East Valley Football: Hawks-Greyhounds headlines busy Week 7

It’s a busy week in the East Valley, with all 19 football teams officially participating in district contests and some races heating up.

Action begins Thursday with the Santa Rosa Warriors (1-4, 0-1 in District 16-3A Division II) heading to Taft to take on the Greyhounds (4-2, 0-2).

District 16-5A Division I returns after having a district-wide bye week. Brownsville Porter (1-4, 0-4) will travel to face the La Joya Palmview Lobos (2-3, 1-3) at 7 p.m. at La Joya ISD Stadium as the Cowboys chase their first district win. Brownsville Veterans Memorial (3-2, 3-1) takes on Brownsville Lopez (0-5, 0-4) at 7 p.m. at Sams Memorial Stadium.

The Brownsville Pace Vikings (2-3, 2-2) play host to No. 5 McAllen Memorial (4-1, 4-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Sams Memorial Stadium.

It’ll be another big week for District 32-6A. There’s a marquee matchup between ranked, unbeaten squads as the No. 4 Harlingen South Hawks (5-0, 2-0) travel to battle the No. 3 San Benito Greyhounds (5-0, 2-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Bobby Morrow Stadium.

Also at 7 p.m. Friday, No. 6 Harlingen High (3-2, 1-1) will look to bounce back from a loss in the Bird Bowl when it faces No. 8 Weslaco High (4-0, 2-0) at Boggus Stadium, and Brownsville Hanna (1-4, 0-2) visits Donna North (1-3, 0-2) at Bennie LaPrade Stadium.

The East Valley’s Class 4A teams all play at 7:30 p.m. Friday. La Feria (3-1) begins its District 16-4A Division I campaign at Zapata (3-3). In 16-4A Division II, Raymondville (2-3, 0-2) plays host to Robstown (2-3, 0-2), and Rio Hondo (2-3, 0-2) plays host to Rockport-Fulton (4-1, 1-1).

The No. 9 Port Isabel Tarpons (5-0, 2-0) have a huge road game against the Sinton Pirates (4-1, 2-0) that carries title implications. Sinton emerged, arguably, as the 16-4A DII title favorite after defeating Rockport-Fulton last week. But the Tarpons have been rolling, accumulating more than 1,800 rushing yards and averaging 44 points per game, and would make a massive statement with a victory.

Lyford (4-2, 1-1) will aim to bounce back from its first District 16-3A Division I loss at 7:30 p.m. Friday when it plays host to Santa Gertrudis (2-4, 0-2). Santa Maria (3-2) begins District 16-2A Division I play at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Ben Bolt (3-3).

Brownsville St. Joseph (3-2, 2-0) is chasing its third straight victory in a TAPPS Division II District 3 home game at 7 p.m. Friday against Boerne Geneva (2-3, 1-1). SJA senior quarterback Luigi Cristiano was voted the Texas Private School offensive player of the week after throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns, and adding one rushing touchdown, during a Week 6 district win over Austin Brentwood.

Week 7 ends with a pair of Saturday night games. The Los Fresnos Falcons (2-2, 1-1) will clash with the Brownsville Rivera Raiders (2-3, 0-2) at 7 p.m. at Sams Memorial Stadium. Marine Military Academy (4-1) starts district play with a neutral site game against KIPP Generations Collegiate (1-3) at 6 p.m. at Corpus Christi John Paul.

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