By Rey Sifuentes Jr.
Approximately two years ago at this time, Eagle Pass High School head football coach Tom Gonzalez knew his very young team was going to need some significant grooming.
“We started a rebuilding process two years ago,” Gonzalez said. “We knew it was going to take us a couple of years to build up this program and this is the season that follows that two-year progression.”
Gonzalez (who is about to enter his eighth year with EPHS) and everyone on his sideline just rolled up their sleeves and led the Eagles to two consecutive playoff appearances.
Despite that, the Eagles - who anticipate about six offensive and seven defensive starters to come back this fall - were recently forecasted to finish fourth (out of seven teams) in District 29-5A this season.
“Every year we have been predicted to finish fourth,” Gonzalez said. “Actually, we have only ended up in fourth place once or twice in my eight years here. I don’t go by what other people predict, and I know what we have as a program. Our kids are always ready to go, and I think we are going to be much better than fourth place this season.”
Gonzalez said that a good number of his players have consistently shown up on their own to workout.
“We are going to start our strength and conditioning workouts next Monday – from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.,” Gonzalez said. “Since we let out school, we have also had a good number of kids showing up every day to work out on their own. We have a good group of leaders who are lifting and running on their own - have taken the initiative. We told them what they needed to do in order to be ready for when football two-a-days started again in August, and they have done a very good job of following through.”
The Eagles are going to need to be in tip top shape with the caliber of teams occupying 29-5A.
“I think this district is going to be tougher,” Gonzalez said. “Every team is pretty much on a level playing field right now, and has a lot of kids with a bunch of experience coming back. There have also been some changes like in Del Rio and C.C. Winn who have new head coaches.”
And if everything clicks, the Eagles’ two-year investment should pay off nicely this season.
“This group is full of guys who started on the varsity while they were sophomores,” Gonzalez said. “Mike Montalvo was a freshman who started the last three games that season, and he is a junior now. Kevin Chisum is also a senior, and we have other guys who have plenty of experience like R.J. Ruiz. So all of the experience of our younger guys that are still with us when we started rebuilding two years ago should help us have a great season.”
EPHS football players are to show up at the campus gym at 7 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.)
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.)
· Maestro de Educación Física y coach.
· Destacado en varias ramas deportivas.
· Durante algún tiempo vivió en P. Negras.
· Actualmente activo en atletismo y softbol.
Por: Jesús Maldonado R.
Sergio Angulo nació el 22 de abril de 1952 en la ciudad de McAllen, en el Valle de Texas, siendo hijo de Ramona y Marcelino Angulo, ella originaria de Morelia, Michoacán y don Marcelino de la ciudad de San Antonio, Texas. El tenía algunas propiedades en el sur de México y por allá conoció a la que iba a ser su esposa. Nuestro entrevistado contrajo matrimonio en el año de 1973 con la que es ahora su esposa Elizabeth Angulo y procrearon tres hijos que son: Sergio, Jr., que obtuvo su título en Información de Tecnología para Computadoras en la Universidad de Texas. Ivan Darío titulado en la U.T Health Sience (UTHS) como Terapista Respiratorio y Claudia Elizabeth, Dra. Neurofisioterapista. Volviendo a su niñez y juventud, Sergio Angulo asisitió del primero al tercer grado a la escuela elemental Webster y del cuarto al sexto grado en la Stephen F. Austin, para después entrar a la Eagle Pass Junior High, que funcionaba en el edificio donde ahora se encuentra la escuela Glass y después terminar su preparatoria en la Eagle Pass High School, que se localizaba por el Boulevard a Del Rio.
A.D. Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
Rudy De La Garza has informed The News Gram that Lowe's Home Improvement has graciously offered their parking lot to hold a pep rally to cheer the Eagle Pass Eagles on to victory en route to the State UIL Baseball Tournament. The Eagles are poised and ready to make an historic run to Austin and they need the support of the entire community to do it. The Mighty Eagle Marching Band will be on hand along with the cheerleading squad from Eagle Pass High School to play The Eagle War Cry and motivate our team to victory. Come support our Eagle Pass Eagles Baseball team, be there be early, but by all means, BE LOUD!!! And in the words of Eagle Pass High School Principal Rudy Bowles, Go Eagles Baby! The Eagles are doing a great job of sending off #88 on a well-deserved retirement in style.
A.D. Ibarra
-San Antonio
Your Eagle Pass Eagles are primed and ready for their 2013 Region IV Final which will be taking place tomorrow against the SA O'Connor Panthers at 7:30 P.M. at the NEISD Blossom ISD Athletic Baseball Complex. The Eagle Pass News Gram caught up to Eagle Skipper Reynol Mendoza who informed us that the Eagles in fact saw their opponents play New Braunfels in an early season Comal ISD Tournament. "We also got to see them on Saturday," added the manager of an agle squad who are on the brink of making Eagle Pass High School Baseball history as being only the fifth team to make it to the hallowed grounds of the UIL State Tournament, "They're a good hitting ball club, their pitcher was throwing in the mid-80's with a good curve and change-up, but if we keep hitting the ball the way we have been in the last two series, things will take care of themselves."
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.)