BROWNSVILLE — Brownsville Veterans Memorial players figured they would not return to Sams Memorial Stadium after they defeated McAllen High in the bi-district round, not because they would not make it to the Region IV-5A DI final, but because teams usually play up north during this time of the season.
The Chargers (11-2) host Corpus Christi Miller (13-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Sams Memorial Stadium with the last chance this season to showcase their exceptional talents in the company of their community as they look to set more city history.
Tale of the Tape: Buccaneers, Chargers gearing up for regional championship tilt
Chargers head coach JC Ramirez said that being able to host a fourth-round game is the biggest surprise of the playoffs and that he, like his players, said farewell to the stadium for the time being after beating McHi on Nov. 10.
Ramirez received a bit of luck this flip after losing a flip against Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial and having to play in Pharr because they hosted last year’s third-round meeting against PSJA North.
“I called even. My friend was telling me to say odd, but my mouth said even,” Ramirez said. “It was the luck of the draw, but we will take it. We are super excited that we are going to participate and host a fourth-round playoff game.”
Ramirez is even more excited because all his team has to do is show up to play Friday, as he credited community leaders and game organizers for making sure the stadium is ready for Friday night.
“It has been a logistic task for our athletic director, coach Gilbert Leal, he has done a great job at setting stuff up,” Ramirez said. “Our maintenance supervisor, facility supervisor, deputy superintendent and our principal have been doing a great job kind of keeping me focused on football, but I know there is a lot of legwork that has been happening for this game to be a success on Friday.”
The players expect a packed house Friday.
“It is going to be awesome,” senior linebacker Jaime Martinez said. “All my childhood friends are telling me they are going to go and all my coaches from my childhood, so I am excited to see everyone and hopefully become the first Valley team in a long time to win a regional championship.”
Brownsville Veterans has reached uncharted waters for any BISD school. No school has made it this far, but Ramirez has received advice and also a lot of love from around the Valley.
“Yesterday I spoke to some coaches that have been there and done that,” Ramirez said. “I made preliminary arrangements with coach Larry Hill from Smithson Valley, and he has gone to three state championships. He was an open book. He genuinely gave me some insight and how he prepared to get ready for a fourth-, fifth-round playoff game or even a state championship game … what he told me that I really take to heart is that it is still the same game.”
Ramirez also spoke to Port Isabel’s Tony Villarreal. He also spoke with the longtime head coach about how to prepare for the game.
Villarreal led the Tarpons to the fourth round in 1990 and fifth round in 1994. PSJA North (2022), Sharyland Pioneer (2020), Mission Veterans (2018), Port Isabel (2012), Harlingen High (2011), Port Isabel (2003), Edinburg High (1999), Edcouch-Elsa (1997), Mission High (1990) and Harlingen High all made it to at least the fourth round in more recent years.
In 2003, Port Isabel made it to a state semifinal under head coach Monty Stumbaugh. In 1962, PSJA High made it to a state semifinal and in 1961 Donna High beat Quanah to win the state championship.
“Playing in Sams brings back a lot of nostalgia,” Chargers junior Sergio Sosa said. “Being able to play here in a fourth-round playoff game is going to be great. The community has our back, and we are going to have their back Friday night.”
It has been an impressive playoff run by the Chargers.
In 2022, Brownsville Veterans, Corpus Christi Veterans and PSJA North were the last four standing in the Region IV-5A DI playoffs. The Chargers beat all three in that order by a combined score of 117-56 to make it to the fourth round this season.
Brownsville Veterans beat McHi 55-21, C.C. Veterans 17-7 and PSJA North 45-28. C.C. Miller has dispatched Laredo Martin 77-0, Edinburg Vela 49-28 and survived a tense affair with Victoria West 51-48. The Buccaneers had only 57 seconds to score a touchdown against Victoria West, a familiar foe for Brownsville Veterans, to book their spot in the regional final.
The Chargers are playing stout defense, and the offense is moving the ball through the air and on the ground with talented athletes behind physical linemen.
The defense knows it has a challenge against a vertically inclined Buccaneers team.
“We are trying to get prepared every way we can,” senior safety and running back Gilbert Trillo said. “We know C.C. Miller is a tough team, and we are prepared for a dogfight. We have to be ready for them.”
Trillo and the defense, at every level, has played lights out this playoffs. A couple of garbage-time touchdowns have flattered scorelines.
Offensively, Trillo has 10 touchdowns this postseason as he continues to excel alongside quarterback Storm Montoya, Alvin Trevillion, Gerry Gomez and an offensive line that is also playing amazing football.
Gomez said it was important to set the tone early last week as the Chargers’ offense jumped on PSJA North with big plays in the passing game.
“It was important to show we were not scared to throw the ball and to pound it,” Gomez said.
The receiver has made deep catches all season and again could be vital for the Chargers.
Montoya had a clean pocket thanks to the offensive line. The junior quarterback had a lot of clean pockets against a Raiders team that had one of the best defenses in the region.
“We just came out more physical and punched them in the mouth the first play,” senior guard Matthew Pinion said.
The line has become better and better every game, Pinion said. Pinion, along with Tovar, has one of the more physical linemen on the team, but the whole line has demonstrated that they are more than capable to do the job.
“I try and bring it to them before they can bring to me, so that they know that I am there,” Tovar said.
When they dominate a game the passing game is open, but so is the bread-and-butter, the running game. Junior back Alvin Trevillion has had an amazing season with 1,376 rushing yards. Trevillion only began playing football last season to help his speed for baseball.
“I thought it was just going to be another sport for me … but, it turns out I really like football,” he said.
Ramirez said that football is not a contact sport, it is a collision sport, and in order to play this sport with confidence, especially in the fourth round, the work started eight months ago. Brownsville Veterans had a terrific offseason program, he said.
“I think we got off to an OK start early in the year, but eventually our kids recognized that we have what it takes, we have the tools and great players,” Ramirez said. “They believed, they went all-in our scheme and what our coaches are preaching, and lo and behold we are practicing Week 17.”
