In three of his four seasons as the La Joya girls head basketball coach, Daniel Morales has taken the Lady Coyotes to the brink of the playoffs only to miss out on post-season play all three times. Having tied for the fourth and final playoff spot in the district with Donna twice and with Mission once, the Lady Coyotes either lost out on a tiebreaker or failed to win a one-game playoff that would’ve put them into the playoffs for the first time in many years.

Having come so close to the playoffs that they could taste it, only to be left on the outside looking in, has been extremely exasperating for Morales and his girls.

Read more: Young Lady Coyotes have high hopes

At V.F. Neuhaus Gym Tuesday night, Mission High School honored two coaches who both retired last year after having spent 16 years working side by side as the head coach and assistant coach of the Lady Eagles basketball team, Rene G. Garza and Lucy Guerra.

Read more: Mission High honors coaches Garza and Guerra

Lady Patriots’ Briana Casas gets control of a rebound away from the Lady Rattlers’ Monica Salinas. Progress Times photo by Luciano GuerraWith eight seniors on last year’s squad, the 2011-2012 Veterans Memorial High School (VMHS) Lady Patriots were as experienced as they come. Their 16-2 record earned them second place in District 32-4A and a bi-district playoff berth against Corpus Christi Moody. Unfortunately, Moody defeated VMHS 51-47 to bring their senior-packed season to a sudden end.

With so many starters having graduated last year, Lady Patriots’ fans will have lots of new players to cheer for this season. For VMHS Head Girls Basketball Coach, Rafael Cantu Jr., the challenge will be to prepare a mostly young and inexperienced group of girls for varsity level play.

Read more: Lady Patriots prepare for district action

The cold, steady rain that fell at Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco may have been falling on both sides of the field, but by the end of the first quarter it must have felt colder and wetter to the Harlingen Cardinals than to the Sharyland Rattlers.

Sharyland struck hard and often, scoring three unanswered touchdowns in the opening period of the 5A Division 1 area playoff game last Friday evening. As the evening progressed, so did the lopsided score with Coach Ron Adame’s Rattlers hammering the Cardinals with a 42-2 victory.

Read more: Rattlers rain on Cardinals’ parade, advance in playoffs

MISSION – In the midst of Sharyland’s Class 5A Division I football playoff run, senior quarterback and pitcher/catcher Tres Barrera signed a letter of intent to play baseball at The University of Texas-Austin next year.

“It’s incredible, all my friends, family, coaches and teachers, they’ve backed me up all the way,” said Barrera after the signing at Sharyland’s Main Gym. “It’s been a great experience.”

Read more: Sharyland baseball standout Tres Barrera signs with UT-Austin

Sharyland’s Christian Martinez breaks into the open field after making a reception during the first quarter of the Rattlers’ 72-30 bi-district playoff game victory over Laredo United. Progess Times photo by Bill LeidnerMISSION – All season long Sharyland dreamed of getting some payback against Laredo United for their quick exit from the playoffs last season, and they got what they wanted.

The Rattlers crushed the Longhorns 72-30 in their Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game to advance to the area round of the postseason against Harlingen on Friday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Rattler Stadium.

Read more: Rattlers get redemption; Crush Laredo United in bi-district, ready for Harlingen in area round