The Harlingen High Lady Cardinals want to take advantage of the opportunity to reach the state volleyball playoffs by winning.
With two match dates remaining in District 32-6A, the Lady Cardinals play at 6:30 p.m. today at Harlingen South in the Bird Bowl, then draw an open date Saturday before playing host to Brownsville Rivera next Tuesday.
Los Fresnos (8-0) already has clinched the outright district championship. South and Rivera are tied for second in 32-6A with 5-3 records. Harlingen High and Brownsville Hanna are tied in fourth place at 3-5. San Benito is 0-8 in the six-team district.
Lady Cardinals coach Joslynn Torres believes getting a win during one of those two matches to close the regular season will be enough for her team to make it to the playoffs.
“We are playing these last two (regular-season) matches as if each one is a play-in match,” Torres said. “We’ve got to get the job done. (It’s) win and you’re in.
“We have opportunities ahead of us,” she added. “What are we going to do with them?”
Along with the Bird Bowl, today’s 6:30 p.m. schedule in 32-6A also has Hanna at Los Fresnos and Rivera at home against San Benito.
After the district-wide open date Saturday, 32-6A completes play next Tuesday with South at Hanna, Rivera at Harlingen High and Los Fresnos at San Benito.
Two seasons ago, the Lady Cardinals went into the end of the regular season tied with Hanna for the fourth-place playoff spot in 32-6A. Hanna ended up getting the berth and going to the playoffs.
The Lady Cardinals want to be the ones advancing to the postseason this time.
If Harlingen High and Hanna wind up tied for fourth place in the 32-6A standings, the two teams would likely have a play-in match Nov. 1 or 2 with the winner reaching the postseason.
The state playoffs are scheduled to start Nov. 4.
32-5A UPDATE
Edcouch-Elsa continues to lead District 32-5A with an 11-0 record. Brownsville Veterans Memorial is second at 10-1 with Donna High in third at 6-5 and Mercedes in fourth at 5-6.
Rounding out the 32-5A standings are Brownsville Lopez (4-7), Brownsville Porter (4-7), Brownsville Pace (4-7) and Valley View (0-11).
An upcoming showdown in 32-5A is set at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 when E-E is at Brownsville Veterans.
RANKINGS WATCH
Several Rio Grande Valley volleyball teams continue to be state-ranked this week by the Texas Girls Coaching Association.
In Class 6A, McAllen Memorial is No. 11 and McAllen High is No. 18, although the Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lady Mustangs 25-17, 25-22, 23-25, 25-18 on Saturday during a District 30-6A match.
Also in 6A, Los Fresnos (30-8) is ranked No. 25.
In Class 5A, Mission Veterans Memorial (35-5) is No. 6, and Edcouch-Elsa (32-7) is No. 13.
EAST VALLEY TOP FIVE
1. Los Fresnos
2. Harlingen South
3. Brownsville Rivera
4. Brownsville Veterans Memorial
5. Brownsville Hanna
