By Rey Sifuentes Jr.

     Approaching his inaugural season as C.C. Winn High School’s head football coach, Eric Villasenor is shrugging off the recently released issue of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine which has picked the Mavericks to finish the upcoming fall campaign in last in place in District 29-5A.  

     “No, I do not put too much stock into preseason rankings,” Villasenor said. “I am more concerned about where we are heading. I would rather fly under that radar and surprise some people along the way.”

     A seasoned coach of about 12 years, Villasenor will be the first to tell you that 29-5A will not be an easy walk in the park for any of the seven teams residing there.  

     “This district is going to pretty competitive this season,” Villasenor said. “There are a lot of defensive kids returning to teams like Del Rio and Eagles Pass. Laredo Alexander and United consistently have potent offenses. United South and LBJ are up and coming teams so this district should be pretty interesting. At the same time, I have a lot of faith in our own guys and we should be right there in the thick of things.”

     Which is why the Mavericks have been doing some running around during the offseason.   

     “We have been participating in some seven on seven competitions which are going on at our campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and they have been going very well,” Villasenor said. “We are also coming up on our strength and conditioning camp which will begin on July 15, and we hope to have a big turnout there as well.”

     About half of last year’s starting group – six on offense and five on defense – are expected back for CCWN this season.  

     “Right now we have 27 senior players and about 41 incoming juniors,” Villasenor said. “We have a rather small freshman class coming in (about 38). So as far as grooming our younger players, we are first going to have to see how they react to things early on – during ‘ones versus ones’ workouts, our preseason scrimmages against Carrizo Springs and Laredo Cigarroa, and then in our non-district games. Based on those evaluations, what they show us coaches, then we will make our assessments and necessary adjustments when we begin district play.”

     Villasenor, meanwhile, is anxious to get his first season as a head coach started.  

     “I am very eager and excited,” Villasenor said. “The kids here have really been working hard. I am surrounded by a great group of coaches who are hard working, dedicated and passionate about what they do. You need to surround yourself with good people, and I am excited to kick this season off and put the Mavericks on the football map where they belong.”

     CCWN football players are to report to the campus gym at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, August 5.

     (Rey Sifuentes Jr. is the sports editor of the Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune which is located in East Texas. He is also a 1992 graduate of Eagle Pass High School. Sifuentes can be reached on Facebook and at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also follow him through Twitter at @eaglesmavericks.)

A.D. Ibarra

-Eagle Pass

Maverick County Commissioner's Court was definitely upbeat on Monday at their Regular Meeting held at Commissioner's Court Chambers as County Judge David Saucedo mentioned the fact that their receipt of the monthly auditor's report which they received prior to the meeting was a welcomed sight and would be beneficial to them as 'Budget officers' to know exactly what's in their individual coffers at any given point in time.

"As a budget officer, I can let those departments know this is where we're at if I have the information in hand, I can make decisions," stated the judge.

"When I look at Road & Bridge it really makes me feel good," stated the county leader as they have $600,000.00 remaining as of now and $500,000.00 remaining in the General Fund Report.

"Personally, I'd like to digest the report before we approve it," stated County Commissioner Robert Ruiz who also questioned wether they could post the report on the website.

Karla Mazuka along with two other members of the Auditor's Office were also on hand to answer any questions they might have about the report itself as County Auditor Fidencio Ortiz was not present due to an illness.

County Commissioner Gerardo Morales wanted to know where the funds collected for different rentals and fees for Maverick County Lake were and those were included in the report, but not specified.

Commissioner Rosales wanted to know where rentals were for the Radar Base and airplane hangars and he was directed to those figures as well.

"This is good, very professional," stated Rosales.

The county finds itself at 36% of budget for the rest of the fiscal year, a 3% increase from last year which constitutes a savings of $500,000.00.

A.D. Ibarra

-Eagle Pass

     In a sentencing hearing which lasted approximately twenty minutes, U. S. District Judge Alia Moses heard deliberations from both sides of David Gelacio's trial on behalf of Michael Galdo for the US and Efrain Juarez representing Gelacio as family members as well as federal bailiffs, court reporters and at least two other defendants awaited their turn to face the judge.

     The youthful looking Gelacio himself clean-cut and wearing cuffs, chains and a state issued orange uniform was brought before the judge at approximately 2:23 P.M. and he faced the judge as both Galdo and Juarez approached the bench.  Gelacio seemed to be pacing from side to side in what seemed to be him trying to listen in on the conversation between the two attorneys and a third person present.

     Galdo made his case and addressed the judge for a good amount of time as the noise barrier eerily kept all in the federal courtroom from hearing as Juarez seemed to be pleading his case with animated gestures while shaking his head.

     When the case resumed, Judge Moses asked Gelacio if he had had the opportunity to see the pre-sentence report, whether he had sufficient time to do so, if he had seen the possible consequences with his residency and if he fully understood them to which he replied that he had.

     She asked his counsel if he had done the same citing certain objections Juarez had with various items within the scope of the reports to which he replied that all objections had been clarified before she proceeded to list the guidelines for sentencing which included imprisonment not to exceed five years, 1-5 years probation and a 1-3 year supervisory period.

     When given the opportunity to speak, Gelacio stated, "I want to apologize to the united States and to you Judge.  I know what I did was wrong and I just want to be able to continue to work and become a productive citizen."

     Juarez was quick to point out that according to him, his client had a lack of knowledge of his having dealt with a criminal organization and did not have any connection with any corruption or any criminal activity in Mexico.  He was afraid that this case may lead to his losing his residency and that his client had admitted that he was wrong.

     "He thought he was doing someone a favor and he knows he did wrong, can you please take into consideration that he did not know he was dealing with a criminal organization," stated Juarez.

     "I'm not pleased with the range, Mr. Gelacio and everyone seems to believe it reflects the level of your conduct in this particular case," stated Judge Moses before sentencing him to 12 months in prison as opposed to the nine requested by Galdo, three years probation and as she does not know if it is a deportable offense, she advised him to report to this court three days after he is released if he is not deported.  If he is deported she advised him to not enter the US illegally.

     Gelacio was instructed to pay a $100.00 special assessment fee on this day and was dismissed on counts 1,2 and 3 with no objection coming from the United States.