Veterans Memorial vs Corpus Christi Flour Bluff
Game #1 Thursday, May 2: 7:30 p.m. at Flour Bluff High School
Game #2 Saturday, May 4: Noon at Veterans Memorial High School
Game #3 (if necessary) May 4: 30 minutes after Game #2 at Veterans Memorial

Sharyland vs Del Rio
Game #1 Friday, May 3: 7:30 p.m. at Krueger Field, Laredo
Game #2 Saturday, May 4: 11 a.m. at Krueger Field, Laredo
Game #3 (if necessary) Saturday, May 4: 30 minutes after Game #2 at Krueger Field, Laredo

Read more: Big 6 baseball playoff schedules 2

Talk about pressure. In a fight for their playoff lives, the La Joya Palmview Lobos found themselves in a do-or-die situation Monday evening when they took the field against the Edinburg Bobcats. In what was a one game playoff to determine District 30-5A’s final playoff qualifier, the winner-take-all scenario became necessary when the two teams, who split their two head-to-head district games, ended regular season play in a tie for fourth place with identical 10-6 records.

Thanks to a stellar pitching performance by Chris Rocha and a clutch hit by right fielder Jose Chapa, it was Coach Ricky Garcia’s Lobos who emerged victorious and who will be playing Laredo United in the bi-district round of the state playoffs this weekend.

“We needed to get in,” said Garcia. “This makes three times out of the past five years that we’ve made the playoffs. That’s something for our seniors to start as a tradition and if they can show this to the young ones we’ll be a tough team to play. Being so young we’ve had a rollercoaster ride but when my players come together to play ball they play tough.”

Read more: Lobos blank Bobcats, earn playoff birth

After having clinched a share of the District 32-4A championship against the Mission High School (MHS) Eagles, the Veterans Memorial High School (VMHS) Patriots baseball team claimed the title outright last Friday evening with their 9-4 home field victory over the Rio Grande City Rattlers. With the win, Coach Casey Smith’s Patriots improved their district record to 12-1 (25-4 overall) with only winless PSJA Southwest (0-13) left on their district schedule.

Against Rio Grande, VMHS fell behind when the Rattlers scored two runs on a double, a walk, a passed ball and an errant throw to first base in the top of the second inning. The Patriots responded quickly however when they scored two of their own in the bottom of the frame with J.R. Martinez’ clutch single which drove in teammates Edward Pena and Isaac Guerrero.

VMHS went on to score two additional runs in the third, four in the fifth and one in the sixth innings. Patriots’ pitcher Edward Pena held the Rattlers to single runs in the fifth and the sixth frames for the 9-4 title clinching victory.

Read more: Patriots and Eagles set to open playoffs

As Mission High’s pitcher Gabriella Castillo took the mound at Veterans Memorial High School’s softball field last Friday night she was looking to improve the Lady Eagles’ perfect district record to 12-0. However, it would have to be at the expense of the Lady Patriots.

As the game began and the early innings ensued, the second match-up of the year between what will likely be two of the district’s four playoff teams turned into a back-and-forth battle in which neither team’s lead was safe for very long – that is until the sixth inning when the Lady Eagles took the lead to stay, remaining undefeated and clinching the District 32-4A championship.

After a scoreless inning and a half, it was Coach Vivian Ray’s Lady Patriots who drew first blood as her squad’s bats came to life and Veterans plated two in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead. The lead was short-lived as Mission responded in kind plus one during their next at-bat to give Castillo and the Lady Eagles a 3-2 lead in the third. In the bottom of the fourth inning the Lady Patriots retaliated with three runs of their own to take a 5-3 lead in front of a boisterous and energetic home crowd.

Read more: Lady Eagles defeat Lady Patriots, claim 32-4A title

After defeating the Valley View Lady Tigers in the sectional round of the soccer playoffs last Friday night, the Mission High Lady Eagles’ season came to an end at the hands of the Beeville Lady Trojans Tuesday evening in the Region IV-4A quarterfinals. The final score was 1-0.

In the first game of a Mission High versus Valley View High soccer doubleheader at Tom Landry Stadium Friday, the Lady Tigers and the Lady Eagles seemed to be destined to battle it out for the right to advance to the regional quarterfinals. As the game between the two undefeated district, bi-district and area champions progressed, how closely matched the two teams were became increasingly apparent.

After having scouted Valley View in their area round game against Rio Grande, Lady Eagles’ head coach Aaron Clemons knew that if his girls were to emerge victorious they would have to eliminate, or at least minimize, their free kick opportunities.

Read more: Lady Eagles soar into quarterfinals

At Bill Pate Stadium in Hidalgo last Thursday night Aldo Sanchez did what he’s done best all season long and he did it three times. As District 61-4A’s top scorer, Sanchez scored all of Mission’s goals in their 3-0 area round playoff victory against Hidalgo. The win has the Eagles going up against an undefeated and state-ranked Valley View Tigers team in the sectional round of the state playoffs at Tom Landry Stadium. The game is scheduled to kick off tonight at 8 p.m.

When asked about going up against a team that is ranked among the top 10 in the state and the top 50 in the country by the Elite Soccer Report, Mission coach Christos Barouhas explained how he’s planning on using the Tigers’ rankings to his team’s advantage.

Read more: Eagles embrace underdog role against Valley View