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A.D. Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
The time has come as your Eagle Pass Eagles are primed and ready to take on the Johnson Jaguars in the 2013 Region IV Semi Finals right here in the comfort of our very own EPISD Baseball Complex.
Both teams can be said to be killers of Giants as the Eagles knocked off perennial powerhouse, number two in the state and the number three team in the nation, UT-bound Eagle Pass connection Tres Barrera the Mission Sharyland Rattlers who came into the one game, winner-take-all series at a crisp 31-1 and the Jaguars knocked off the number one team in San Antonio, the Winston Churchill Chargers in two straight.
The scene is set as Reynol Mendoza and Gordon Gesell prepare their charges for battle tomorrow night in what is sure to be a great series.
"Our kids are excited and they've been practicing well," stated Mendoza, "We're looking forward to a good game and our team has stepped it up time and time again, especially in the playoffs."
When asked about common opponents, we know that the CC Winn Mavericks played Johnson 7-6 this year and the Jaguars also played O'Connor who United is playing this week.
"They're fundamentally sound, they have speed and they can hit," stated Gene Flores, Manager of the CC Winn Mavericks, "We saw four of their pitchers who have good control of their fastball, they throw a lot of curve balls and changes, but they like to steal and put pressure on the defense and to try to make things happen. I think it will be a good matchup."
"The closest team I can compare Johnson to is United," added Mendoza, "They hit and run, they bunt the ball and have good hitting and pitching."
The coach stated that United will be facing a pitcher who throws in the 90-95 MPH range in their series.
Both teams have faced and done well against formidable pitching as well so something's got to give and if we play our cards right, this team may be the next to accomplish what the 1970, 1974, 1988 and 1996 Eagle Pass Eagles all did, which was advance to the state tournament in Austin.
Whatever the case may be, the Eagles are in the Final Four of Region IV and are going to count on a legion of Eagle Pass fans from all over Maverick County to support them in their bid to continue advancing in the state tournament so wear your Burnt Orange and White proudly, be there, be early, but by all means BE LOUD!!!
By Rey Sifuentes Jr.
Eagle Pass High School’s varsity softball team had several players recently picked for the All-District 29-5A team.
Sandra Mendoza (junior, pitcher) was voted as the district’s Most Valuable Player.
Named to the first all-district team were Krystal De La Cruz (sophomore, pitcher), Samantha Fuentes (junior, first baseman), Jessica Garcia (senior, second baseman), Monica Flores (junior, outfielder), and Dariela Velasquez (sophomore, designated player).
Making the second all-district team were Keanna Pearson (senior, third baseman), and Krystal Perez (junior, outfielder).
Receiving Honorable Mention were Samantha De Leon (senior), Nina Flores (freshman), and Melanie Mendoza (freshman).
“All of these girls did a great job for us this season,” Head Coach Oscar Ruiz said on Tuesday.
The Lady Eagles compiled an overall record of 28 and 7 this past season, and won their fourth consecutive District 29-5A title with an 11-1 league record.
EPHS swept Edinburg-Vela in the bi-district round of the playoffs in two games, then ousted Brownsville Porter in two straight in the area round.
The Lady Eagles were then thrown a huge curve in what was supposed to be a best of three games Region IV playoff series against San Benito.
Both teams met in Laredo for game one on Friday (May 10) but that encounter was halted - with San Benito leading 2-0 - because of heavy rain.
The game’s chief umpire declared the score final later that night, while Ruiz disputed the decision.
Both teams were ordered to return to Laredo for game two the following day, but were told (upon arrival) that their three-game series had been reduced to one - requiring them to finish out the remaining one and a third inning left over from Friday’s contest. San Benito held on to win 2-0 and advanced.
EPISD brass filed an injunction again the University Interscholastic League midway through last week, but the complaint was dismissed by a court in Austin (Travis County) on Friday – and the Lady Eagles’ season officially ended there.
Nonetheless, the Lady Eagles are losing less than a handful of this past season’s roster – meaning they will again be a force to contend with in 2014.
“All of the experience that we should have coming back next year will be invaluable,” Ruiz said on Tuesday. “We have a great group of girls who are going to be ready to go next season.”
And with the annual all-district selection meeting usually being held at the campus of the 29-5A champ, Ruiz is more than happy to continue welcoming his conference opponents into town.
“We have hosted that meeting here in Eagle Pass for the past four years,” Ruiz said. “And I am looking forward to continue hosting it for the next few years.”
(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.)
Sports Column by Rey Sifuentes Jr.
(The following column is the sole opinion of the writer.)
Okay. So here are two separate situations that (in my opinion) should have the same result.
Exhibit A, almost two weeks ago – Eagle Pass and San Benito High School’s softball teams meet for game one of their best of three region playoff series in Laredo.
Heavy weather – which no one can control – halts the game in the sixth inning with San Benito ahead 2-0.
The chief umpire later declares the score final – giving San Benito a 1-0 series lead – and instructs everyone to come back the following day.
Arriving for game two on Saturday, both teams find out that their best of three series is now only a one-game winner advances playoff, and that both teams need to finish out the remaining one and a third inning.
San Benito holds on for the win and moves on in the postseason.
EPISD players, coaches, family and administrators protest the surprise change in the playoff format (rightfully so in my opinion) and attorneys for the district later file an injunction against the University Interscholastic League.
The injunction gets dismissed by a court in Travis County (Austin) on Friday.
Long story short: Bye Bye Lady Eagles.
Stay with me here.
Exhibit B, last Friday – Eagle Pass and Mission Sharyland’s baseball teams meet for a region playoff in San Antonio.
This is in a one game winner take all contest.
Both teams slug it out, needing to play eight innings, and the Eagles edge the Rattlers (ranked number two in the state, third in some national polls) 10-9.
Sharyland, a few days ago, filed an incident report with UIL over how EPHS’s coaching staff selected the umpires for the game – according to a recent story in RGV Sports.com.
The Rattlers’ coaches (who lost the flips that decided the playoff format and its location) are arguing that they had an agreement with EPHS’s staff that they would first go through UIL, which would then pick four umpires from the San Antonio chapter.
EPHS’s staff, allegedly, instead went straight to the San Antonio chapter and hand-picked the game’s umpires.
Sharyland brass also claims that it has requested documentation from EPISD officials, but that those transactions have not taken place.
Regardless, now that the game has been ruled final, the ink has gone dry in the books, and the postseason must go on.
Long story short: Bye Bye Sharyland Rattlers.
Does Sharyland have a right to be upset?
Yes, of course, their season is over and a team that on paper had a legitimate shot at winning a state title will instead be watching the rest of the playoffs.
Should Eagle Pass apologize? For what?
Until EPISD’s coaches have been proven to have done something wrong, everyone needs to accept the final results from last week’s game, and the Eagles need to stay focused on San Antonio LBJ (whom they host in game one of their region semifinal series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday).
Because if EPHS - for whatever reason – is forced to replay its game against Sharyland, then the Lady Eagles’ season should also be revived.
(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
Your Eagle Pass Eagles will get to play their exciting Game 1 matchup in the 2013 Region IV Semi-Finals against the Ladybird Johnson Jaguars right here before their fans in what is sure to be a packed and loud EPISD Baseball Complex on Friday.
Manager Reynol Mendoza informed The News Gram that arrangements have been finalized to bring home a playoff game against the Jags who have just come off from slaying the giant named the Churchill Chargers, the number one team in San Antonio.
"I think they're as shocked as everyone is to be here, as neither they nor anyone else expected us to be here," stated Mendoza, "Our kids are excited, a little in disbelief and may not know what to expect, but I thought they deserve a playoff game in front of their home crowd, they've earned that right."
Mendoza went on to confirm the two game series, Game 1 in Eagle Pass and Game 2 on Saturday at Blossom Field on Jones Maltzberger at Johnson High School at 3:00 P.M. and Game 3 thirty minutes following Game 2 if necessary.
Johnson, the third place team in District 26 where Churchill came in first much like the situation with United having to play Alexander last week. The Chargers made twelve errors in two games against Johnson in two 6-4 ballgames. The Jaguars are peaking at the right time just as the Eagles who knocked off perennial powerhouse Mission Sharyland 10-9 on Friday in a game for the ages.
"They're a good hitting team, swinging the bats well, have lots of speed, but their strength is their pitching," added Mendoza, "They're not overpowering, but effective with off-speed pitches."
The Jaguars are coming off of eliminating San Marcos, Steele and Churchill. The Eagles defeated La Joya, Edinburgh North and Mission Sharyland to get to this point.
The scene is set, Friday Night Lights at the EPISD Baseball Complex, now all that's left to do is wear your Burnt Orange and White proudly, be there, be early, but by all means BE LOUD!!!
By Rey Sifuentes Jr.
The 2013-2014 school year could be C.C. Winn High School’s last as a 5A campus.
Mavericks head football coach Eric Z. Villasenor made a presentation before the brass of Eagle Pass Independent School District - during a meeting held on Tuesday night - in which he proposed allowing C.C. Winn to be reclassified as a 4A in about eight months from now.
“I received a very positive vibe from the school board, our superintendent, our assistant superintendent, our athletic director and our principal,” Villasenor said about his presentation.
Villasenor pointed at his campus’ total number of students as the main reason for his proposal.
“Our enrollment has been decreasing throughout the years,” Villasenor said. “The other schools we have been playing, meanwhile, have seen their enrollments increase. So we are now facing schools that have double the number of students that we do. Schools like Laredo United and Alexander have about 3,800 to 4,100 students.”
CCWN’s boys and girls athletic teams have been competing lately against opponents whose enrollments are twice as large.
“These are schools with enough numbers to field multiple freshmen teams, a possible sophomore team, or even two junior varsity teams,” Villasenor said. “All of those kids are being groomed to perform at the varsity level and their coaches have plenty of kids to choose from. I just feel that it is a daunting task for us when our enrollment is at 1,886.”
Villasenor said that C.C. Winn has the numbers to qualify it as a 4A when the University Interscholastic League does its biannual statewide athletic district realignment on February 1, 2014.
“According to the enrollment we have now, we are eligible to move to 4A,” Villasenor said. “We anticipate a possible peak enrollment of about 1,960 next year, which would still qualify us for the 4A classification.”
Before redrawing every athletic zone in Texas, U.I.L. will first send out paperwork to every campus. That is when C.C. Winn can request a move to 4A.
Schools have the opportunity to option up one classification – a campus with 4A numbers can request to be in 5A instead – but Villasenor said his campus will not.
“What is going to happen when we get our documents from U.I.L., before the next realignment, is that we are not going to option up (request) to be in 5A,” Villasenor said. “So we will then see if and where U.I.L. places us in 4A, what district we will land in. That is where the guessing game comes in, scenarios are drawn up based on geographic location, proximity and enrollment. U.I.L. usually tries to place you with other schools whose enrollments are about the same as yours.”
In addition, Villasenor said there are plenty of 4A’s close by.
“The 4A schools nearby that have enrollments similar to ours include Uvalde, Medina Valley, Laredo Martin, Laredo Cigarroa, Laredo Nixon, San Antonio Southside, and possibly Floresville,” Villasenor said. “All of those schools carry a 4A enrollment, so I could see us being extremely competitive against them. I am looking forward to our potential new classification. It is always nice to face new competition.”
Until then, the Mavericks still have one more athletic campaign in 5A.
CCWN’s football team is currently in its first offseason with Villasenor (previously an offensive coordinator for Eagle Pass High School ) as the head coach.
Entering his first ever year as a head coach, Villasenor said he and his team are only focusing on game one of their 2013 schedule, and not looking ahead.
“Our goal right now is just to win the first game,” Villasenor said. “You would like an opening season victory to generate something positive, which can become contagious. But right now we are just concentrating on starting out 1-0 and the Uvalde Coyotes (on August 30).”
(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
When the hot Texas sun bears down on us in our air-conditioned vehicles we may even try to semi-hurry to where we're getting to before getting off and complaining of the unbearable South Texas heat. What many Eagle Passans may not know is that is exactly the kind of weather that Saul Vasquez, Carlos Elizondo and the members of the Eagle Pass High School cross country teams have to train in on a daily basis.
By Rey Sifuentes Jr.
Weather conditions threw a huge wrench into what was supposed to be a best of three games area playoff baseball series between Eagle Pass High School and Brownsville Hanna late last week.
The series was set to commence on Friday, but heavy rains forced both teams to instead face each other on Saturday in a one-game playoff. The scoring by both teams was minimal heading into the sixth stanza.
“It was a gut-wrencher,” EPHS Head Coach Reynol Mendoza said. “We were tied 2-2 all of the way until the bottom of the sixth inning. This game was a pitcher’s duel pretty much. We were finally able to get a bunch of hits in the bottom of the sixth to score five runs. We also caught some breaks, we tried to lay down some sacrifice bunts but instead ended up getting base hits.”
By Rey Sifuentes Jr.
The Lady Eagles’ softball season may or may not be over right now.
Eagle Pass High School and San Benito squared off for game one, on Friday, for what was to be a best of three games Region IV quarterfinal series in Laredo.
Heavy rains interrupted game one on Friday, with San Benito winning 2-0 in the sixth inning, and then the chief umpire decided to declare the score final.
“I was a little upset, and I told the umpire that we needed to finish the game,” EPHS Head Coach Oscar Ruiz said. “The coach from San Benito and I were upset because we wanted to finish the game, there was one and one third inning left.”
Both skippers asked the umpire to allow the teams to finish game one, but to no avail.
A.D. Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
The Eagle Pass Eagles overcame an early 2-0 deficit to pick up a victory against the CC Winn Mavericks on Friday night.
Devon Torres was on the hill for the Eagles in this, the sixteenth meeting between the two schools. Jesus Fraga was on the mound for the Mavs.
In the first inning, the Mavericks got two on a fly ball by Ricardo Gonzalez to Dylan Elguezabal with men on second and third. Runner Isaac Banda was tagging all the way scoring the first run and Jonathan Villarreal displayed some opportune running skills and came all the way home on an errant throw. 2-0 Winn with Eagle Pass coming to bat.
Fraga faced the top of the Eagle order in the first and came out unscathed as he got Torres to ground out and Diego Gaona flied out to center.
The Eagles scored in the bottom of the third when Gaona drew a walk and his runner Erik Martinez scored on a fly ball to right by Juan Lopez which Banda tried to run down, but the ball stayed fair down the right field line.
Jesus Medellin hit a Torres pitch up the middle on a 2-1 count, but on an ensuing pitch, Gaona blocked a ball in the dirt to his left and Medellin took off to second. A perfect throw to second got the streaking runner and the threat was over for the Mavericks in the 4th.
Eric Gonzalez had an RBI base hit in the bottom of the fourth scoring two more for the Eagles to put Eagle Pass ahead 4-2.
In the top of the fifth, steady Maverick stalwart Leo Lopez got on with a base hit, then Banda walked but Torres got out of the jam and the Mavs left two stranded.
Mando Lopez walked in the bottom of the fifth, stole second and moved to third on a grounder to second by RJ Ruiz. With two outs, Javy Cardona squeezed in Lopez and reached first safely to widen the lead to 5-2.
In the top of the sixth, the Mavericks had a base hit by Medellin and a walk put runners on first and second with two outs, but pinch hitter Javy Morales hit into what would've been a double play to end yet another Mav scoring threat.
Ricardo Gonzalez came in for Fraga in the bottom of the sixth and the biggest defensive play of the game occurred in this frame as A picture perfect relay throw from the outfield to Lopez at short to Luis Ramirez at home kept the Eagles from widening their lead and Gonzalez did the rest striking out the last Eagle hitter with bases loaded.
Gilbert Villalobos came in in relief in the top of the seventh with a crisp fastball, but there was someone on the field for CC Winn who was not going down without a fight and that was Leo Lopez who base hit, but was thrown out on a grounder by Banda who beat out the throw to first to avert the double play. Villareal struck out on a foul tip which fell into the glove of Gaona for out number two, then Villalobos sealed the deal by getting Ramirez and the Eagles took the game 5-2.
The Eagles will face Edinburgh North in the first round of the state playoffs next week.
BY: Rey Sifuentes
ALL-DISTRICT SOCCER
A number of female soccer players from both C.C. Winn and Eagle Pass High School were recently picked for the All-District 29-5A team. Making the first all-district roster were EPHS’s Karen Herrera and Nataly Ramirez, and CCWN’s Jazmine Aguinaga and Neomi Esquivel. Named to the second all-district team were CCWN’s Alexandra Bass and Tanya Flores, as well as EPHS’s Aliyah Torres and Karen Trevino. Receiving Honorable Mention were EPHS’s Cecilia Contreras and Laura Gloria, and CCWN’s Margarita Ibarra and Elizabeth Barbara. Selected for the All-District 29-5A roster were Lisa Garcia (94.72 gpa), Laura Gloria (94.37 gpa), and Karen Herrera (96.69 gpa).
SOFTBALL
Eagle Pass and C.C. Winn High School’s varsity softball teams met on Tuesday for the regular season finale for both teams. The Lady Eagles came out on top 13-1. EPHS scored four runs in the first inning, five in the second, and four in the third. CCWN mustered its lone run in the second stanza. Both teams left a number of runners stranded during the contest – EPHS (six), CCWN (four). Krystal De La Cruz (winning pitcher for EPHS) struck out three batters, walked one, and only allowed a single hit in four innings of work. Brittany Perez (CCWN) dismissed one batter, walked three and allowed seven hits while throwing a complete game. Making hits for the Lady Eagles were Keanna Cisneros (2-2), Krystal De La Cruz (2-3), Jessica Garcia (2-3), Monica Flores (2-4), Sandra Mendoza (1-3), Samantha De Leon (1-2) and Krystal Perez (1-2). Getting on base for the Lady Mavericks were Rose Mary Hernandez (1-3), Ari Ruiz (1-2), and Ronnie Valdez (1-2). CCWN lost its previous game against Laredo United 6-3 on Friday, April 12. The Lady Mavericks scored twice in the first inning and once in the fourth. Brittany Perez struck out two batters, walked two, and allowed 12 hits during five innings on the mound. Amberly Perez struck out two hitters, walked four and allowed seven to get on base. Getting on base for CCWN were Rose Mary Hernandez (2-3), Ari Ruiz (1-2), and Amberly Garza (1-3).
DEL RIO’S BOGUS CLAIM
The University Interscholastic League recently shrugged off a protest by Del Rio High School against Eagle Pass High School’s Mile Relay team. EPHS head track coach Roger Olivas, on Tuesday, told the News Gram that Del Rio wanted the Eagles’ mile relay team disqualified because of an alleged infraction. Del Rio’s track and field coordinator claimed that the Eagles mile relay team – which has legally rotated as many as eight runners all season long - used an ineligible runner on their mile-relay team, which finished second to Del Rio’s during the finals of the District 29-5A meet held at the local Student Activity Center last Thursday through Saturday. Olivas also stated that he and Del Rio’s track coordinator had already had a dispute – days prior - over whether an eligible runner needed to be on a ‘relay list’; which Olivas said was unnecessary as the list was not mandatory by anyone. One of the officials at the district track meet agreed with Del Rio’s track coordinator, which prompted Olivas to contact U.I.L. at the beginning of this week. “I spoke to Traci Neely with U.I.L. and she said it was the most ridiculous protest she has ever heard,” Olivas said. “She said she had about 50 other protests to look into, and that this one was the most ridiculous.” Thus the Eagles’ mile relay team will still advance to the area meet which will be held in Weslaco this Friday and Saturday. (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 @sportspirate.)