Edinburg IDEA Quest started out Class 3A’s area round with a loss in a single-game playoff against Corpus Christi London on Wednesday night as another Valley sub-5A program was eliminated.
Only Santa Rosa, Lyford and Rio Hondo remain from the sub-5A teams after round one and a night of round two.
The London Pirates are one of the tough teams that the Valley’s 3A teams can run into this year.
Santa Gertrudis is another one of those teams and they face off with Santa Rosa with the first two games being played tonight in Raymondville.
Warriors head coach Joe Alvarado said the team has the same mentality they have had all year, “we do not lose, we learn,” he said. Santa Rosa is taking that same way of thinking into tonight’s games against state ranked Santa Gertrudis.
“Our ladies have battled through adversity all year. We are an extremely young team with 12 out of the 14 players coming back, and what I expect from them and from this series is to finish strong,” Alvarado said. “Don’t focus on the opponent, focus on them, their position, and doing the small things right to give us that momentum into next year.”
The Warriors defeated Monte Alto 17-16 to earn a chance against the Lions. Santa Gertrudis only losses this season are to Harlingen South, Corpus Christi Veterans and Calallen – all legit.
Alvarado hopes the experience carries over to next season as he singled out players like DJ Ruiz, Heily Gonzalez and Aiden Garcia that will be key next season in an even stronger District 32-3A that will add Raymondville.
Santa Gertrudis or Santa Rosa will face the winner of Rio Hondo and San Diego.
The Bobcats have one of the strongest arms in sub-5A with pitcher Frei Pizarro and will face the No. 4 seed out of 30-3A.
San Diego defeated Goliad in a single-game playoff while Rio Hondo advanced because of a forfeit. The Bobcats finished as co-district champs with Lyford but lost the seeding game, but it did not really matter besides the extra practice.
Lyford took the No.1 seed and with it a bye in round one. Rio Hondo had a bye because of forfeit.
The Bulldogs have been the Valley’s most successful sub-5A programs the last two seasons in the playoffs with back-to-back fourth round appearances.
Lyford faces another 30-3A opponent in Hebbronville. District 30-3A swept 29-3A this season.
The Bulldogs could be in for another third round meeting with London after beating them two seasons straight to make it to the fourth round.
All roads to the deep rounds go through Hallettsville, Santa Gertrudis, Jourdanton and Lyford in 3A.