RGV 6A Football Preview: Valley teams vying for spots in third round

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Since the UIL’s addition of the Class 6A classification in 2014, the Rio Grande Valley has had at least two teams representing the area in the third round of the playoffs nearly every season.

The 2020 campaign marked the first time the RGV didn’t send a team to the third round of the 6A playoffs since the addition of the classification. Last year, the Valley failed to send a team into the third round for just the second time since 2014 and the second time in four years.

Four Valley teams remain alive in this year’s postseason, hoping to reach the third round and more with wins this weekend.

Here’s a look at each team’s path to the third round of the playoffs.

CLASS 6A DIVISION I

Weslaco High (8-3) vs. San Antonio East Central (8-3)

The Panthers are five years removed from their last third-round appearance, advancing to a 6A DI regional semifinal in 2019. This year’s Weslaco High squad is hoping to become the next group to reach the round, taking on San Antonio East Central in the 6A DI area round at 7 p.m. Friday at Shirley Field in Laredo.

Weslaco High punched its ticket into the second round with a dominating 28-0 win over San Benito in the bi-district round. Do-it-all athlete Chris Luna helped lead the Panthers to the win, hauling in five catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Meanwhile, East Central made light work of Laredo United South in the bi-district round, routing the Panthers 49-28 behind a big day from quarterback Isaiah Mackey. The senior signal caller finished with 205 yards and four touchdowns through the air, adding 85 yards on the ground.

Both teams feature balanced offensive attacks heading into the game. The Panthers are averaging 361 total yards and 31.5 points per game, including 170.8 yards through the air and 190.3 on the ground.

The Hornets enter the game averaging 463.5 total yards and 44.2 points per game, with 242.0 coming in the passing game and 221.5 on the ground.

The winner between Weslaco High and East Central advances to a Region IV-6A semifinal to take on the winner between Lake Travis and San Antonio Johnson.

Los Fresnos (10-1) vs. Buda Johnson (7-4)

Los Fresnos entered this year’s playoffs ranked second in the RGV in third-round postseason appearances at the 6A level. A win this week would move the Falcons into a tie with three other teams, with them in search of their fourth regional semifinal appearance in Class 6A.

Standing in their way are the Buda Johnson Jaguars, the fourth-place team from District 29-6A.

The Falcons enter their second-round playoff contest red hot, riding a seven-game winning streak into the area round.

Junior quarterback Robert Pineda has been the engine behind Los Fresnos’ district championship season, with the third-year starter throwing for 1,577 yards and 19 touchdowns in 11 games this season, also adding 145 carries for 1,265 yards and 22 touchdowns. His dual-threat ability was on full display during Los Fresnos’ win over Edinburg Economedes in the bi-district round, completing 8 of 10 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns and adding six carries for 25 yards and one score.

The Falcons also field a physical defensive unit led by its linebacking trio of Joshua Laster, Cade Stumbaugh and Juan Sanchez. Each member of the group has racked up more than 75 total tackles this season and generated a combined 10 turnovers and seven blocked kicks.

Lining up opposite of the Falcons is a tough Jaguars squad fresh off a 41-14 thrashing of Laredo United in the bi-district round.

Senior running back Kael Hatnot has been the lifeblood of Buda Johnson’s run-heavy offense, rushing for a team-high 1,482 yards and 29 touchdowns in 10 games this year. Hatnot put together his best game of the year during the first round, rushing for 246 yards and five touchdowns on 26 carries during the win.

Slowing down outside linebacker Charles Steward will be key for the Falcons, with the Jaguars’ senior recording 61 total tackles, 14 sacks and 10 tackles for loss this season.

The winner between the Falcons and Jaguars earns a date in a Region IV-6A semifinal against the winner between Austin Westlake and San Antonio Brennan.

CLASS 6A DIVISION II

PSJA High (9-2) vs. Cibolo Steele (10-1)

PSJA High has never reached the third round at the Class 6A level, with its last regional appearance coming during the 2005 season before Class 6A existed.

The Bears draw arguably the toughest road to the third round for an RGV team this year, taking on state-ranked Cibolo Steele in the Class 6A DII area round at 7 p.m. today at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio.

PSJA High enters the second round averaging an explosive 434.9 total yards and 34.5 points per game, including 318.5 yards through the air.

The Bears’ high-octane offensive attack put on a show during the opening round of the playoffs, with PSJA High racking up 587 total yards during a 55-28 win over Harlingen High.

Seniors Myles Lopez, Caleb Salas and Ryan Vallejo led the Bears’ offensive explosion, with Lopez throwing for 450 yards and four touchdowns. Salas and Vallejo both finished with more than 200 receiving yards and a combined three touchdowns.

The defense also had itself a day, forcing four turnovers, 3.5 sacks and one touchdown during the win.

They’ll need all hands on deck against the Knights, who enter the game averaging 473.5 total yards and 55.2 points per game.

Steele fields playmakers at every level on both sides of the ball. Senior Chad Warner commands the offense behind center, throwing for 2,795 yards and 37 touchdowns this year. He’s aided by a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in seniors Royal Cappell (1,161 yards, 12 touchdowns) and Jalen Cooper (1,060 yards, 10 touchdowns).

Meanwhile, Demarcus Smith (113 total tackles) and Julian Hugo (70 total tackles, 18 TFL, 8.5 sacks) will be a handful to slow down defensively.

The Knights dominated their bi-district contest against Laredo Alexander, crushing the Bulldogs 56-14 for their sixth straight win with more than 50 points.

The winner between the Bears and Knights advances to the third round to take on either Austin Vandergrift or San Antonio Sotomayor.

Brownsville Veterans (8-3) vs. New Braunfels Canyon (7-4)

The Chargers picked up their first playoff win at the 6A level last week, steamrolling the Edinburg High Bobcats 47-9 in the Class 6A DII bi-district round.

The 2023 5A DI state semifinalists are looking for more as they try to earn their third straight third-round bid and first at the 6A level against New Braunfels Canyon at 7 p.m. Friday at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio.

The Chargers are led by an experienced playmaker behind center in senior Storm Montoya. The four-year letterwinner and second-year starter at QB is a force with his arm and legs, throwing for 463 yards and five touchdowns on just 48 attempts, and adding 656 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.

Senior Alvin Trevillion and junior Cesar Belmontes gives the Chargers a dynamic three-headed attack in the backfield, both rushing for more than 900 yards and 10 touchdowns this year.

Hard-hitting defensive backs Mickey Rodriguez and Eroz Pineda anchor the Chargers’ defense, both averaging at least eight tackles per game this season. The senior duo is proven to be a game changer, combining for eight turnovers this year.

The Cougars field a dynamic senior duo in their own backfield, led by quarterback Reece Deitrick and running back Jackson Regan.

Deitrick, a two-year starter for the Cougars, completed 98 of 167 passes for 1,473 yards and 16 touchdowns in 10 regular-season appearances this year. Meanwhile, Regan paces the Canyon ground game, toting the rock 206 times for 1,457 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Cougars enter the game with a 7-4 overall mark, finishing second in District 29-6A behind Cibolo Steele.

The winner between the Chargers and Cougars faces off against the winner between Dripping Springs and San Antonio Harlan in a Region IV-6A semifinal next week.

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