Thanksgiving week was stuffed with high-quality non-district games across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, as RGV teams look to challenge themselves in the final weeks before the start of district play.
A pair of District 31-6A teams, however, stood out more than the rest during a week which featured the entire Valley in action multiple times with some day-game action sprinkled in, too: the Edinburg Economedes Jaguars and Mission High Eagles.
Economedes rolled to a pair of big wins to improve to 3-0 on the young season and establish themselves as one of the prime contenders standing in the way of another district title for crosstown rival Edinburg High.
The Jaguars steamrolled Brownsville Porter early in the week for a 35-point win, and kept adding to that with a win over former 31-6A rival Weslaco East on Saturday.
The Eagles, meanwhile, stumbled early in the week against former District 30-6A foe McAllen Rowe, one of the Valley’s top teams in the early going, but found their groove in a major way Saturday.
Mission manhandled a talented Brownsville Hanna squad, scoring a near-40 point win over the Golden Eagles in Brownsville to drop Hanna to 6-2 on the season.
The Eagles improve to 3-2 on the year with the all-around team victory and have flexed one of the Rio Grande Valley’s most physically imposing frontcourts so far.
Elsewhere in the Rio Grande Valley, Santa Maria notched another pair of wins to keep rolling as one of the Valley’s top small schools while nearly falling Tuesday at upstart San.
Monday was the opening night of district play for 31-3A too, as Donna IDEA and Pharr Vanguard picked up season-opening wins. The Titans of Donna IDEA look to be an early favorite in that West Valley district thanks in large part to the team’s prolific offensive attack.
PSJA North earned a pair of key wins too over San Benito and Mission Veterans to remain a favorite in 31-6A, while the district’s defending champion Edinburg High Bobcats lost narrowly in a marquee matchup against Laredo United South on Saturday in Edinburg.
The Panthers eliminated the Bobcats in the third round of the Class 6A state playoffs last year. The Harlingen High Cardinals, another 6A RGV hoops powerhouse, lost at home to the Laredo United Longhorns on Saturday as well.
Harlingen scored an impressive win earlier in the week over Class 5A East Valley foe Brownsville Veterans.
The Los Fresnos Falcons, meanwhile, were humbled in a six-point loss to Brownsville St. Joseph on Tuesday, the Valley’s lone TAPPS representative, but rebounded nicely to secure a two-point win over reigning district champion McAllen Memorial.
The Falcons and Golden Eagles are beginning to emerge as two of the main challengers to Harlingen and the Weslaco High Panthers at the top of District 32-6A.
Valley Girls HS Basketball Scores
Week of Nov. 21-28, 2020
Monday’s Games
Non-District
McAllen High 47, Mercedes 34
District 31-3A
Pharr Vanguard 31, Edinburg IDEA QUEST 12
Lyford vs IDEA North Mission, rescheduled for Jan. 9
IDEA Donna 63, IDEA Weslaco Pike 36
Tuesday’s Games
Non-District
Brownsville Hanna 52, Raymondville 36
Brownsville St. Joseph 40, Los Fresnos 40
Edinburg Economedes 47, Brownsville Porter 12
Harlingen High 63, Brownsville Veterans 50
McAllen Memorial 61, San Benito 18
McAllen Rowe 41, Mission High 23
PSJA North 43, Mission Veterans 28
Santa Maria 59, San Isidro 53
Sharyland Pioneer 55, Harlingen South 32
Weslaco High 59, Edinburg High 52
Wednesday’s Games
Non-District
Valley View 69, San Perlita 64
Friday’s Games
Non-District
Santa Maria 43, Macedonian 22
Saturday’s Games
Non-District
Edinburg Economedes 38, Weslaco East 35
Laredo United 72, Harlingen High 64
Laredo United South 58, Edinburg High 54
Los Fresnos 41, McAllen Memorial 39
McAllen Rowe 38, Edinburg North 24
Mission High 72, Brownsville Hanna 33
PSJA North 52, San Benito 33
VALLEY HS GIRLS
BASKETBALL BOX SCORES
Tuesday’s Game
Non-District
McALLEN ROWE 41, MISSION HIGH 23
Mission High 6 4 9 4 — 23
McAllen Rowe 4 17 13 7 — 41
McALLEN ROWE (41): Destiny Menchaca 11, Yulissa Yebra 11, Ziomarra Jasso 6, Alexys Delgado 4, Evelyn Valero 3, Angalina De Leon 2, Miriam De Leon 2, Kayla Zamora 2.
MISSION HIGH (23): Hayley Garza 9, Bailey Hernandez 7, Sabrina Alaniz 5, Mayella Cantu 2, Jiselle Mendoza 2.
RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 5-1; Mission High 2-2.
PSJA NORTH 43, MISSION VETERANS 28
PSJA North 6 14 11 12 — 43
Mission Vets 2 9 8 9 — 28
PSJA NORTH (43): Carolina Sanchez 11, Trinity Bane 8, Emma Lucio 7, Angel Lozano 6, Karina Lucio 6, Angeliza Balderas 3, Karina Guerrero 2.
MISSION VETERANS (28): A Guerrero 9, M Rodriguez 6, A Hernandez 4, C Cantu 3, A Gutierrez 3, N Canizalez 2, S Tagle 1.
RECORDS: PSJA North 3-1; Mission Veterans NR.
Saturday’s Games
Non-District
McALLEN ROWE 38, EDINBURG NORTH 24
McAllen Rowe 18 4 4 12 — 38
Edinburg N 11 4 5 4 — 24
McALLEN ROWE (38): Yulissa Yebra 10, Evelyn Valero 9, Destiny Menchaca 7, Miriam De Leon 5, Alexys Delgado 4, Kayla Menchaca 2, Olivia Pawelek 1.
EDINBURG NORTH (24): Odalys Luna 8, Jayli Rivera 5, Skye Ochoa 4, Zoey Gaytan 3, Samantha Aguilar 2, Raven Dykas 2.
RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 6-1; Edinburg North NR.
MISSION HIGH 72, BROWNSVILLE HANNA 33
Mission High 14 20 24 14 — 72
Bville Hanna 12 7 2 12 — 33
MISSION HIGH (72): Hayley Garza 20, Danielle Munoz 12, Mayella Cantu 9, Bailey Hernandez 8, Sabrina Alaniz 6, Jaclyn Ornelas 6, Ana Roque 6, Ana Rivera 3, Maranda Garcia 2.
BROWNSVILLE HANNA (33): Alexis Alvarado 9, Yazmin Rucoba 7, Kate Garza 6, Marie Neme 4, Sophia Roman 2, Abigail Salas 2, Yvennia Mata 1.
RECORDS: Mission High 3-2; Brownsville Hanna 6-2.
PSJA NORTH 52, SAN BENITO 33
PSJA North 14 12 13 13 — 52
San Benito 4 4 10 15 — 33
PSJA NORTH (52): Carolina Sanchez 15, Emma Lucio 13, Angel Lozano 12, Trinity Bane 12.
SAN BENITO (33): Alyssa Flores 13, Yazmin Bernabe 8, Cassie Hernandez 6, Candice Garcia 2, Cassie Guzman 2, Jasmine Martinez 2.
RECORDS: PSJA North 4-1; San Benito NR.
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Twitter: @ByAndyMcCulloch
