MISSION VETERANS MEMORIAL PATRIOTS OVERCOME RATTLERS 14-3 IN DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE

By Kenneth Roberts
Freelance Writer

The Mission Veterans Memorial Patriots used a strong defensive effort to achieve a 14-3 victory over the Rio Grande City Rattlers in a rugged District 31-5A battle Thursday night at Joe R. Sanchez Stadium.
The Patriots improved their playoff seeding with the hard-fought win over the Rattlers.  The Patriots will face the undefeated Edinburg Vela Sabercats in the crucial regular season finale Thursday night. The loss eliminated all playoff hopes the Rattlers had entering the contest.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Patriots scored with less than four minutes remaining until halftime to take a 7-0 advantage into intermission. The Patriots added another touchdown midway through the third quarter, and the Rattlers got on the scoreboard with a 36-yard field goal by Joel Duarte with less than 90 seconds remaining in the third stanza.

The Rattlers had several promising opportunities, but could not penetrate the Patriot end zone. Patriot quarterback Landry Gilpin threw for one touchdown and ran for another score.
The Rattlers gained excellent field position after the game’s opening series when the Patriots badly shanked a punt that rolled dead at the Veterans 42 after traveling only nine yards. On third and 11, running back Gerardo Garcia took a handoff and raced toward the right sideline for a 12-yard gain to the 31 and a first down.

Two plays later, quarterback Jason Perez kept the ball to the right, raced toward the sideline, and broke several would-be tackles for a 15-yard gain to the 26. On fourth and five, Perez aimed a pass toward the right sideline, but a Patriot defender batted the ball away at the 15, turning the ball over on downs to the Patriots at their 26.

A few minutes later, a deep pass by Landry Gilpin across the middle was intercepted by Rattler defender Ivan Garcia and returned almost 20 yards to the Patriot 26, but a holding penalty on the return forced the Rattlers back to their 49. On third and 15, a Rattler receiver was unable to make a diving catch of a deep pass at the Patriot 30.

Midway through the second quarter, the Patriots took over at the Rio 35 after a punt into a stiff wind sailed out of bounds after covering 23 yards. Four plays later, Gilpin connected with Roman DeLeon for a 12-yard completion to the 7. On first and goal, Gilpin dropped back, but scampered through right guard into the end zone for a seven-yard scoring run with 3:55 left until halftime to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead.

Moments later, the Patriots took over at the Rio 31 after blocking a punt. On fourth and one at the 22, Gilpin scrambled to his right but was dropped at the 26 for a four-yard loss.

The Rattlers gained excellent position when Jorge Hinojosa intercepted a pass and returned the ball 19 yards to the Veterans 46. On fourth and three at the 39, a deep pass was intercepted by a Patriot defender at the 16. The two teams then went into intermission by the Patriots still holding a 7-0 lead.

Aaron Leal returned the second half kickoff 45 yards to enable the Rattlers to start at the Patriot 49, but Rio couldn’t advance past the 41.

The Patriots then executed a 70-yard scoring drive, overcoming a major penalty and capitalizing on a couple of major penalties against the Rattlers. Gilpin connected with Roman DeLeon for a 17-yard completion to the Rio 40. On third and four, Gilpin hit Bobby Tovar in the right corner of the end zone for a 12-yard scoring pass with 6:11 left in the third quarter to increase the Patriots’ margin to 14-0.

Moments later, a bad snap and a fierce Rattler rush forced a shanked Patriot punt that rolled dead at the Veterans 15 after covering only nine yards. On third and 14, Perez aimed a pass toward the right corner of the end zone and the receiver made the catch, but was slightly out of bounds. Joel Duarte then kicked a 36-yard field goal to narrow the deficit to 14-3 with 1:24 left in the third period.

Early in the fourth quarter, Iram Galvan made a diving catch of a Perez pass at the Veterans 43 for an eight-yard completion, and a late hit penalty against the Patriots advanced the ball to the 28. The threat fizzled when Perez was sacked at the 45.

The Patriots drove to the Patriot 33 with the help of two 14-yard completions by Gilpin. Two plays later, Gilpin was sacked at the Patriot 46 for a 15-yard loss. With under 90 seconds remaining, a roughing the passer penalty gave the Rattlers a first down at the Patriot 39. The opportunity evaporated when quarterback Diego Garcia was sacked for a 13-yard loss at the Rio 48, and the Patriots then walked off the field as 14-3 victors.

No team or individual statistics for the Rattlers were available as of Monday afternoon. Landry Gilpin paced the Patriot offense with 229 yards passing and 54 yards rushing.

The Rattlers will conclude their 2015 season on the road this Friday night against the Sharyland Rattlers.

RATTLERS DEFEAT VALLEY VIEW 24-18 IN FOUR OVERTIME

By Kenneth Roberts
Freelance Writer

In one of the most dramatic football games in many years, the Rio
Grande City Rattlers staged an epic comeback to defeat the Valley View
Tigers 24-18 in a four-overtime District 31-5A thriller at Joe R. Sanchez
Stadium Saturday night.

The Rattlers trailed 15-7 in the fourth quarter, but executed a 50-yard
scoring drive that culminated when quarterback Jason Perez threw a
four-yard scoring pass to Bobby Reyes with 17 seconds remaining in
regulation. Perez then ran for the two-point conversion that tied the
score at 15-15 and forced overtime.

After two scoreless overtime periods, the two teams traded field goals in
the third overtime and Perez ran four yards for a touchdown to give the
Rattlers a 24-18 lead in the fourth overtime. On a fourth and long play,
the marathon game finally ended when a Tiger receiver could not haul in
a pass in the end zone.

In the first overtime, the Tiger kicker was wide on a 33-yard field goal
attempt and the Rattlers seemed poised to grasp victory. The Valley View
defense, however, forced a Rattler fumble inside the 5, forcing a second
overtime. A third overtime became necessary when the Tigers missed a
36-yard field goal try that would have won the second overtime. Rattler
kicker Joel Duarte booted a 36-yard field goal to make a fourth overtime
necessary.

Most of the first half was basically uneventful, with the Tigers kicking a
field goal in the first quarter to take a 3-0 lead. In the second quarter,
Valley View quarterback Richie Sanchez completed two 13-yard passes
to advance the Tigers to the Rio 2. Running back Joseph Alvarez then
scampered two yards for a touchdown with 6:20 left until halftime to
boost the Tigers to a margin that remained 9-0 when the extra point kick
failed.

The Tigers drove to the Rattler 22 later in the second quarter, but the
drive fizzled due to a chop block penalty. On fourth and 17, Marcos

Campos caught a pass for a 12-yard completion to the 26, five yards shy
of a first down. The two teams then went into intermission with the
Tigers still holding a 9-0 edge.

Midway through the third quarter, the Rattlers executed a 56-yard
scoring drive that started when Perez ripped off a 10-yard run to the
Tiger 46. On fourth and one, Casimiro Olivarez pounded out a two-yard
gain to give the Rattlers a first down at the 35.

Two plays later, Iram Galvan caught a pass near the right sideline just
short of the 25, evaded a defender, and raced down the sideline into the
end zone for a 33-yard scoring pass with 5:35 left in the third period.
Joel Duarte then kicked the extra point to draw the Rattlers to within 9-
7.

The Tigers expanded their lead when Diego Monjaras caught a punt
inside the 25, raced toward the right sideline, cut back to his left, and
bolted down the left sideline for a 76-yard touchdown return with 9:46
left in the game. The score remained 15-7 when a two-point conversion
try failed.

Late in the fourth quarter, a Tiger punt rolled dead at the Rio 35 and an
illegal block penalty against Valley View advanced the ball to midfield.
On second down, Perez sprinted down the left sideline for a 13-yard gain
to the Tiger 36. On a fourth and three play, Casimiro Olivarez slammed
through left guard for a six-yard gain to the 23 and a crucial first down.
Perez connected with Aaron Leal for an 11-yard completion to the 14,
and found receiver, Jesus Oviedo, for a 10-yard completion to the 4. On
first and goal, Perez connected with Bobby Reyes in the right flat for a
four-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds remaining in regulation.
Perez then rolled to his right and looked to pass, but took off running
and lunged across the goal line for the two-point conversion that tied the
game at 15-15.

In the final seconds, a pass interference penalty against the Rattlers
advanced the Tigers into Rio territory. On the final play, the Tigers lined
up to try a 57-yard field goal, but a delay of game penalty moved them
back five yards. Regulation play ended when quarterback Richie
Sanchez tried a sprintout around left end, but was stopped at the Rio 32.

After being stopped just short of a first down on the first possession of
overtime, the Tigers misfired on a 33-yard field goal attempt. Victory
seemed a certainty for the Rattlers as Aaron Leal and Olivarez each
scampered for nine-yard gains to advance the ball to the 4. Two plays
later, however, the Tiger defense forced and recovered a fumble at the 5,
triggering a second overtime.

In the first possession of the second overtime, the Rattler offense was
stopped outside the 35.  After three Tiger plays gained six yards, a 36-
yard field goal attempt was wide to the left, forcing a third overtime.
On the initial possession of the third overtime, Sanchez completed a 22-
yard pass to advance the Tigers to the 3. On third and goal at the 1, the
Rattlers stopped a running play for no gain and a personal foul penalty
against the Tigers moved the ball back to the 16. The Tiger kicker then
booted a 33-yard field goal to give the Tigers an 18-15 advantage.

The Rattlers gained six yards on three plays, and Joel Duarte then drilled
a 36-yard field goal to tie the game at 18-18 and force a fourth overtime.
On the first possession of overtime four, Perez connected with a receiver
near the right sideline for an eight-yard completion to the 16. An offside
penalty against the Tigers on fourth down gave the Rattlers a first down
at the 11. Olivarez then bolted through the left side for a nine-yard gain
inside the 2. Three plays later, Perez kept the ball through right guard
and lunged across the goal line for a four-yard scoring run. The Rattlers’
lead remained 24-18 when a two-point conversion attempt was
unsuccessful.

On third and 10, Sanchez threw a swing pass to the left, but the Tiger
receiver was tackled at the 24 for only a one-yard completion. On fourth
and nine, Sanchez rolled to his right and was heavily rushed, but threw a
pass into the right corner of the end zone that a receiver could not bring
in, ending the game and enabling the Rattlers to walk off the field as 24-
18 victors.

No individual or team statistics for either the Rattlers or Tigers were
available. Jason Perez threw touchdown passes to Iram Galvan and
Bobby Reyes, and also ran for the touchdown in the fourth overtime that
ultimately won the game, as well as the two-point conversion that forced
overtime.

The Rattlers, now 1-2 in district play and 3-4 for the season, kept their
playoff hopes alive with the dramatic victory. They will enjoy an open
week before facing the potent Edinburg Vela Sabercats on the road on
Thursday night, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. As last week’s action concluded, the
Sabercats were undefeated for the entire season and ranked by virtually
all pundits as one of the top teams in the entire Valley.

Pioneer Diamondbacks Use Second Half Comeback to Edge Rattlers

By Kenneth Roberts
Freelance Writer

The Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks used a late third quarter uprising, triggered by a blocked field goal return for a touchdown, to achieve a 20-10 comeback victory over the Rio Grande City Rattlers at Thompson Stadium in Sharyland Thursday night.

The Diamondbacks drew first blood with a field goal early in the second quarter, but the Rattlers caught fire to take a 10-3 halftime lead. The Rattlers had two scoring chances deep in Pioneer territory in the third quarter, but the second opportunity ended with a blocked field goal that the Diamondbacks returned 72 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. Moments later, the Diamondbacks scored immediately to take a 17-10 lead after returning an interception to the Rattler 3.

The Pioneer defense dominated the fourth quarter, holding the Rattler offense completely in check. The Diamondbacks put the game out of reach with a field goal midway through the final stanza.

The Rattler offense was productive in the second quarter as running back Casimiro Olivarez broke loose for runs of 46 and 38 yards and quarterback Jason Perez threw a 13-yard scoring pass to Aaron Leal.

After a punt pinned the Rattlers inside their 10 midway through the first period, the Diamondbacks set up shop in Rio territory and drove to the 22. The Rattler defense stiffened and forced a 37-yard field goal attempt by Leo Rios that was wide to the right.

Later in the opening quarter, the Diamondbacks drove within inches of the Rattler goal line. On third and goal inside the 1, Pioneer quarterback Alejandro Ramirez kept the ball through right tackle, but was stopped inches short of the goal line. On fourth and goal, Salvador Gonzalez took a handoff and tried to dart to his left, but was upended in the backfield at the 4, abruptly ending the Diamondback threat.

Early in the second quarter, the Diamondbacks drove to the Rattler 18, but the stubborn Rio defense yielded no more ground. A false start penalty on fourth down moved Pioneer back to the 24, but Leo Rios kicked a 41-yard field goal with 8:59 left until halftime to give the Diamondbacks a 3-0 edge.

The Rattlers quickly responded as Casimiro Olivarez broke loose through the middle for a 38-yard gain to the Pioneer 26. Quarterback Jason Perez kept the ball around left end for an 11-yard pickup to the 15. Three plays later, Perez connected with Aaron Leal over the middle just across the goal line for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 6:10 remaining until intermission.  Joel Duarte booted the extra point to give the Rattlers a 7-3 advantage.

Late in the second quarter, Olivarez slashed through right guard and exploded into the secondary for a 46-yard gain to the Diamondback 31. On fourth and six, a personal foul penalty against the Diamondbacks gave the Rattlers a first down at the 12. A defensive holding penalty against Pioneer then advanced the ball to the 6. On the final play of the first half, Joel Duarte kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the Rattlers a 10-3 lead going into intermission.

The Rattlers gained a golden opportunity early in the third quarter when they recovered a fumbled punt at the Pioneer 28. On third and seven, however, a quarterback sack for a 14-yard loss moved the Rattlers back to the 39.

Moments later, Rio’s free safety, Ivan Garcia intercepted a pass inside the Pioneer 25 and returned the ball to the 19, giving the Rattlers great field position once again. On third and 11, a deep pass was batted away near the goal line. The Rattlers then attempted a 37-yard field goal, but the roof caved in as the kick was blocked and Anthony Jimenez returned the ball 72 yards for a Diamondback touchdown with 3:24 left in the third period to tie the game at 10-10.

On the first play of the ensuing Rattler possession, Pioneer defender Romeo Lopez intercepted a pass inside the Rio 35 and returned the ball all the way to the 3. On first and goal, Brandon Casas took a handoff around right end and darted into the end zone untouched for a three-yard scoring run with 3:06 remaining in the third quarter to give the Diamondbacks a 17-10 advantage.

An interception at the Rio 33 gave the Diamondbacks another opportunity, but the Rattler defense snuffed out the threat, stopping a fourth down running play for a 15-yard loss at the Rattler 43.

With roughly seven minutes left in the game, the Rattlers faced a fourth and two situation at their 34 and decided to gamble, but a running play was stopped for a one-yard loss, giving the Diamondbacks the ball at the Rio 33. Moments later, Leo Rios booted a 42-yard field goal with 5:40 remaining to increase Pioneer's margin to 20-10.

On the first play of the ensuing Rattler possession, an interception at midfield was returned to the Rio 11. The Diamondbacks reached the 5, but a running play was stopped at the 7 for a two-yard loss. Pioneer lined up for a 24-yard field goal try, but the holder was tackled at the 17 for a 10-yard loss after fielding a high snap and attempting to run around left end.

Moments later, the Diamondbacks left the field with a hard-earned 20-10 comeback win, staying undefeated with a 6-0 overall record and a district mark of 2-0.

No team or individual statistics for either the Rattlers or Diamondbacks were available as of Friday afternoon.

The Rattlers, now 2-4 overall and 0-2 in district play, will host Valley View on Saturday night, Oct. 10 in their Homecoming game. The Diamondbacks will travel to Edinburg to face the potent Vela Sabercats on Thursday evening, Oct. 8.

RATTLERS LOOK FORWARD TO SOLID 2015 FOOTBALL SEASON AFTER 2-1 START

By Kenneth Roberts
Freelance Writer

The Rio Grande City Rattlers, benefiting from a strong nucleus of talented veterans as well as several gifted newcomers, have high hopes for an excellent 2015 season and a potential playoff berth after getting off to a 2-1 start in non-district play.

On Saturday, Sept. 12, the Rattlers achieved a 35-34 overtime triumph on the road against the La Joya Palmview Lobos, a District 30-6A team that reached the second round of the state playoffs last year. In that contest, junior running back Casimiro Olivarez romped through the Lobo defense for 196 yards and senior linebacker Victor Martinez blocked two extra point attempts and a 37-yard field goal try with seven seconds left in regulation. Olivarez scampered 15 yards for the game-tying score with 49 seconds remaining in regulation.

Prior to the victory over Palmview, the Rattlers defeated Ingleside 13-0 in the season opener before coming up short by a 13-7 margin against Port Isabel. The Rattlers were scheduled to host Corpus Christi King Friday night, Sept. 18 in their final 2015 non-district game.

Rattler Head Coach Carlos Longoria commented on Wednesday, Sept. 16, “So far, I feel we're headed in the right direction. All four teams in the non-district portion of our schedule made the playoffs last year. I feel we had a good chance to win the game we lost (to Port Isabel); we had several opportunities to win but didn't capitalize.”

“I'm proud of the effort and commitment our youngsters are showing,” emphasized the coach. “You have to follow the standard of not looking behind or looking ahead. This group is very united and really cares about each other. The commitment to work hard is very strong and constant.”

In its 2015 preseason preview, Texas Football magazine indicated that the Rattlers return 11 starters from 2014 – six on offense and five on defense. Longoria declared, “We have a good mixture of veterans and youth. We've had our fair share of injuries, but we have more quality depth this year. Thankfully, we haven't had any season-ending injuries to this point.”

The fifth year Rattler skipper explained, “We've tweaked our offensive approach some to fit what our talent lends itself to. We're planning on running the ball a little more this year because of our talent in that area. Right now Casimiro Olivarez is our best running back and offensive threat, but we're hoping other players will also step up as the year moves along...We hope to open up our offense with more passing in the coming weeks.”

Longoria stressed that sophomore starting quarterback Jason Perez “is doing an excellent job and progressing nicely both as a runner and passer. He's working within his abilities and not trying to do too much. His calm demeanor helps him in a high pressure position.”

Olivarez, who started for roughly half of the 2015 season, is the clear pacesetter at running back. The receiving corps is comprised of inside receivers Iram Galvan and Luis Garcia, outside receivers Lee Roy Lund, Victor Marquez and Jesse Oviedo, and tight end Bobby Reyes. Longoria noted that Reyes “is a proficient receiver and blocker, having won second team All-District honors in 2014. Galvan saw as much action as anyone last year, and Oviedo and Marquez also played some.” Longoria indicated that senior wide receiver and return man Aaron Leal has much experience and scored a rushing touchdown on an end-around play against Palmview.

The coach emphasized that “we had to play a lot of young guys in the offensive line last year due to injuries. The experience they gained is paying dividends...Our offensive line is shaping up to be a strong overall unit.” Three returning starters are junior left tackle Jose Guerrero, senior right guard Jaime Morin, and junior left guard Edgar Rodriguez. Starting center Dillon McGuffin, a junior, saw significant action at guard and tackle in 2014. Longoria commented that senior Brandon Garza “is doing a very good job at right tackle.”
Longoria contended, “Right now I feel our defense is the strength of our team. Their performance has kept us in every game; they've played solid football. I think our pursuit is the strong point of our defense. I thought our defense was really good last year.”

The coach declared that senior free safety Ivan Garcia “is probably the defensive leader of the team and the vocal leader of the entire team. He plays with reckless abandon at safety; he's a smart and instinctive player.” Texas Football noted that Garcia collected 46 tackles, one interception, and two tackles for loss in 2014.
Both Garcia and senior linebacker Victor Martinez received second team All-District recognition in 2014. Longoria pointed out that against Palmview, Martinez blocked two extra point tries and a likely game-winning field goal attempt in the final seconds of regulation. Longoria evaluated Martinez as “a smart player who seems to be in the right place at the right time.”

Other vital defensive players are senior tackle Javier De La Torre, junior nose guard Oscar Montalvo, and senior inside linebackers Kevin Garcia and Juan Toscano. Longoria stressed that defensive backs Michael Garza and Jorge Hinojosa are “doing well in both coverage and tackling.”

Longoria emphasized that he has tremendous confidence in the range and accuracy of placekicker Joel Duarte, as well as punter Kevin Garcia.

The Rattlers are scheduled to start district play on Friday evening, Sept. 25 against the Roma Gladiators. Concerning the District 31-5A outlook, Longoria suggested, “I think our district is the toughest in the Valley, not only in football, but in virtually all sports. Edinburg Vela looks very strong, Roma will be a contender, and Mission Veterans is a perennial contender. Sharyland is always strong, and Sharyland Pioneer is an up and coming team.”

Rio Grande City Police Dept. - Synthetic Drugs Public Service Announcent

 

A public service announcement from the Rio Grande City Police Department.

Rio Grande City PD Chief Castillo 'Meet & Greet' Event - Jan. 23, 2015

Ringgold Elementary Announces 2012-2013 PTO Officers

Ringgold Elementary School proudly announces the PTO Officers for 2012-2013 school year.  Dr. Erica G. Canales-Principal, Idani Salinas-Assistant Principal, Adriana Gonzalez-President, Linda Canales-Vice-President, Jessica T. Saenz-Secretary, Elena Hinojosa-Treasurer and Sylvia Flores-Reporter.

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Grulla Middle School Educator Named 'Math Teacher of the Year'

Grulla Middle School 8th grade teacher, Daniel Lopez won 2012 HESTEC Math Teacher of the year. His nomination by GMS Principal, Serapio Trillayes and GEAR UP Facilitator, Mary Lou Garcia was based upon Mr. Lopez’s aspiring efforts to help his GEAR UP students succeed. “At Grulla Middle School we strive to assist our students to soar high and mighty and it is teachers like Mr. Daniel Lopez that get our cranes to reach their highest potential,” said Mary Lou Garcia. He has been a math teacher at Grulla Middle School for seven years and this year he has moved to the 8th grade to continue helping his GEAR UP students. Eventually, Mr. Lopez plans to utilize his Master’s degree in Mathematics to continue mentoring and teaching his students at the high school and college level. “Grulla Middle School faculty and staff are very proud of Mr. Daniel Lopez’s honorable accomplishments. He truly deserves this prestigious award for his commitment and dedication to our Mighty Cranes," said Mr. Serapio Trillayes. Pictured  left to right are Norma McCormick- GEAR UP Coordinator, Serapio Trillayes- GMS Principal, Daniel Lopez, Mary Lou Garcia- GEAR UP Facilitator, and Ms. Tina Atkins- GEAR UP Director. Photo by: Sandor Lopez.

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