The Texas high school football regular season is in the books, with Rio Grande Valley teams fortunate enough to qualify now shift their focus to the start of the playoffs.
It’s win-or-go-home mode as the bi-district round features four blockbuster RGV vs. RGV matchups at the 6A level and exciting action in Classes 2A-5A.
CLASS 6A
Bi-district action at the 6A level pits RGV against RGV with Districts 31-6A and 32-6A squaring off for a spot in the area round.
In Class 6A DI, Edinburg High (6-4, 5-3) and Harlingen High (7-3, 5-2) are slated for a Saturday afternoon matchup at 2 p.m. at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen.
Los Fresnos (6-3, 5-2) will travel to Mission High’s (7-3, 6-2) home away from home, Bill Pate Memorial Stadium in Hidalgo, at 7 p.m. Friday.
In Class 6A DII, District 31-6A champion Edinburg Vela (10-0, 8-0) is set for a showdown against San Benito (8-2, 5-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg.
District 32-6A champion Harlingen South (10-0, 7-0) will host PSJA North (8-2, 6-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen.
CLASS 5A
The three McAllen high schools — McHi, Memorial and Rowe — all earned playoff berths in District 16-5A DI, and are joined by Brownsville Veterans as the No. 4 seed.
Memorial (9-1, 9-0) kicks off playoff action against Victoria West at 7 p.m. Thursday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Friday night features matchups between McAllen Rowe (7-3, 7-2) and Corpus Christi Flour Bluff (8-2, 6-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, while Brownsville Veterans (7-3, 7-2) hits the road to take on Corpus Christi Veterans (9-1, 7-1), and McAllen High (8-2, 7-2) meets Gregory-Portland (7-3, 7-1) at 7 p.m. Friday in Gregory-Portland.
In Class 5A DII, Edcouch-Elsa and tri-district champion Mercedes are set for road games, while fellow 16-5A DII champions Mission Veterans and Sharyland High will host their first-round opponents.
The Yellow Jackets (5-5, 5-3) finished as the No. 4 seed setting up a bi-district matchup against Alamo Heights (10-0, 5-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Orem Stadium in San Antonio.
The No. 3-seeded Mercedes Tigers (9-1, 7-1) will face Boerne-Champion (8-2, 4-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Boerne ISD Stadium.
No. 1 seed Mission Veterans (7-3, 7-1) earned a matchup against 15-5A DII’s No. 4 seed Medina Valley (3-7, 2-3). The Patriots host the Panthers at 7:30 p.m. at Bennie La Prade Stadium in Donna.
Sharyland High (8-2, 7-1) collides with Floresville (8-2, 3-2) at 7 p.m. Friday at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission.
CLASS 4A
RGV squads claimed three of the four District 16-4A DI playoff spots up for grabs led by district title winner La Feria, No. 2 seed Grulla and No. 3 seed Hidalgo.
La Feria (7-1, 4-0) will face Beeville Jones (4-6, 2-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cabaniss Multipurpose Stadium in Corpus Christi.
The Grulla Gators, who were forced to forfeit their 2020 first-round playoff game due to COVID-19, are back in the postseason and ready to make up for a lost opportunity. The Gators (4-4, 2-2) are matched up against Port LaVaca Calhoun (5-4, 3-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Alice High School.
No. 3 seed Hidalgo (4-5, 2-2) plays Corpus Christi Miller (7-3, 4-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Falfurrias High School.
Meanwhile, Port Isabel (7-3, 4-3) earned the No. 4 seed in District 16-4A DII, setting up a bi-district bout against Carrizo Springs. Game details have yet to be determined.
CLASS 3A
Lyford (7-3, 4-2) finished as the No. 3 seed in District 16-3A DI and are headed for a matchup against Industrial (8-2, 5-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Odem High School in Odem.
CLASS 2A
Both of the RGV’s Class 2A programs — La Villa and Santa Maria — are set to represent District 16-2A DI in the postseason.
The district champion Cardinals (8-2, 4-0) completed a perfect run through 16-2A DI competition and now face Freer in Round 1 at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Roma High School.
Santa Maria has a tough task on its hand with a first round matchup against District 15-2A DI champion Refugio (10-0, 4-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday in Refugio.
