HARR — PSJA North spent the last four years dominating the competition at the Class 5A level. The Raiders amassed a 29-1 district record during their four seasons in 15-5A DI.
Realignment moved PSJA North back to Class 6A for the first time since the 2021 season, leaving many wondering how the Raiders would fare against the competition.
PSJA North delivered a statement win to those in question Friday, dominating the reigning district champion Los Fresnos Falcons 41-3 during their 32-6A opener at PSJA Stadium in Pharr.
“It felt great, especially it being our home opener for district,” PSJA North defensive tackle Rey Martinez said. “It felt great being back home. What we saw on the field, it gave us an edge going more into district. Feels great that we won, and we’re ready to go for next week.”
MISSION — Mission Veterans entered Friday night as one of the stronger teams in the Rio Grande Valley, riding a four-game winning streak and unbeaten in district play.
Sharyland ended both.
Sophomore quarterback William Taylor accounted for five touchdowns, the Rattlers created key turnovers and converted two fake punts in a 37-29 victory over the Patriots at Tom Landry Stadium.
The win moved Sharyland to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in District 16-5A Division II, one week after the Rattlers defeated Roma. Mission Veterans fell to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in district.
“I think this is huge,” Sharyland head coach Craig Krell said. “Patriots, I said it earlier in the day, I think Patriots probably have the toughest non-district schedule out of anybody in the Valley. And for them to come away with only one loss, it showed how good of a team they are.”
ALAMO — With the game on the line and less than two minutes remaining, McAllen Memorial went back to what it does best.
Run the football.
Senior running back Braxton Speights scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the night with 10 seconds remaining, capping a late go-ahead drive and lifting the Mustangs past PSJA Memorial 42-38 in a District 16-5A DI thriller Thursday night.
The victory moved McAllen Memorial to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in district play, giving the Mustangs back-to-back wins after snapping a three-game skid with a 75-49 victory over Rio Grande City.
EDINBURG — With just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, Edinburg Vela senior quarterback Caidyn Hoover made a costly mistake.
Down 26-22, the first-year signal-caller fired a pass down the middle intended for wide receiver George Fauls. Instead, the ball landed in the hands of Weslaco High safety Saul Ramirez. The Panthers capitalized on the turnover, with junior Malachi Rodriguez scoring on a 49-yard touchdown run on the next play.
Hoover didn’t let the fourth-quarter interception shake him, however. He led back-to-back scoring drives in the final minutes to erase an 11-point deficit and rally the SaberCats past the Panthers 37-33 on Thursday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Weslaco.
MISSION — For a second straight game, the Sharyland High Rattlers found themselves with a big lead at the break.
For a second straight game, the Rattlers saw that lead disappear in the second half, with their opponent battling back to make it a tight contest late.
For a second straight game, Sharyland High found a way to close out with a win, holding off the Gladiators’ second-half comeback attempt for a 41-34 District 16-5A DII win Friday at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission.
PHARR — The last time Mission Veterans walked off the field at PSJA Stadium, the Patriots had just been handed a 56-14 loss by PSJA North.
Mission Veterans head coach David Gilpin said that night forced his young team to make a choice.
“PSJA North gave us a wake-up call,” Gilpin said. “We’re either going to strap up and we’re going to go out there, we’re going to go toe to toe with whoever’s in front of us, or we’re going to have to go hide somewhere. And our kids made a decision to come out swinging. And they have ever since.”
The Patriots haven’t lost since.
Mission Veterans picked up its fourth straight victory Friday night, defeating PSJA Southwest 44-20 in a District 16-5A DII contest at PSJA Stadium.
LA JOYA — For a moment Friday night, Palmview quarterback Edgar Villalpando admitted his confidence wavered.
The senior quarterback and the Lobos found themselves trailing Mission at halftime after a back-and-forth first two quarters, but Palmview leaned on its ground game and defense down the stretch to rally for a 25-21 win Friday night at La Joya ISD Pack Stadium.
“At a point, I lost faith, I’m not gonna lie,” Villalpando said. “But, you know, I’m glad that we trust our whole team, and I’m glad that our team was able to execute at the end. Big moments, you know, we’re destined for big moments. So I trust my whole team. I trust my O-line. I trust my defense.”
McALLEN — The McHi Bulldogs found themselves in an unfamiliar spot for the first time this season — behind on the scoreboard — during the first quarter of their District 16-5A DI rivalry game against Nikki Rowe.
The deficit would last just one snap and 22 seconds, however, as McHi running back Cole Morley proceeded to rip off a 66-yard touchdown run on the very next play, re-taking the lead before leaving Rowe in the dust for a 33-7 rivalry win Friday night at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
After delivering a 34-14 beat down of one of their crosstown rivals McAllen Memorial a week ago, the Bulldogs took care of business against the Warriors to claim their first city championship in four years.
LOS FRESNOS — From the game’s opening drive, Edinburg Vela Caidyn Hoover made his presence felt.
The SaberCats two-way star came up with the game’s first two tackles, including a big hit in the back field on second down.
Hoover was only getting started.
Four plays later, the senior was sprinting his way to the end zone for a 59-yard pick-6, giving the Falcons an early 7-0 lead.
The defensive touchdown was a sign of things to come, with Hoover accounting for all of Edinburg Vela’s touchdowns during a 49-42 win over the Falcons on Friday at Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium in Los Fresnos. Hoover finished with four passing touchdowns, two rushing and one defensive touchdown during the win.
MCALLEN — For most of his varsity career, Braxton Speights had a familiar group around him; the same group of guys he had grown up playing football with. That group, the class of 2025, closed out their time together as undefeated District Champions last season, a fitting climax to years spent growing up in the game side by side.
This year is different.
The McAllen Memorial senior running back is now one of the veterans on a Mustangs team featuring several players getting their first taste of varsity football. For Speights, that has meant taking on a bigger responsibility beyond simply carrying the football.
“Nothing crazy,” Speights said. “But there’s obviously a lot of young guys, a lot of guys that don’t have varsity experience. So it’s been really just coaching them up and trying to get them ready for the moment.”
WESLACO — PSJA North seemed headed towards back-to-back regular season losses for the first time since 2019 late Friday.
An interception by Weslaco High’s defense put the ball in the Panthers’ hands with a chance to chew up the clock and hand the Raiders a second straight loss.
The Raiders had other plans.
With their backs against the wall, PSJA North’s defense responded with back-to-back punts and an interception, while the defense scored two four quarter touchdowns as the Raiders rallied past Weslaco High during a non-district game at Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco.
Rowe bounced back from its loss to McAllen with its most complete performance of the season, shutting out Palmview 33-0.
The Warriors’ defense pressured Palmview throughout the night, finishing with four sacks and two interceptions while recording its first shutout of the season. Rowe’s offense added three touchdown passes as the Warriors improved to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in district. Palmview also sits at 3-3 and 2-1 after suffering its first district loss.
The result keeps Rowe firmly involved behind unbeaten McAllen in the District 16-5A Division I race.