Sharyland girls soccer has an opportunity this year to take their program to new heights. The last time the team won the district championship was 2008. The last time the team got past second round of the postseason was 2005.

With the district championship secured, the team is looking forward to the playoffs. Head Coach JJ Lopez’s squad rammed their way through 30-5A, finishing district with a 13-1 record and beating out defending champ McHi, as well as other contenders Nikki Rowe and Memorial.

Read more: Sharyland girls take home district championship, preparing for playoffs

It is not often that a school in its first season of athletic play is able to set the standard for subsequent teams down the road but that is what the 2009 Juarez-Lincoln girls did when they reached the regional quarterfinals of the state tournament.

That special team benefited from having some of the best players from La Joya the year before. That experience helped the Lady Huskies take down Edcouch-Elsa and Veterans Memorial before losing to Beeville Jones.

Alexandro Davila coached the team then as well as now and feels this year’s 2012 squad has the potential to go just as far.

Read more: District 32-4A champs Juarez girls ready for deep post season run

MISSION – Playing with half their bench, including a few JV players, Mission held off Sharyland on Tuesday to defeat the Rattlers 3-2, and claim their first District 30-5A victory over their archrival at Rattlers Stadium.

Due to a missed practice, several of Mission’s starters were benched for the game against Sharyland by Eagles head coach Christos Barouhas, including starting goalkeeper Erasmo Vásquez, who was substituted by Alvaro Gonzalez.

“Yesterday we had practice and seven of our guys didn’t show up, so I suspended everybody for the game today, including my starting goalkeeper,” Barouhas said. “I had a lot of subs and three JV kids I moved up, and they did a great job. They knew what was at stake, and we won the game. It was a dramatic game, Sharyland always gives us good games, but we picked it up, especially the kids that hadn’t played before.”

Read more: Bench gives Mission first district victory over Sharyland

Two weeks from now, the district soccer season will be concluding for the Big Six schools of districts 61-4A and 30-5A. With no games next Friday due to Spring Break, the local teams only have four games remaining to secure their playoff spots and work towards a district championship.

For the boys, the district championship won’t be easy as both defending district champs are currently in second.

Sharyland was upset by Donna a week and a half ago, losing 3-2. Officially, the Rattlers are tied with Donna in the win/loss column and also in their point total, but the team’s two losses have come at the feet of the Redskins and thus relegating the defending champs to second place.

With only home games left on the schedule, Sharyland has a great opportunity to win the rest of their games. However, the Mission Eagles will pose a challenge to that strong finish.

Read more: Crucial soccer matches as end of district appears within sight

Another Big Six basketball season has come and gone, leaving in its path the memories of a district championship, the rise of a new playoff contender, thrilling overtime victories, late season comeback and heroic defeats.

To honor the concluding season, the Progress Times Sports Page recognizes the top coaches and players from the Big Six schools. The recognition comes via the on court performances, giving honors to the boys and girls coach of the year, player of the year and first and second teams.

Big Six Boys
Coach of the Year:
Andy Saenz, PHS

The second year coach turned around a district cellar dweller and took them to never before seen heights, winning 24 games and finishing fourth in district play. Saenz also competed well with the district’s traditional powerhouse teams, sweeping McHi and splitting with Memorial. The coach worked his boys hard during the offseason and it paid off as Mario De La Garza, Dominick Garza and the rest of the team helped make basketball relevant at Palmview.

Read more: All-Big Six basketball teams named

Spring is just around the corner and it’s time to make good on January’s New Year’s resolutions by putting on a pair of running shoes and joining South Texas College in the inaugural Spring Break Stampede 5K/10K run on March 10 at Bentsen Recreational Park, located at 2500 S. Bentsen Palm Drive in Mission.

“This is a community event for health and fitness,” said STC Student Life Coordinator and race event co-organizer Armando Ponce. “Something as simple as walking or jogging has lots of health benefits.”

The race is partially sponsored by STC’s Health & Wellness Center, and includes 15 men’s and women’s divisions from age 10-and-under to 75-and-over. The pre-registration entry fee is $15 for the general public and $10 for STC affiliates, or $20 the day of the event.

Pre-registered runners can pick up their race packet the day before the event on March 9 from 2 to 8 p.m. at STC’s Pecan Campus Health & Wellness Center, located at 2515 Pecan Plaza in McAllen.

Race-day registration begins at 6:30 a.m. on March 10, and the race will start at 7:30 a.m.

The top three men’s and women’s finishers in each age division will be given an award. The categories are: 0-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and 75-plus.

For more information contact Janice Perez at 956-872-3839 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .