early lead in the first two games at Steele.

Madison Simon put down a kill to end a long point and Lindsey Lubianski added another kill that staked East Central to an 11-8 lead in Game 1. The Hornets committed a serving error and a hitting error on consecutive points, enabling the Knights to seize a 15-14 advantage. Two straight kills from Jessica Stohlman (5 kills, 2.5 blocks) gave Steele separation.

The Hornets’ Alex Pena served an ace on game point, sparking a mini-rally. Junior Kaylin Mills recorded a block to make it 24-19, but the Knights’ standout hitter Jada Gardner finished the game with one of her 21 kills.

East Central capitalized on two Steele hitting errors and a crosscourt kill from freshman Skyeler Embry to build a 4-2 lead in Game 2. Senior Christie Cosper added a block and a kill on a slide play off a set from Mills to increase the lead to 8-3.

Steele quickly erased its deficit, but East Central rallied in response. Embry slammed a kill and Nichole West served an ace to give the Hornets a 14-13 lead. Mills set Embry for a kill and a Steele passing error re-established it at 17-16. After a three-point Knights run, however, the Hornets never led again in the match.

East Central tied it at 19-19, 20-20 and 23-23. Cosper appeared to tally a kill down the out-of-bounds line with Steele ahead 25-24, but it was ruled out and the Knights was a game away from victory.

“We’ve got to execute all phases together,” Dorgan said. “We’re struggling with consistency. Right now, we’re struggling with offense, more than anything else.”

Gardner carried the Knights in Game 3, crunching seven kills.

“I like playing Steele,” Dorgan said, “because I feel like they’re good competition for us. The girls always get up for them. For some reason, I think we’re closer to them than we are.”

Against Canyon, Campos returned to the lineup with 26 digs. Mills finished with 22 assists, 13 digs and two aces. West also served two aces and had 17 digs.

Embry led with 11 kills. Simon had 12 digs, two aces and seven kills.

WEEKEND FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Hurricanes dominate Burbank in first half for initial win

Southside stays undefeated with rout of Austin Travis

TEAMS INCLUDED: Burbank, Central Catholic, Harlandale, Jefferson, Lanier, McCollum, Sam Houston, Southside.

Central Catholic receiver William Prouse catches a pass in an earlier game.

Central Catholic receiver William Prouse catches a pass in an earlier game.

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Sam Houston scored enough in the early stages of the game Friday that it was immune from the late heroics that plagued it the first two weeks of the season.

The Hurricanes (1-2, 1-0) jumped out to a 20-point lead in the first half of its District 28-5A opener. Although Sam Houston wasn’t able to build on its lead in the last 24 minutes, it hung on to defeat Burbank (1-2, 0-1) 26-6 at Alamo Stadium.

Sam Houston had lost to Bandera with three seconds left in its Week 1 game and on a field goal to Southside with 2:29 to play last Friday.

“We got off to a good start and we kind of held on,” Sam Houston coach Gary Green said. “In the second half, we didn’t do nearly as well as we had early on.”

Sam Houston amassed 303 total yards with a balanced offensive attack.

Junior back Devin Harris (85 yards, 16 carries) accounted for two of the first three touchdowns, with a one-yard run near the end of the first quarter and a 42-yard reception from Raymonte Prime 2:21 before halftime.

“Devin Harris had a couple of long runs that got us going in a big way,” Green said. “Our defense really played well. We were able to limit their drives. I think we were able to go three-and-out the first three times they had the ball and our offense capitalized.”

Prime (5 of 9, 155 yards) connected with Travon Vaughns (80 yards, two catches) on a 78-yard pass play with 5:08 left in the second quarter.

“We tried to stay within ourselves,” Green said. “The run being more successful, we were able to play off that and get a couple of touchdown passes.”

Burbank quarterback Daniel Tello turned in another strong performance, running for 87 yards and passing for 85. For the most part, however, the Hurricanes’ defense was able to limit Tello’s big plays.

“He is a very big weapon in their arsenal,” Green said. “He got loose two or three times, but we were able to keep him from having a big game. We sent a lot of people at him. We had to stop him to stop them.

“We were always aware of where Tello was on every play.”

Tello engineered the Bulldogs’ only scoring drive. The senior escaped a possible sack to throw seven yards to Rubyn Salazar, who scored Burbank’s winning touchdown a week earlier, with 11:12 left in the game.

“We needed to be more consistent,” Green said of the second half. “We had an opportunity to sack Tello seven or eight times, but we let him get away. We really didn’t let up. We just got a little sloppy.”

Sam Houston added an insurance touchdown when Marquis Keno ran 15 yards on a faked field goal.

The Hurricanes will face McCollum 7:30 p.m. Friday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys which also won their 28-5A opener, defeating Lanier by 12.

“They’ve got some big boys,” Green said. “We’ll have to make sure to win the line of scrimmage, which is one of our big goals. They have an athletic defense. They returned two fumbles for touchdowns. It was hard for Lanier to get anything going after that, from what I could see.”

Southside 51, Austin Travis 28

After a defensive-oriented win in Week 2, the undefeated Cardinals (3-0) showed their versatility by winning a scoring fest Friday over Austin Travis. Southside is the area’s last undefeated team.

Although the host Rebels (0-3) scored in each quarter at Burger Stadium in Austin, they couldn’t work off a 22-7 first-quarter deficit. Southside broke a 7-7 tie on a 22-yard touchdown run from Eluid Mendez and a 33-yard pass from Johnny Trevino to Erik Luna to close the quarter.

Trevino ran for three touchdowns, including the game’s first, and finished with 92 yards. Sophomore Matt Collier ran for 206 yards and two scores on 31 attempts.

Austin Travis quarterback Vondel Hargrove (200 yards, 15 carries) ran for 95 and 79 yard touchdowns. Hargrove reportedly has 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash.

Southside’s Marc Garza caught three passes for 44 yards and threw for 50 yards. Trevino passed for 40 yards.

The Cardinals will take the coming week off and then put their unbeaten record on the line Sept. 26 at Eagle Pass Winn in their District 29-5A opener.

Harlandale 34, Jefferson 25

The Indians (2-1, 1-0) found winless Jefferson (0-3, 0-1) to be a tough opponent in their District 28-5A opener Friday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium.

Harlandale couldn’t claim victory until senior back John Aguirre (131 yards, 24 carries) scored his second touchdown, 48 seconds into the fourth quarter. That score gave the Indians a 34-19 lead.

The Mustangs were within 14-6 after a quarter and 21-13 at halftime.

Senior receiver Ian Martinez (50 yards, 3 receptions) gave Harlandale two first-half touchdowns. He caught a nine-yard pass from junior quarterback Jacob Delgado (11 of 23, 153 yards) with 6:29 to play in the opening quarter. He also corralled a pass for a 26-yard score as time elapsed in the half.

Jefferson closed within 7-6 with 4:18 left in the opening quarter when junior Jesse Flores (199 yards, 26 carries) scored the first of his two touchdowns on an eight-yard ramble. Weston Redding answered a touchdown pass from Delgado to Vincent Hernandez with a 33-yard strike to Henry Bocko (81 yards, 6 catches) to again cut the margin to a point.

Martinez’s second tally and a six-yard touchdown from Aguirre gave Harlandale breathing room at 28-13 in the third quarter. Flores broke a 64-yard run with 3:46 remaining in the third to keep Jefferson in striking distance. Bocko also scored on a seven-yard reception.

Redding produced one of the best games of his three-year career, completing 13 of 19 throws for 137 yards. Eric Flores finished with 51 rushing yards on six attempts. The Mustangs committed four turnovers.

McCollum 19, Lanier 7

Defense was the key for the Cowboys (1-2, 1-0) as they downed Lanier 19-7 in a District 28-5A game at the SAISD Complex. Although the Voks (0-3, 0-1) outgained McCollum 191-175 in total yardage, the visitors scored two touchdowns on fumble returns and didn’t allow a Lanier score until 3:50 remained.

Noe Trevino returned a fumble 53 yards for McCollum’s first touchdown at the 10:42 mark of the first quarter. Alex Herrera cashed in a fumble with a five-yard return with 8:28 left in the second quarter.

That took pressure off the Cowboys’ offense, which was performing without junior back Mike Ramirez. Allen Ojeda built a 19-point advantage with 10:39 left in the fourth quarter when he hooked up with senior quarterback Ralph Vidal (3 of 7, 83 yards) for a 31-yard pass play.

Senior back Joe Orta, in his first action this year, scored Lanier’s touchdown. Orta reached the end zone on a two-yard run.

Central Catholic 35, Holmes 19

The Buttons (2-1) recorded season highs in passing yardage and points scored Saturday at Gustafson Stadium, as they smashed Holmes (0-3).

Central Catholic senior quarterback Joseph Nava completed 21 of 33 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Four Buttons receivers scored touchdowns, with Troy Lozano (81 yards, 5 receptions) notching two scores on passes of 49 and seven yards.

William Prouse (71 yards, 4 receptions) started the scoring less than three minutes into the game on a 24-yard pass from Nava. Sophomore Thomas Palomera was targeted on the second score, 55 seconds into the second quarter.

The Huskies cut the lead to 14-13 with 31 seconds left in the half, but Central Catholic responded with the 49-yard throw to Lozano.

Jaime Nava scored on a 40-yard pass play late in the third quarter.

Joe Barrera led the Buttons with six receptions for 92 yards. Joseph Nava ran for a team-high 72 yards and Jimin Suh added 60.

FOOTBALL: This week’s results (thru Sept. 20)

WEEK 4 SCHEDULE

(Sept. 18-20)

Thursday’s games

District 28-5A

Jefferson (1-3, 1-1) 15, Lanier (0-4, 0-2) 14

Non-district (out of area)

Boerne (3-1) 34, Antonian (2-1) 0

Corpus Christi Ray (4-0) 17, Laredo United South (2-2) 7

Friday’s games

District 27-5A

Boerne Champion (4-0, 2-0) 56, Alamo Heights (2-2, 1-1) 31

Floresville (3-1, 1-1) 49, Kennedy (0-4, 0-2) 7

Lockhart (4-0, 2-0) 42, Memorial (0-4, 0-2) 12

Seguin (1-3, 1-1) 27, San Marcos (1-2, 0-1) 24

District 28-5A

Edison (1-3, 1-1) 23, Highlands (0-3, 0-1) 20

Sam Houston (2-2, 2-0) 34, McCollum (1-3, 1-1) 0

Non-district

St. Mary’s Hall (4-0) 52, Brooks Academy (1-3) 0

Central Catholic (3-1) 35, Devine (1-3) 12

Holy Cross (2-1) 20, Hondo (2-2) 0

Lee (3-1) 35, South San (2-2) 12

Reagan (3-1) 51, East Central (1-3) 7

Del Rio (2-1) 28, Southwest (1-3) 16

Non-district (out of area)

Rogers (2-2) 13, Austin Hyde Park Baptist (1-2) 7

Blanco (4-0) 20,San Antonio Christian (2-2) 14

Cornerstone Christian (3-1) 20, San Marcos Baptist Academy (0-3) 7

Corpus Christi Carroll (4-0) 57, McAllen (2-2) 27

Falfurrias (2-2) 20, George West (1-3) 14 (OT)

Goliad (3-1) 47, Ganado (1-3) 12

Hallettsville (2-2) 36, Edna (1-3) 12

Mathis (3-1) 56, Lyford (0-4) 42

Navarro (4-0) 43, Austin St. Michael’s (1-3) 20

Brownsville St. Joseph (4-0) 62, Pharr Oratory (1-3) 0

Corpus Christi King (3-1) 49, Rio Grande City (1-3) 9

Riviera Kaufer (2-1) 53, Corpus Christi John Paul II (0-4) 12

Cole (3-1) 34, TMI (2-2) 0

Austin St. Stephen’s (1-2) 31, Victoria St. Joseph (0-4) 20

Saturday’s games

District 28-5A

Brackenridge (2-2, 2-0) 24, Harlandale (2-2, 1-1) 21

Non-district (out of area)

St. Anthony (1-3) 34, Marble Falls Faith Academy (1-3) 7 

FOOTBALL: Area rankings (thru Sept. 13)

Through Sept. 13

 

TOP 15:

Rank-Team-Last week

1. Holy Cross – 2

2. East Central – 1

3. Southside – 7

4. Southwest – 3

5. Central Catholic – 5

6. South San – 4

7. Harlandale – 6

8. Brackenridge – 8

9. Sam Houston – 9

10. McCollum – 12

11. Highlands – 10

12. Edison – 11

13. Lanier – 15

14. Burbank – 14

15. Jefferson – NR

 

NR = not ranked

FOOTBALL: Brackenridge rallies behind passing game to beat Edison

Golden Bears cool after scoring first 3 touchdowns

 

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/communities/southside/article/Brackenridge-steps-it-up-for-the-win-over-Edison-5757449.php

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS STORY LINK TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS STORY:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/high_school/high_school_football/article/Lightning-only-delays-Rangers-during-romp-5753963.php

Brackenridge did a 180-degree turnaround in Saturday’s District 28-5A game at Alamo Stadium. Edison seemingly had the Eagles on the ropes early in the game, but Brack dominated the second half for a 48-31 victory.

“On both sides of the ball, we were playing hard,” Brackenridge senior quarterback Antonio Lopez said. “But we needed to step it up a notch. We weren’t playing Brackenridge football.”

The Eagles (1-2, 1-0) scored the game’s final 20 points, including a clinching six-yard touchdown run from Trey Mathis (150 yards, 19 carries) with 1:09 left. Like the Golden Bears, Brackenridge had lost its first two games.

“We were on a two-game slide,” Brackenridge coach Willie Hall said. “We didn’t get off to a good start (tonight), but we were able to get the win.”

Brackenridge lost a shootout to Jay 66-45 in Week 1 and fell 34-28 at Devine Sept. 5 in its first two games. Edison’s style was more similar to Jay’s and the Golden Bears (0-3, 0-1) began the game pushing the pace.

“Devine plays more of a power game, running the football,” Hall said. “Edison is more wide open, they spread you out. So you have to be ready to cover the whole field. They’re both good football teams.”

Edison produced the game’s first three touchdowns as senior Jonathan Hernandez (12 of 23, 240 yards) passed twice to Bryan Bolton and once to Michael Benavidez for scores.

Bolton had three catches for 17 yards in Edison’s first two games. He finished with 153 yards on seven receptions, catching touchdown passes of six and 29 yards for the game’s first two scores.

“He has the ability to have games like this,” Edison coach Albert Torres said. “He’d had bad luck as far as that, but Bryan had a great offseason. He got stronger. He’s had to play both ways, so that’s slowed him down a little bit.”

In his first varsity action, sophomore back Matthew Garcia enabled Edison to achieve offensive balance. Garcia made an immediate impact and finished with 145 yards on 30 carries.

Garcia carried the ball six times as the Golden Bears scored on the game’s opening drive. He ran five times for 33 yards on Edison’s second scoring drive, including a 20-yard dash into Brackenridge territory.

“He’s something,” Torres said. “We’ve kind of had our eyes on him for a while. Due to injuries, we had to bring him up. He still has to get better, but I was pleased with his effort.”

The Eagles tied it in the third quarter, only to fall behind again. Recovering a fumble at their own 2 early in the fourth quarter turned the tide. Two plays later, Lopez (20 of 28, 382 yards) found Lee Terrell for a 99-yard score.

“We knew they weren’t going to relax,” Torres said. “Our goal was to continue scoring. They’re explosive.”

Facing a three-touchdown deficit with 9:01 left in the first half, Brackenridge had little choice but to throw the ball.

The Eagles got on the board with a 45-yard pass play from Lopez to Macco Marble, who reversed field after the catch to shake off a defender. Lopez completed nine of 10 passes for 169 yards in the second quarter.

A seven-yard touchdown run from Mathis tied it 28-28 with 5:26 remaining in the third quarter.

The Golden Bears were only able to add a 26-yard field goal from Joseph Delgado after intermission. In addition to the fumble recovery, Brackenridge stopped them at its 10 with 5:42 left and the Eagles ahead 41-31.

“Brack’s a good team. Coach Hall does a great job with them,” Torres said. “Coming in we knew, No. 1, they had speed and, No. 2, they were going to throw the ball.

“They mixed coverages up on us and made it tough to make some passes.”

Edison matched Brack’s first touchdown with a 14-yard scoring pass from Hernandez to Steven Sanchez with 5:10 left in the first half. The Eagles kept pace. Lopez threw to Marble in the left corner of the end zone, for a four-year touchdown.

“Anthony’s been an asset to us,” Hall said. “When he was behind Ramon (Richards, the Eagles quarterback the previous two years), we knew he’d come up and play well. He was the one that really got us rolling.”

Terrell (230 yards, 7 receptions) also scored on a 76-yard pass play, after breaking two tackles. That touchdown brought Brackenridge within 28-21 at halftime.

Lopez threw the ball about 30 yards down the left sideline and the speedy senior did the rest. This time, Terrell was wide open when he received the pass.

After Delgado’s field goal and the second-half bomb to Terrell, Brackenridge got a leaping touchdown pass from Jordan Beasley on a 10-yard toss from Lopez.

“Brack averages nearly 500 yards of offense,” Torres said. “They’ve put points up on a lot of people. You always game plan to stop them or slow them down. The idea wasn’t to get into a shootout with them.

“We knew they weren’t going to relax. Our goal was to continue scoring. They’re explosive.”

On their final drive, the Eagles put their aerial display to bed and let Mathis run the ball to eat time off the clock. The senior back picked up most of his rushing yards on the possession, which started at the Brackenridge 5.

“(The running game) definitely makes it a little easier,” Lopez said. “I’ve got great wide receivers and a great line, so that helps everything we do.”

Brackenridge and Harlandale were considered the top two preseason contenders for the district title.

“We’re not going to be satisfied with just this one win,” Lopez said.