SAN ANTONIO — The "R" words are endless.

Rematch.

Revenge.

Respect.

But the Harlingen Cardinals can think of one only.

Redemption.

Hollywood couldn't have scripted it better.

One year after the Cardinals got beat by Austin Westlake at the Alamodome, the schools face off again in a Class 5A, Division I regional game.

Same place. Same date. Same teams.

"We're all excited and ecstatic about this," Harlingen DT Nick Aviles said after a morning Thanksgiving Day practice.

Valley-Boys basketball schedule
Editor’s Note: Coaches are asked to e-mail their schedules to wbaker@themonitor.com or fax them to (956) 683-4401.
Nov. 16
Non-district
Weslaco High at Mercedes, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 17
Non-district
PSJA Memorial at McAllen Memorial, 7:30 p.m.
Harlingen South at Sharyland, 7:30 p.m.
La Joya Palmview at Mission Veterans, 7:30 p.m.
Brownsville Pace at Harlingen High, 7:30 p.m.
Brownsville Lopez at PSJA High, 7:30 p.m.
Roma at PSJA North, 7:30 p.m.

Valley-Boys basketball schedule
Editor’s Note: Coaches are asked to e-mail their schedules to wbaker@themonitor.com or fax them to (956) 683-4401.
Nov. 16
Non-district
Weslaco High at Mercedes, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 17
Non-district
PSJA Memorial at McAllen Memorial, 7:30 p.m.
Harlingen South at Sharyland, 7:30 p.m.
La Joya Palmview at Mission Veterans, 7:30 p.m.
Brownsville Pace at Harlingen High, 7:30 p.m.
Brownsville Lopez at PSJA High, 7:30 p.m.
Roma at PSJA North, 7:30 p.m.

HARLINGEN — Mack Sanchez zigged and Mack Sanchez zagged.

He broke a tackle here and a he broke a tackle there.

Then he sprinted.

The run will officially go down as a 52-yard touchdown run. But really, Sanchez covered about 105 yards of field running what seemed like circles around San Benito defenders.

Typical Mack The Knife.

HARLINGEN — Mack Sanchez zigged and Mack Sanchez zagged.

He broke a tackle here and a he broke a tackle there.

Then he sprinted.

The run will officially go down as a 52-yard touchdown run. But really, Sanchez covered about 105 yards of field running what seemed like circles around San Benito defenders.

Typical Mack The Knife.

HARLINGEN — It looked like a family reunion after Bird Bowl XVII on the field at Boggus Stadium.

Parents and friends made their way to the field following Harlingen's 66-7 drubbing of Harlingen South on Friday.

Freddy Mercury's voice resonated over the PA system as Queen's We are the champions blared for all to hear.
Cliché? Yes.

But so were the Cards. After all, all they did was win.

Ten times this season to be exact.

PHARR — Following practice earlier this week, Harlingen's defense called a player-only meeting.

And there was only one topic of discussion: PSJA North.

"I've never seen a meeting called by the players for player," Cardinals head coach Manny Gomez said. "There's a lot of want to by the leadership on our team."

The "want to" Gomez refers to is motivation for tonight's game against the Raiders in the Valley Morning Star and The Monitor's Game of the Week.

HARLINGEN — Go big or go home.

That seems to be the unspoken battle cry for the Harlingen Cardinals offense this season.

From the opening gun, Harlingen's been steamrolling opponents all season.

Eight weeks in and the Cards are ranked sixth overall in the Valley averaging 405 yards per game.

Harlingen ranks first in points scored this season with 386 (48.2 per game) but it’s been the big plays that have aided the Cards success.

Of the 47 offensive touchdowns that Harlingen has scored so far, 26 have come from 20 yards or beyond.

PHARR — Nothing like a little challenge to spice things up.

PSJA’s challenge? Move the ball against Harlingen’s Cardinal Crush defense.

Harlingen’s challenge? Stop them.

The Cardinals’ defense yielded more yards than their Valley’s best average of 148 but Harlingen still stopped the Running Bears enough to pick up a 45-12 win on Friday at PSJA Stadium and remain perfect at 7-0 for the season.
Harlingen’s defense also held PSJA bruiser Gilbert Espino to only 55 yards rushing.

Espino was averaging 173 yards per game in six contests.

Cross Country-Valley schedule
Oct. 10
Meet of Champions