GAME AUDIO

Archived game audio

2009 ARCHIVED VIDEO CONTENT 

Video of Harlingen High-SA Southwest

Video of Edinburg High-Brownsville Hanna

Video of Edinburg High-Edinburg North

Video of Mission Veterans' Raul Becerril

Video of Rio Hondo's Maverick Hunter

Video highlights of McAllen Memorial-Sharyland

Video of Los Fresnos' Estephan Wilson

Video highlights of Mercedes-Weslaco East

SAN ANTONIO — Noah Copeland is good.

No wait.

Noah Copeland is great.

Copeland burned the Edinburg North Cougars for 241 rushing yards and three touchdown in just over one half of play as the San Antonio Brandeis Broncos galloped past the Coogs, 51-14, at the Alamodome on Saturday.

Copeland only had three carries in the second half. But on his first one, the speedy back broke loose for a 67-yard TD run that put the Broncos (12-1) ahead 41-14 only 16 seconds into the half.

SAN ANTONIO — Before the Harlingen Cardinals’ game against Austin Westlake, an Alamodome press box official wandered over to a gathering of reporters and declared he’d heard that Big Red’s terrorizing defensive end Mingo Rincon “was a stud.”

He and the thousands of others in attendance at the Alamo City landmark Friday undoubtedly did not leave disappointed.

SAN ANTONIO — There was nothing mythical about these Unicorns.

They were all too real and they were good.

New Braunfels tallied an amazing 558 yards of offense and the defense forced four PSJA North turnovers as the Unicorns galloped to a 62-21 win in a Class 5A, Division II regional game at the Alamodome on Friday.

SAN ANTONIO — There was a soothing sense of calm after PSJA North fell behind, 35-14, to Eagle Pass in last week's area clash.

And it didn't come from the Raiders veteran head coach Bruce Bush.

It came from three-year starting quarterback Noe Garcia.

One of the most underrated QBs in the Valley the last couple of years, Garcia rallied his troops as the silver and black came back and won a wild one 56-42.

It’s that time of year.

The Thanksgiving holiday brings a lot more than just giving thanks in high school football.

It also ushers in the phenomenon known as “Valley Week,” normally the third round of the state playoffs that pits a 5A team from the RGV against a San Antonio or Austin-area Region IV team.

Based on the records over the last 19 seasons, it’s no wonder teams and fans in the Alamo City have some extra pep in their step during the week in November/December against their neighbors to the south.

Congratulations District 31-5A for having the best, and toughest, teams in the Rio Grande Valley.

All remaining playoff teams come from 31-5A, and up until 6 p.m. last Saturday, all four teams were in the playoffs. But that may be where the excitement ends this week as all three teams have an uphill battle in their respective playoff matches.

Each team this week has a monumental task at hand, although it isn’t out of the question for one or more teams to win this week.

PHARR —  Alex Gutierrez is still getting treated like a sophomore.

Despite his 175-yard, three touchdown performance against Eagle Pass in the Raiders 56-42 come-from-behind win, Gutierrez’s spot on the low end of the team’s hierarchy hasn’t changed much. On Tuesday in the weight room, his teammates playfully kidded him about his performance and the attention it will get him.

But on Friday night, they had a different response to him.

“They were all happy that we won,” Gutierrez said. “And they thanked me, but it was the line. It feels great (to be thanked).”

HARLINGEN — Cardinals offensive coordinator Robert Fraga has football down to a science.

Literally.

The AP physics teacher at Harlingen High School is in his 15th year coaching football and first as OC for his alma mater, the Cardinals.

Fraga was raised on one philosophy: hard work pays off.

From his parents to his coaches at Harlingen, Fraga's used his upbringing to get ahead in life.

And whether it's teaching in the classroom or the practice field, Fraga instills the same work ethic and values to his students and athletes.

EDINBURG – Simon Edwards’ brief athletic career can be summed up in two words:

Patience and perseverance.

Those two things came together last Friday when Edwards spurned off a career-high 207 yards on 15 carries in a 28-24 Cougars victory against undefeated Sharyland in a Class 5A Division II playoff at Cats Stadium.

The win sends Edinburg North to the third round of the playoffs for the first time in school history. The Coguars (9-3) play San Antonio Brandeis (11-1) in a Region IV semifinal at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.