Sharyland Times

Sharyland Times A publication of the Progress Times - your hometown newspaper. Serving the greater Sharyland area.

Tonight at Richard S Thompson Stadium in Mission, the Sharyland Rattlers football team fell to the Mercedes Tigers in a ...
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.

Tonight at Richard S. Thompson Stadium in Mission, the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks defeated the  Edinburg North Couga...
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.

Tonight at Coach Iris Iglesias Softball Stadium in Mission Texas, the West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars in the ...
06/27/2025

Tonight at Coach Iris Iglesias Softball Stadium in Mission Texas, the West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars in the 19th edition of the RGV East-West All-Star game by a final score of 15-11. Over 30 of the valley’s finest graduating seniors gathered for one final opportunity to showcase their skills in front of their hometown family and friends.

“This game shows the Valley that we do have talent here. I hope this keeps going on,” West All-Star head coach Paul M. Cruz said about the value of the showcase.

The East All-Stars blindsided the opposition behind the stellar play of Harlingen South duo and East Co-MVP’s Lexi Sandoval and Texas A&M Kingsville commit Kailee Silva. Sandoval dominated on the mound while Silva complimented her teammate at the plate with two home runs on the evening.

“Even though we lost it felt like a win,” Sandoval Said.

“Like Lex said, it felt like home having all the girls around. It was really nice. It felt good and it was a good game,” Silva echoed.

After establishing a firm 5-0 lead headed into the bottom of the 5th before the West side unleashed a 15 run avalanche in the fifth and sixth innings to cement their win.

PSJA Bears outfielder and catcher Alexa Avila won West MVP honors after kickstarting their late game rally. Avila finished 3 for 3 with a solo home run.

“Oh my god. I’m so happy. It’s something so unexpected, especially coming from off a very hard year last year. Some things happened, some things changed, but I didn’t change. I wanted to prove everybody wrong and I think I did just that,” Avila said when asked about winning West MVP.

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

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Mission/June-26-2025-Softball-RGV-All-Stars-East-vs-WestMM

Progress Times photos by Mario Magallon Photography.

Yesterday at Cabaniss Sports Complex, the Boerne-Champion Chargers and the Sharyland Ratters faced off in Game 2 of thei...
05/17/2025

Yesterday at Cabaniss Sports Complex, the Boerne-Champion Chargers and the Sharyland Ratters faced off in Game 2 of their best-of-three series in the Regional Semi Finals of the Texas State UIL Baseball Playoffs. In the second game, the Rattlers were eliminated from the playoffs after a heartbreaking 10-7 loss to the Chargers, ending their outstanding season in the Sweet 16.

The freshman Emilio Villarreal was on the mound for this pivotal game. After allowing the bases to load, Villarreal emerged victorious, keeping the Chargers scoreless.

The Rattlers got off to a hot start, scoring two runs in the first. A Fabrizio Salinas hit, Edgar Quintanilla walk, and a Sergio Ibarra single loaded the bases for the Rattlers. Luis Balderas single brought Salinas home for the first score while Luis Cienfuegos brought Quintanilla in for the second score, 2-0.

Three outs later, Villarreal was on the mound and found himself against another loaded bases situation, this time with two outs. A Chargers double allowed them to score twice, tying the game at 2-2. A third out would switch sides.

The Rattlers began to rally with a Santiago Soto double and Santiago Balderas single. Soto, following a base hit was coming down from third to steal home plate and take the lead, but a controversial call from the officials that deemed Soto was not in sliding motion, overturned the score, and disqualified Soto from the game. This call stopped the momentum of the Rattlers offense, keeping them at bay for the next couple of innings.

In the fourth, the Chargers came alive scoring five runs, taking the lead, extending it 7-2, and putting the Rattlers in a corner. The fifth saw no action with both teams scoring, but a change at pitcher for the Rattlers, Roy Rodriguez.

Rodriguez and the Rattlers fought for their outs in the sixth, getting themselves back on the plate with a brand new opportunity. Opportunity came in the form of a four run rally.
Darian Lopez, Gavin Rodriguez, and Diego Chapa earned bases and loaded them up. Rodriguez scored off an error from the catcher while Nic Valdez singled to bring Lopez and Chapa in. A Salinas single moved bases, setting up a Valdez score at home, cutting the lead down to one, 7-6.

A three run 7th inning for the Chargers shifted momentum in favor of the Chargers. Despite an Ibarra single then score, the Chargers held on to their lead, securing the 10-7 win.

After the game, Progress Times got the chance to speak to Fabrizio Salinas and Darian Lopez.

Salinas shared his thoughts post game, “Baseball is mental. These past years I’ve struggled a lot mentally. I was really hard on myself. I had to be positive for myself. In baseball you’re going to fail 7 out of 10 times and you can still be a hall of famer. You just gotta stay positive. If you’re not positive, things aren’t going to go your way. I’ve said it to these guys 1000 times. You just got to have fun.”

Lopez told us what he learned about this team, “The passion we have as a team. This team came a long way with hard work. Without hard work we wouldn’t be here. It took a while for us. I’m super proud of this team. It’s sad to see it over, but I’m glad that we went out like this.”

📸 Photos by Joe Vela.
Full Gallery: Message us, Link in Bio, or ⬇️

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland/May-16-2025-Baseball-Sharyland-vs-BoerneJV

Here’s an update from the UIL State Tennis Tournament in San Antonio:Three of the four Sharyland Rattlers teams that qua...
05/15/2025

Here’s an update from the UIL State Tennis Tournament in San Antonio:

Three of the four Sharyland Rattlers teams that qualified have advanced into tomorrow morning’s semifinal round.

They are:
Girls Doubles Team: Sofia Cantu (Sophomore) and Selah Geddes (Sophomore)

Boys Doubles Team: Diego Sanchez (Junior) and Eduardo Gonzalez (Senior)

Mixed Doubles Team: Koen Aggarao (Senior) and Shyrabelle Buquel (Junior)

Congratulations to these teams.

Look for our story about the four Rattlers’ state qualifying teams in tomorrow’s Progress Times.m

05/14/2025

Eight members of the Sharyland Rattlers’ tennis team and their two coaches are on their way to the UIL State Tournament in San Antonio. They were given a send-off this morning. Here is a video of a small part of it. Good luck to all of them.

Look for our story about this team and their journey to the state tournament in this Friday’s issue of the Progress Times.

Tonight at Sharyland High School, the Veterans Memorial Patriots and the Sharyland Rattlers faced off in Game 2 of a bes...
05/10/2025

Tonight at Sharyland High School, the Veterans Memorial Patriots and the Sharyland Rattlers faced off in Game 2 of a best-of-three series in the Area round of the Texas UIL Baseball Playoffs. In seven innings, the Rattlers defeated the Patriots 6-1, clinching the series 2-0 and advancing to the Regional Semi-Finals.

The Patriots struck first, scoring in the top of the second when Jose Enriquez singled to bring home Jeremiah Vela. The Rattlers answered in the bottom half with a single from Santiago Balderas that drove in Luis Balderas, tying the game at 1-1. The tie was broken in the bottom of the fourth when Santiago Soto singled to bring home Josue Cantu, putting the Rattlers ahead 2-1.

Sharyland extended its lead in the fifth, capitalizing on a scoreless inning by the Patriots. Sergio Ibarra, Luis Balderas, and Luis Cienfuegos helped load the bases before Darian Lopez drove in two runs. Shortly after, Soto notched his second RBI of the night, again bringing in Cantu, making it 5-1.

Strong defense from the Rattlers, featuring strikeouts, popouts, flyouts, and pickoffs kept the Patriots off the board. A safety run by Nic Valdez sealed the 6-1 victory, ending the game and the series.

Progress Times got the chance to speak to Luis Cienfuegos after the game, “We were preparing for this moment. Six years since we made it to the third round, we wanted this and we made it. I’m excited to keep this run going.”

Rattlers Emilio Villarreal pitched the entire game, throwing 91 total pitches, and striking out six batters. The freshman pitcher had a great showing on the mound and after the game, Progress Times got to speak to him. “It’s all about staying positive. Even when the bases were loaded, you can’t think of the worst. Just gotta do your job and finish… I’m so proud of my infield, they did a great job. I have a lot of trust in my defense.” When asked about playing in the next round, Villarreal said, “We’re going to go into it with a positive mindset and take it to the next level.”

📸 Photos by Luciano Guerra.
Full Gallery Message us, Link in Bio, or ⬇️

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland/May-9-2025-Baseball-Veterans-vs-Sharyland-LG

RATTLERS TAKE 1-0 SERIES LEADTonight at Mission Veterans Memorial High School, the Sharyland Rattlers withstood a tight ...
05/09/2025

RATTLERS TAKE 1-0 SERIES LEAD

Tonight at Mission Veterans Memorial High School, the Sharyland Rattlers withstood a tight rain-delayed, defensive struggle against the Mission Veterans Patriots, winning by a final score of 1-0.

Rattlers ace Fabrizio Salinas took the mound and shut down the usually hot Patriots lineup. Salinas pitched a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts.

“Our pitcher threw a hell of a game. Bunch of credit to him, he threw a hell of a game… he’s been our guy for the past two years. We have nothing but confidence in him. We know he’s always gonna give us a good game on the mound,” Rattlers' head coach Austin Bickerton said about his ace .

The Rattlers struggled to hit Patriots' ace Gabriel Cantu, who finished the game with a 60% strike rate. Three scoreless innings to start the game was a dramatic departure from their 13 run output vs Harlingen South to close out their Bi-district series with the Hawks.

However, their fortune changed in the top of the fourth inning when sophomore third baseman Edgar Quintanilla tattooed an inside pitch to left field for a one run, lead seizing homer. The momentous play came on an especially important day for Quintanilla who celebrated his birthday today.

“I got my pitch, unloaded on it and it went over. It was exciting. I was happy. Today’s my birthday and my teammates kept telling me it was a little ‘birthday bomb,’ Quintanilla said about his clutch home run.

Quintanilla’s run was all the run insurance the Rattlers needed. They will now take their 1-0 series lead with them to Sharyland High School tomorrow night at 7pm where they’ll look to punch their ticket to the Regional Quarterfinals for the first time since 2019.

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

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/VeteransMemorial/May-8-2025-Baseball-Sharyland-vs-Veterans-LG

Progress Times photos by Luciano Guerra.

Tonight at Sharyland Pioneer High School, the Lady Diamondbacks softball team bounced back from their 5-1 Thursday night...
04/26/2025

Tonight at Sharyland Pioneer High School, the Lady Diamondbacks softball team bounced back from their 5-1 Thursday night loss to the Brownsville Lopez Lady Lobos by defeating them in a contentious 2-1 game two to force a decisive game three in their best-of-three Bi-District playoff series tomorrow afternoon at Brownsville Lopez High School.

After three deadlocked innings to start the contest, the Lady Diamondbacks broke the stalemate after Lily Jirovek scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the fourth. Although their power hitters struggled against Lopez ace Jenny Shank, the Lady Diamondbacks surged behind tough slugging from the bottom of their lineup. Junior left-fielder Alexia Robledo had a particularly hearty game at the plate, going three for three on the night.

“The defense was really strong tonight and our bats came through when we needed them,” said Pioneer freshman ace Trystan Galvan after her complete game masterpiece.

The Lady Lobos responded by tying the game in the top of the sixth inning, effectively putting the Lady Diamondbacks on the ropes. Pioneer countered in the bottom of the sixth inning when centerfielder Karen Quintanilla detonated a stand up triple to centerfield to set Robledo up for the game winning RBI double on the very next at bat giving the Lady Diamondbacks the run issuance they needed to win the game.

“They’re gonna fight tomorrow. We’ve faced some tough teams this year. We’ve come from behind. We’ve faced some tough teams in the middle of the afternoon. We know they’re a tough team but if we can come out with the same production from today we’ll be ok,” Lady Diamondbacks' head Coach Orlando Garcia said about his team ahead of tomorrow’s series finale.

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

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland-Pioneer-HS/April-25-2025-Softball-Pioneer-vs-LopezJV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela Photography.

Diamondbacks claim Bi-district championship.Tonight at Richard Thompson Stadium, the Pioneer Diamondbacks defended their...
11/16/2024

Diamondbacks claim Bi-district championship.

Tonight at Richard Thompson Stadium, the Pioneer Diamondbacks defended their home field and claimed a Bi-district championship with a 35-21 win over the Brownsville Lopez Lobos.

Though the Lobos struck first, the Diamondbacks fought to tie the game at 7-7 as William Goodloe used his legs to get himself in the endzone for a one-yard score. A Diamondback defensive pass interference set the Lobos up to score their second touchdown of the game. Goodloe drove the Diamondbacks down field quickly, setting himself up for another rushing touchdown, this one from two yards out to make the score 14-14.

After a Lobos' muffed kick-off return, the Diamondbacks extended their lead before the half when Goodloe found receiver Alejandro Mata for a five-yard touchdown with only five seconds left in the half.

The Diamondbacks went into the third quarter up by one score and received the ball to start the second half. It wouldn’t take long for Goodloe to find receiver Andrew Leal for a 31-yard touchdown that would set the score at 27-14 after a blocked extra point.

The Diamondbacks' defense remained poised against the aggressive Lobos run game. They would hold the Lobos scoreless in the third quarter. The nail in the coffin came as the Diamondbacks took time off the clock and drove down field. It ended with a Goodloe seven-yard rushing touchdown and a Andrew Rivera two-point conversion that would put the Diamondbacks up 35-14.

A last minute Lobos' touchdown would not be enough to spark a comeback and the game ended with a final score of 35-21. As a result, the Diamondbacks claimed a bi-district championship and have moved on to the Area round of the UIL State playoffs.

After the game, Goodloe told us, “We brought another gold ball to Pioneer. We exceeded everyone's expectations. At the start of the year nobody thought we had a chance at the playoffs. Everyone thought we didn’t have a chance in the district. Here we are now winning a Bi-district championship. It was a great game. This is a great feeling. The whole team shows it. It’s a brotherhood that we have here. Everyone is connected. This was a team win. This team won a gold ball. This ones for the seniors, we got a gold ball for them.”

The Diamondbacks' next goal, “To win the next game and keep winning.”

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

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/Sharyland-Pioneer-HS/Nov-15-2024-Football-Pioneer-vs-Brownsville-LopezMM

Progress Times photos by Mario Magallon Photography.

Tonight at Mission Veterans Memorial High School, The Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks advanced to the Sweet 16 of the UIL...
11/09/2024

Tonight at Mission Veterans Memorial High School, The Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks advanced to the Sweet 16 of the UIL 5A-D1 State Volleyball Playoffs after defeating the Mission Veterans Lady Patriots in a three-set sweep by final scores of 25-21, 25-16, and 25-18. The Lady Diamondbacks are now in the third round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year, toting their third Area championship in five years.

"The girls came out and they were so focused and so locked in. They played exceptional team ball. And that’s all we could ask from them. They just left their hearts out on the court. They just played great,” Pioneer head coach Laura Cavazos said after securing another Area title.

The Lady Diamondbacks were dialed in from the opening serve. Although the Lady Patriots entered tonight’s home game with a 17 game winning streak in which they’d only lost one set, they struggled to match their opponent’s early aggression and fell behind. The Lady Diamondbacks' front line shocked the Lady Patriots early in the first set. Their height and precision on offense bothered the Lady Patriots. Pioneer"s Scarlet Verjel, Ava Saenz, Itzel Hernandez, Natalia Gonzalez, and Izabella Cano continued their reign of terror, blocking and killing every ball that entered their orbit.

“I feel like being aggressive on our serves from the first pass of the game, aggressiveness from the beginning is what let us stay in control,” Verjel said when asked about the Lady Diamondbacks fast start.

To their credit, the Lady Patriots fought back and took set one down to the wire. Sophia Pacheco and Mady Perez swooped in to rescue the Lady Patriots, but their efforts failed to galvanize their teammates. Their set one loss was the first set loss since early September. In the second and third sets, the Lady Diamondbacks pulled away early and never let up despite a second set spark from Lady Patriots’ dynamic sophomore Delilah Cantu and a last gasp third set effort from Perez.

“We played a team that was well deserving. They were a good, hustling team and everything went their way. I think we just made a little too many mistakes with the ball,” Mission Veterans head coach Diana Lerma said after tonight’s heartbreaking loss.

The Lady Diamondbacks played near flawless volleyball to close out their formidable hosts. Florencia Curiel, their do it all libero, scampered all over the court deflecting every single ball within arms length. Meanwhile, setter Hailey Botello swung the ball all night to set up their unrelenting attack. Simply put, the Lady Diamondbacks would not be denied.

“We wanted to go to the third round. We wanted to win. They were undefeated. We had to win. Everyone did amazing, everyone was locked in and had great energy, great serves, great everything,” Cano said about the Lady Diamondback’s will to win.

The Lady Diamondbacks will now move on to face the Liberty Hill Lady Panthers (40-8, 12-2) on Monday for an Elite Eight birth, an opportunity the Lady Diamondbacks relish.

“I think the girls are excited. We know there’s a challenge, but I know they’re ready. And I know they’ll take on anybody. They’ll be fearless,” Cavazos said about their third upcoming matchup with Liberty Hill.

As for the Lady Patriots and their longtime head coach, she’s not going anywhere. She’d won’t let the sting of losing keep her from competing, even if her toughest competition are former players, like Coach Cavazos.

“Definitely. Yes. I think we’re gonna be a team to reckon with.” Lerma exclaimed when asked if she’d return for a 24th season.

Details for the Pioneer and Liberty Hill regional semi-final game are forthcoming.

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

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/VeteransMemorial/Nov-8-2024-Volleyball-Pioneer-vs-Veterans-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela Photography.

In their final district matchup of the season, the Veterans Memorial Patriots and the Pioneer Diamondbacks faced off to ...
11/09/2024

In their final district matchup of the season, the Veterans Memorial Patriots and the Pioneer Diamondbacks faced off to determine the second seed in District 15-5A. The Patriots opened with a strong running game, allowing quarterback Roman Reyna to connect with Jordan Rodriguez for a 38-yard touchdown. Their defense maintained this momentum, shutting down the Diamondbacks offense in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Pioneer responded with a massive run from running back Dylan Tijerina, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run from Andrew Rivera, tying the game at 6-6 after both teams missed extra points. A failed fourth down conversion by the Patriots at the goal line would pin the Diamondbacks in their own end zone. The Patriots then forced a safety and took an 8-6 lead. Both teams' defenses held strong, holding the opposing offenses scoreless through the remainder of the first half.

The Diamondbacks defense opened the third quarter by forcing a safety, tying the game at 8-8. After a Patriots punt, the Diamondbacks reached the red zone but struggled to score, eventually settling for a 32-yard field goal to obtain the lead, 11-8.

Both defenses continued to dominate, stalling each other’s offenses through the third quarter and much of the fourth. In the game’s final moments, the Patriots had a chance for a comeback, but after a muffed punt, the chances slimmed. Despite that, the Patriots found themselves stopping the Diamondbacks with seconds left on the clock. Through all their efforts, an incomplete pass as time expired would allow the Diamondbacks to hold on and win, 11-8.

After the game, Diamondbacks running back Dylan Tijerina told us, “Vets, they have a great defense. Respect to them. Our team worked hard every play to get this win.” Ahead of the playoffs, Tijerina said, “Our team is going to be ready for anyone that comes at us.”

Pioneer head coach Eddie Galindo told us, “These guys fought hard and through adversity. We have some key injuries and we had kids step up and finish the job for us. I knew we had to execute in all three phases. They’re a tough team. We had to find little ways to get it done, but we go it done.”

Galindo’s son, Malakai Galindo, got the start tonight at quarterback for the Diamondbacks. Galindo told us, “I’m proud of him, he did a good job. We asked him to drive the bus and take us there. He fought through the big hits and injuries. It’s part of life, you gotta be tough and finish it out, and he did. He did what we asked him to do and we came out with the victory.”

The Diamondbacks now hold sole possession of the 2nd seed in District 15-5A and will play at home next week in their bi-district playoff game. The Patriots hold possession of the 4th seed in the district. Congratulations to both teams, who fought hard in this matchup and who will both be moving on to the postseason.

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

https://progresstimes.smugmug.com/Sports/VeteransMemorial/Nov-8-2024-Football-Pioneer-vs-Veterans-JV

Progress Times photos by Joe Vela Photography.

Address

Mission, TX

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sharyland Times posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share

Category