Edinburg Vela hosts Smithson Valley for area round showdown

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EDINBURG — Smithson Valley put an end to Texas high school football in the Rio Grande Valley last season as the Rangers knocked Brownsville Veterans out of the playoffs in a Class 5A Division I state semifinal with a 49-21 win in Corpus Christi.

One year later, Smithson Valley must enter enemy territory in the RGV as the Edinburg Vela SaberCats play host to the Rangers in a Region IV-5A DI area-round playoff matchup at 7 p.m. Friday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg.

The winner between Edinburg Vela (11-0) and Smithson Valley (9-2) advances to next week’s regional semifinal to face the winner between PSJA North and New Braunfels.

“Our coach (Ernie Alonzo) told us even before the playoffs started, we’re flipping for home or away — we’re not meeting neutral. We’re either going to play them at home or we’re going to take our dogs over there and play them,” Vela senior quarterback Geoffrey LeFevre said about hosting an area -round playoff game. “He stood by that, and that’s a gutsy move to do and I respect him as a head coach for that.”

The SaberCats are the only unbeaten team in the RGV and sit atop the RGVSports.com 5A/6A Football Rankings after capturing the District 16-5A DI crown.

LeFevre, running back Jonathan Flores, an arsenal of pass-catchers and a dominant offensive line have grown together from Week 1 and now own one of South Texas’ most balanced attacks.

The SaberCats are averaging 41.8 points per game as LeFevre has thrown for 2,788 yards and 29 touchdowns and added seven rushing touchdowns. Flores has rushed for 1,724 yards, caught 20 passes for 256 yards and scored 23 total touchdowns.

“We’re going to prepare like we prepare for every game, and come out and play like we play every game,” Flores said.

The Edinburg Vela defense also features playmakers at every level who helped produce a five-turnover game in their bi-district playoff win over Harlingen South last week. The SaberCats have held opponents to just 13.6 points per game.

Smithson Valley finished as runner-up in District 13-5A DI and defeated South San Antonio 49-7 in last week’s bi-district round to set up the matchup with the SaberCats. The Rangers enter the area round scoring 42.8 points per game and giving up 10.3 points.

“We have to start explosive like we did today,” offensive lineman Angel Rios said after the SaberCats’ bi-district win over Harlingen South. “Smithson Valley is a great team, but we’re a great team, too, and we know we can compete with them.”