Sharyland Times, Mission, TX (2025)

11/08/2025

The Mission Veterans Patriots (9-1, 4-0) exited Richard S. Thompson Stadium with a golden football tonight after defeating the Sharyland Pioneer (6-4, 2-2) Diamondbacks by a final score of 27-6. The win, the ninth of the Patriots' noteworthy season, ended with the Patriots being crowned District 15-5A-2 Champions for the sixth time in the last nine years.

"Six in nine years, five different districts. This football team and this football program have excelled... hats off to this coaching staff and this group of kids. We're 9-1," Patriots Head Coach David Gilpin exclaimed after the Patriots' tough win.

Friday night's blockbuster matchup started with fireworks. Diamondbacks QB William Goodloe and Patriots RB Benji Martinez exchanged scores in the infantile moments of the first quarter. Martinez's shifty 22-yard touchdown run was met with an immediate response when Goodloe streaked down the home sideline on an electrifying 70-yard touchdown run. A hard-nosed goal-line rushing touchdown from Patriots QB Roman Reyna in the twilight of the first half gave the Patriots a 12-6 lead. They never let go.

"We came out in the second half, and we didn't give up a point. So, the defense answered the bell and answered the call in the second half. And the offense was consistent all night.," Gilpin said when describing his team's resolve.

The Patriots' Blue Dawgz defense suffocated the Diamondbacks' offense in one of their more impressive showings this year. They limited their opponents and thwarted them in key moments of the game. A serendipitous Diamondbacks' turnover to end the first half and a late-game-sealing interception by Patriots DB Daniel Garcia bookended their inspired performance.

On offense, Patriots QB Roman Reyna and his talented counterpart Benji Martinez carried their offense across the finish line after the duo combined for three second-half scores, with Martinez scoring twice in the fourth quarter off a 10-yard reception and a 20-yard rush.

"It feels amazing coming out with my team tonight and getting the victory. It just feels good experiencing this with them... Last year wasn't very great. But this year, things have changed, and the tables have turned," Martinez said about the Patriots' turnaround championship season.

As the de-facto Mission city champions and newly minted District 15 5A-2 Champions, the Patriots will move on to the UIL 5A-2 State Playoffs, where they'll likely face the Brownsville Pace Vikings (4-6, 2-3) in the Bi-District Championship at Tom Landry Stadium.

The Patriots will look to win their first Bi-District title since the 23-24 season. They'll enter the game as prohibitive favorites, riding the sails of a dominant six-game winning streak.

Here are some photos from tonight's game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland-Pioneer-HS/November-72025-Football-Pioneer-VMHS-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela.

11/01/2025

Tonight at Richard S. Thompson Stadium, the Sharyland Rattlers dominated the highly anticipated Snakeskin Classic against the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks, winning by a final score of 42-13.

"This right here is a good win for us. When there are two high schools in town, everyone is on one side or the other. Somebody has to win and somebody has to lose, but it always comes back to the community. It's one of those games that's always fun," Rattlers Head Coach Craig Krell said after tonight's impressive win.

Rattlers QB Calvin Harris and Diamondbacks QB Malakai Galindo led their teams to a Cold War-like first half. Harris opened the scoring early after a shifty rushing touchdown gave the Rattlers an early seven point lead. A Galindo strike to receiver Alec Chapa gave the Diamondbacks their first points near the end of the second quarter. Galindo and Harris finished the game with two and three touchdowns, respectively. Despite the star power under center, it was Rattlers running back Kevin Alaniz's exploits that electrified the crowd. Alaniz's rugged 51-yard rushing touchdown midway through the second quarter gave the Rattlers a lead they never relinquished.

Despite the low-scoring, defensive slugfest that characterized the first half, the Rattlers exploded for 28 unanswered points in the second half. A daring onside kick to start the second half kick-started that run and blindsided the Diamondbacks in the process. Two Harris' rushing touchdowns sandwiched by a 16 yard touchdown reception from Alaniz and a 30 yard rushing touchdown from running back Abram Carrasco sealed the Diamondbacks' fate.

With the win, the Rattlers not only finished their regular season campaign on a three-game winning streak to finish 7-3, but they also kept their district title hopes alive. Should the Diamondbacks defeat the Mission Veterans Patriots next week, all three teams will share the district title with identical 3-1 district records.

The Rattlers will now head into their bye week eager for an opportunity to rest and regroup ahead of their Bi-district round matchup.

"Going into our bye week, winning three in a row is a good thing. We got some guys banged up, we're gonna get some rest and hopefully make a run in the playoffs. How we handle the bye week is going to be important," Krell said about the coming week for the playoff-bound Rattlers.

Here are some photos from tonight's game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland/October-31st-2025-Football-Sharyland-vs-Pioneer-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela.

10/31/2025

Tonight at Sharyland Pioneer High School the District 31-5A champion Lady Diamondbacks (15-1, 34-4) volleyball team had no trouble dispatching of the District 32-5A fourth seed Edcouch-Elsa Lady Yellowjackets (13-5, 22-17) in the Bi-district round of the UIL State Playoffs in straight sets. If there was the equivalent of baseball’s 10 run rule in volleyball, tonight’s match would’ve been called after the first set. That’s because the Lady Diamondbacks completely dominated the Lady Yellowjackets from the opening serve to the final point and took that set by a score of 25-4.

In the second set, Pioneer head volleyball coach Kandi Helle replaced some of her starters with back-ups which allowed the Lady Yellowjackets to take an early lead. However it didn’t take the Lady Diamondbacks long to pull ahead and once they did they never looked back as they went on to take set #2 by a score of 25-11.

In the third set, the Lady Diamondbacks’ absolute dominance over the Lady Yellowjackets continued as outside hitters Elle Hill (junior) and Codie Hill (freshman) continued to attack from the edges while middle blockers Ava Saenz (senior) and Scarlet Verjel (senior) continued frustrating the Lady Yellowjackets’ attempts at scoring by creating an almost impenetrable force in the middle. When all was said and done, the Lady Diamondbacks took the third set by a score of 25-10.

Pioneer middle blocker Ava Saenz is one of six seniors on the Lady Diamondbacks’ roster. As a result, this will be her and five of her teammates’ last playoff run. Coming off a season in which they reached the Regional Semifinals, Saenz is optimistic about the Lady Diamondbacks’ chances of making an even deeper run into the playoffs this year.

“I think it is a very good possibility that we can make it further this year,” Saenz seed immediately after tonight’s game. “We have a very strong team and I just think we can do it. We have a very good connection with everybody and I think it can definitely happen.”

Here are the Lady Diamondbacks’ individual stats from this game: Izabella Cano 18 digs, 2 assists, Scarlet Verjel 12 kills, Aleena Zuniga 23 assists, 6 kills, 13 digs, Elle Hill 14 kills, 2 digs, 1.5 block, Codie Hill 8 kills, 2 digs, .5 block, Ava Saenz 5 kills, 1 block, Hailey Botello 3 digs, 21 assists, 1 ace, Matilde Curiel 6 digs, 2 aces, Danica Gonzalez 6 digs, 1 ace, Natalia Gonzalez 5 kills, 3 digs, Emma Guevara 2 digs, 1 ace

Next up for the Lady Diamondbacks will be the winner of tomorrow’s game between Gregory Portland and Laredo Cigarroa in the Area Round which will be played either Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Here are some photos from tonight's game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland-Pioneer-HS/October-30-2025-Volleyball-Pioneer-vs-Edcouch-ElsaMM

Progress Times photos by Mario Magallon.

10/18/2025

Tonight at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission, the Pioneer Diamondbacks defeated the Roma Gladiators by a score of 35-28. It was a back-and-forth game throughout the first half with the Diamondbacks taking an early 7-0 lead less than a minute-and-half into the game on a 10-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Cole Scurlock. The Gladiators responded with a four yard touchdown run with 6:35 remaining in the first quarter to make the score 7-7.

The Diamondbacks turned the ball over on a Malakai Galindo interception that was run back to the Pioneer four yard line. On the very next play, the Gladiators capitalized on the turnover with a four yard touchdown run making the score 14-7 in favor of the Gladiators with 5:45 remaining in the first quarter.

The Diamondbacks returned the ensuing kickoff to the Roma 34-yard line which was followed by a five-yard touchdown run by Galindo with 3:28 remaining in the first quarter. That made the score 14-14. And that’s how the first quarter would end.

In the second quarter, a penalty on the Gladiators on a missed field goal attempt by the Diamondbacks gave Pioneer a second chance which they took full advantage of when senior wide receiver/quarterback William Goodloe ran the ball into the end zone from six-yards out with 7:52 on the clock to make the score 21-14 in favor of the home team. However, with 3:55 remaining in the first half, the Gladiators tied the game at 21-21 with a 50-yard touchdown run. That would also be the score at the end of the first half.

In the third quarter, the Gladiators took a 28-21 lead on a 57-yard touchdown run with 5:39 on the clock. Then on a fourth and long, Galindo connected with senior wide receiver Aythan Calacuayo on a 28 yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 28-28. This was with 5:39 remaining in the third quarter.

The final score of the game came at the 9:10 mark of the fourth quarter when Galindo and junior wide receiver Alejandro Mata connected on a five-yard touchdown pass. That gave the Diamondbacks the 35-28 win.

“I knew it was going to be tough,” Pioneer head coach Eddie Galindo said after the game. “It’s always a battle. I knew it was going to be a tough game and that’s what it was.”

As for the fact that the Diamondbacks held the Gladiators to only seven points in the second half, Galindo said,” It’s a game of momentum, it’s a game of mood swings and you know what, these guys are resilient, they’ve faced adversity and when things are tough they’ve stuck together we found a way to pull it out. I’m proud of these guys.”

With the win the Diamondbacks improved to 2-0 in District 15-5A-2 and 6-2 overall. After a bye next week, the Diamondbacks will be at the Sharyland Rattlers and home against the Mission Vets Patriots to finish up district play

Here are some photos from this game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland-Pioneer-HS/October-172025-Football-Diamondbacks-Roma-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela.

10/04/2025

Tonight at Richard S. Thompson Stadium, the Sharyland Rattlers football team dropped its second game in a row after suffering a tough 63-20 loss to the undefeated Los Fresnos Falcons.

"They beat us in all three phases of the game, and when you play poorly against a good team, that's what's gonna happen," Head Coach Craig Krell said about tonight's homecoming loss.

After last week's close home loss to the Mercedes Tigers, the Rattlers returned home aiming to bounce back ahead of their first district game next week. But to start the game, the Rattlers gave up a kick return for a touchdown, surrendered a 70 + yard touchdown pass, and threw an interception in the red zone.

When you dig yourself into a hole like that, it's hard to get out, especially when you're playing a team like that. You're lucky if you ever get out, but we didn't," Krell said about the Rattlers' unfortunate start to the evening.

The Rattlers kept pace with the Falcons throughout the first quarter thanks to a 50-yard touchdown pass from Calvin Harris to receiver Sebastian Martinez and a bruising goal-line touchdown run by running back Kevin Alaniz midway through the quarter. Although the Rattlers held tough, the Falcons' potent offense, led by senior quarterback Robert Pineda, proved too much to handle. The Falcons scored 42 unanswered points after Alaniz's touchdown run cut their lead to seven. The Rattlers would not score again until late in the fourth quarter when backup running back Abram Carrasco punched in a touchdown from one yard out to give the Rattlers their third and final score of the game.

"I thought our kids battled all through the first half, even when it got a little bit lopsided. I thought our kids battled. We got banged up... It was good to see a couple of kids go out there and perform and do good things here and there. So, that's positive. But we gotta get healthy and move on," Krell said when reflecting on the game's positives.

The Rattlers will move on next week to face the 5-1 Mission Veterans Patriots, a team they narrowly beat one year ago. The Patriots will be the third consecutive five-plus win team the Rattlers play. All three opponents now have a combined record of 17-1. They'll follow that road trip up with games against defending district champions Alice, before ending with Roma and Shary Pioneer. Their season-ending schedule may be the toughest in the Valley, but it isn't anything the Rattlers can't handle.

"When we went 4-0, I knew this stretch right here was going to be tough. And even after that, they ain't gonna get any easier. So, it's about refocusing, getting healthy, and execution. We're gonna bounce back. I have faith in our kids and coaches. We'll be alright," Krell said of the weeks ahead.

Here are some photos from tonight's game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland/October-3rd-2025-Football-Sharyland-vs-LosFresnos-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela.

10/03/2025

Tonight at Richard S. Thompson Stadium in Mission, the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks ended their non-district schedule on a bitter note after suffering a 46-21 defeat to the undefeated Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers.

"The kids fought hard. We knew who we were up against. I'm dang proud of these guys. We had special teams errors. We had some things that didn't go our way, but that's the nature of the beast. That's the way the game goes. Hats off to them. They're a good, well-coached ball club. We just needed to do more in all three phases of the game in order to pull this one off," Head Coach Eddie Galindo said about his team following their difficult home loss.

Despite their issues, the Diamondbacks played inspired football against the 6A Chargers, especially on offense. William Goodloe, the Diamondbacks' do-everything quarterback, connected with receiver Aythan Calacuayo on two red zone touchdown passes and tossed another to junior receiver Alejandro Mata, which tripled his season touchdown pass total.

"William played well tonight. I asked him to come in tonight and do some things against their defense. They came out, they played hard, and did what I asked them to--just come out, compete, and earn respect. I'm proud of my guys," Galindo said when assessing what went well for the Diamondbacks.

The Diamondbacks struggled to contain the Chargers' famed ground-strike, flex-bone attack, and failed to keep pace with them as a result.

They won't dwell on the loss for too long, not with a San Diego, Texas road trip looming against the defending district champion Alice Coyotes. For now, they'll rest, heal, and get back to doing the things that sparked their 4-0 start to the season quickly.

"We'll get up tomorrow, watch some film, and do some things better. We gotta get ready for Alice as soon as possible. They're the defending district champions. In order to get there, it goes through Alice, Sharyland, Mission Vets, and Roma. Every week will be a championship fight. We can't save anything for anybody. We've got to put it all on the line and get after it," Galindo said about the Diamondbacks' upcoming district slate.

Here are some photos from tonight's game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland-Pioneer-HS/October-2-2025-Football-Pioneer-vs-Brownsville-Vets

Progress Times photos by Mario Magallon.

09/27/2025

Tonight at Richard S Thompson Stadium in Mission, the Sharyland Rattlers football team fell to the Mercedes Tigers in a heartbreaking, 34-33 home loss. The nail-biting one-point, late fourth quarter loss of the Rattlers is their first of the young 25-26 football season.

"When you come out to our games, you're gonna see eleven dudes on the field battling every single play," Head Coach Craig Krell said when describing his team's moxie.

After falling behind 14 in the first quarter, the Rattlers rallied behind reigning 5A District 15 MVP Calvin Harris and his rugged backfield companion, Kevin Alaniz. The two scored a pair of rushing touchdowns that tied the game at 14 just before the half.

A 60-yard Harris touchdown run early in the third quarter gave the Rattlers a 21-14 lead, their first of the game. Despite bombarding the Tigers with an unanswered twenty-one-point gut punch, the Rattlers struggled to create distance.

The Rattlers struggled to contain the Tigers' unyielding offensive quartet of Diego Bravo, Frankie Salinas, Robert Sanchez, and Noah Buenrostro. The Tigers' four-headed monster combined for three timely second-half scores that kept the discombobulated Rattlers' defense.

"We put up twenty-one unanswered points, went up 21-14, but we let them back in the game," Krell said to his team after their challenging loss.

The Rattlers fought until the last whistle, weathering each successive Tiger punch. Receivers Oscar Cantu and Luis Balderas provided the Rattlers with enough juice to counter every momentum swing. Cantu snagged two field-flipping receptions on RPO slants and Balderas broke the game open with a 90 yard kick return touchdown with just over six minutes left in the fourth to give the Rattlers a 6 point lead. The duo's performance was crucial amidst the absence of their top two outside threats, Bruno Cavazos and Francisco Gomez.

"Everybody got the mentality of next man up... when guys have the opportunity to shine, it's awesome to see. Our receivers group did a hell of a job," Krell said about his emerging wideouts.

Unfortunately, defensive miscues and kicking game struggles tempered the Rattlers' hopes of an undefeated season. Two missed field goals, one missed extra point, and an inability to get off the field on third and long proved to be the difference in the loss.

"We made too many mistakes. I thought we had some pretty good control of that game, but then we made some mistakes on offense and defense, and we just didn't convert when we needed to," Coach Krell said about the issues that caused the Rattlers' loss.

The Rattlers are now 4-1 heading into the toughest stretch of their season. They'll suit up against the Los Fresnos Falcons, the Mission Veterans Patriots, and defending district champions Alice Coyotes in successive weeks. They may be entering the work-week on somber footing, but are energized and ready for next month's foray, no matter who lines up in front of them.

"It's gonna be a dog fight. Even after Mission Vets, our district doesn't get much easier. We just gotta work on staying healthy, we gotta keep our focus, and we gotta work on going 1-0 every week, Krell said about the gauntlet his team faces in the coming weeks.

Here are some photos from tonight's game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland/September-26-2025-Football-Sharyland-vs-Mercedes-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela.

09/13/2025

Tonight at Richard S. Thompson Stadium in Mission, the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks defeated the Edinburg North Cougars for their third consecutive win of the season, winning by a final score of 21-12.

"It's all of us, man. It's the family. We're working hard and getting things done," Head Coach Eddie Galindo said about his team's resilience after their tough Friday night win.

After trailing by six for the entire first quarter, the Diamondbacks took the lead in dramatic fashion. They revitalized the Pioneer faithful when quarterback Malakai Galindo lobbed a back corner fade to athlete William Goodloe, who climbed a Cougar DB's back and came down with a lead snatching touchdown reception midway through the second quarter. Goodloe capped off his night with a 54-yard quarter touchdown run that ballooned the Diamondbacks' lead to eight right before the half.

"Like Coach Gali says, we're like a stray dog. When we're down, we're gonna keep scratching and clawing until we get what we want," Goodloe said about his team's comeback efforts.

The Diamondbacks' defense clobbered the Cougars, scoring all three of their touchdowns off forced fumbles and holding the Cougars to 32 points below their week 2 scoring total.

"We gotta keep going and keep pushing. We're not satisfied yet," junior Andrew Leal said.

The Diamondbacks, unfortunately, lost star running back Dylan Tijerina to a lower leg injury. With Tijerina unavailable, the Diamondbacks leaned on underclassman Cole Scurlock, who slammed the door shut on the Cougars when he blasted through their defensive line for a 53-yard rushing touchdown that put the Diamondbacks up for good.

"This team is it. We're hitting it hard. Pioneer is strong, man," Scurlock said after scoring the game-sealing touchdown, the first of his varsity career.

The Diamondbacks will travel to Brownsville in consecutive weeks to face the Hanna Eagles and Porter Cowboys before returning to Richard S. Thompson Stadium for a blockbuster rematch against the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Patriots.

"I'm so proud of these guys. I love them. They exemplify what it is to be a team that faces adversity and keeps grinding," Galindo said when talking about his undefeated Diamondbacks.

Here are some photos from tonight's game. To view more, click here:

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland-Pioneer-HS/September-12-2025-Football-Pioneer-vs-EdinburgNorth-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela Photography.

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