All Mid-Valley programs stay right where they are in new realignment

EDINBURG - So much for big changes.

When all the talk, hype and speculation that some schools would move around and perhaps some rivalries would be renewed, in the end it was nearly business as usual.

Every team in the Mid-Valley, and most of the teams throughout the area, stayed right where they were for the last couple of years.

District 32-4A lost Mission but got Hidalgo, while Brownsville Veterans Memorial - the new Brownsville school - enters the district for only basketball. The league now consists of 10 teams (nine for football), meaning each team gets only two non-district games along with the few scrimmages before league play begins in September. That means Weslaco East, Mercedes and Edcouch-Elsa must make quick work regarding where to plug in players before they begin the games that count.

That includes the Tigers, who will need to fill the huge void left by star quarterback Albert Chavez.

“I’m okay with what the UIL chose,” said Mercedes head coach Michael Uribe. “With more teams, it will make it more difficult to make the playoffs. The way I look at it at (District 32) 4A last few years, from top to bottom, it was very physical. That’s as tough as it gets, but I’m confident in our kids.”

Weslaco East head coach Armando Cuellar echoed that notion.

“It’s the way it worked out,” he said. “The good thing is with the scrimmage schedule (Port Isabel and Brownsville Rivera), that will help us.”

Weslaco stayed in District 32-5A, while Donna didn’t come back east and remained in 30-5A. Many foresaw the two uniting with the PSJA schools and Edinburg programs in District 31-5A. For the second-consecutive realignment, both rivals will not face each other in non-district or district play. However, the Panthers will play former foe Mercedes in a Week 0 showdown tentatively scheduled at Bobby Lackey Stadium. According to Weslaco head coach Tony Villarreal, he wanted to play the ‘Skins, Weslaco East and even Harlingen in non-district, but to no avail. 

“We tried to get Mid-Valley (teams),” Villarreal said. “Rivalries are good, but sometimes you have to be careful when you play three in a row.”

Weslaco East head coach Armando Cuellar said there was no discussion on the two Mid-Valley schools playing for the first time ever only saying it may happen down the road.

“It’s inevitable, (perhaps) when we get in the same district,” Cuellar said.

Asked if he can foresee the Wildcats as a Class 5A team with Weslaco, Cuellar said, “The realignment is unpredictable, who knows?”

Unlike those who may have thought Weslaco and Donna would face each other in District 31-5A, Villarreal believed Weslaco would end up in District 30-5A with the La Joya schools. Villarreal said he planned for Harlingen and Donna as potential non-district opponents, while Mercedes, San Benito and Harlingen South were also on the radar. The Panthers settled for the Tigers, Alice and Harlingen South before they open with Los Fresnos in district action after a bye.

“Alice is a tough, traditional powerhouse so I’m not looking at it as a bad thing,” Villarreal said. “We’re pretty happy (district realignment) stayed the same. We know each other and it should be competitive again.” 

The Redskins once again will open with PSJA North at Bennie LaPrade Stadium before hitting the road at Brownsville Rivera and Edinburg North. Donna will hit a bye, then open district play at La Joya High.

Aside from the Panthers, the Tigers’ other non-district affair is with neighboring La Feria before hosting Rio Grande City to open district. Along with scrimmages against Port Isabel and Brownsville Rivera, East plays Zapata and San Benito in its two non-district affairs before opening league play at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln. Meanwhile, the Yellowjackets tangle with Port Isabel at home in Week 0 with their final tune-up against Rio Hondo at Bobcat Stadium before hosting Hidalgo after a Week 3 bye.

Perhaps no team will be happier in that bye week than Edcouch-Elsa, which gives them a week extra to heal from injuries, but most importantly, an extra week to prepare and plug players into their proper positions.

“It was the luck of the draw,” said E-E head coach Joe Solis. “It went in our favor. Get to sit down evaluate and get ready for the main event. That’s the way I like it.”

With Raymondville and Lyford now home to the Corpus Christi area district and Hidalgo up to Class 4A, Progreso head coach Elvis Hernandez was left scrambling for opponents the next two years. The Red Ants are now are part of a six-team District 32-3A and seven in basketball when you include Idea Academy Prep based out of Donna.

Progreso still has Rio Hondo, Zapata and Port Isabel on the schedule while Lyford is also in on a non-district affair.

“To me, we still have the bulk of the teams that are strong in 32-3A,” Hernandez said.

La Villa is now part of Division I format (divided by enrollment) where it enters as big 1A school and will have six non-district games while league play falls from six to three. The Cards will face Ben Bolt, Charlotte and Kenedy, while Bruni, Santa Maria, Benavides, Agua Dulce and Santa Gertrudis are out. La Villa still faces Santa Maria and rival Santa Rosa in the Sugar Bowl in non-district action.