Lady Rattler Chelsea Saenz makes the dig Tuesday night as Sharyland took out Juarez-Lincoln in three straight games. Progress Times photo by Doug YoungMISSION – The Lady Rattlers recovered from a hard-fought loss against Edinburg Economedes over the weekend to sweep La Joya Juárez-Lincoln in three games on Tuesday at their home gymnasium.

Sharyland was led by senior outside hitter Elise Smith’s 15 kills and senior setter Sara Ramón’s 24 assists to defeat the Lady Huskies 25-6, 25-18, 25-13. The Lady Rattlers improved to 2-1 in District 30-5A with the victory over Juárez-Lincoln.

“I think right now we have to focus and we have to keep pushing from beginning to end, and not let up in the middle of the match,” Smith said. “After our loss (Economedes), which we were not expecting, we were ready to come out and work twice as hard, and we have been. We’re all aiming towards the same goal and it requires hard work to get there.”

Read more: Lady Rattlers sweep Juárez-Lincoln in three games

There was a full moon over Tom Landry Stadium Friday night as the La Joya Palmview Lobos and the Mission Eagles faced off in the Progress Times' Game of the Week. Unfortunately for Palmview fans, players and coaches, it was not the Lobos' night to howl as they fell just short of victory in what would've been Coach Manuel Flores' third win in a row over Coach Mario Pena and his Eagles.

Read more: Eagles score early and late to triumph over Lobos

Progress Times photo by Luciano GuerraThe yearly white-winged dove hunting season opens here in the Valley, and across other parts of the state, which have been designated as the special white-winged dove area, tomorrow at noon. The season will continue Sunday Sept. 2 and will resume for an additional two days on Saturday and Sunday Sept. 8 and 9. Hunting hours for each of the four days start at noon and end at sunset.

During the special white-winged dove hunting season, daily bag limits include 15 white-winged, mourning and white-tipped doves in the aggregate. This daily limit is to include no more than 4 mourning doves and 2 white-tipped doves. The possession limit is equal to twice the daily bag limit.

Over the years, many Valley businesses have seen their sales increase during white-winged dove season. With local and visiting hunters alike purchasing shotguns, shells, food, drinks, ice and other items they require during their hunts, the Valley’s economy received a boost year after year as a result of dove season.

Read more: White-winged dove season opens Saturday

MISSION – Team chemistry seems to be the buzzword in the Sharyland Rattlers camp this season that has the squad energized and looking for some vindication after last year’s first-round elimination in the playoffs.

With the 2012 high school football season about to kick off, the Rattlers have been busy improving their team chemistry and correcting the “little mistakes” that did them in last year. 

After racking up a 9-2 overall record in 2011, 7-1 in District 30-5A, Sharyland was ousted from the playoffs in the first round by Laredo United.

Read more: Team chemistry, new coach motivate Sharyland Rattlers

David Gilpin is returning for his 4th year as the Patriots’ head football coach and his 23rd year of coaching in Mission. Progress Times photo by Luciano GuerraAt 6’4” tall and 240 pounds, Coach David Gilpin is quite an imposing figure as he paces back and forth along the sidelines at Veterans Memorial High School (VMHS) football games and calls out instructions to his players – or offers a ref some constructive criticism for a questionable call. His size, his Hulk Hogan-like horseshoe mustache and his boisterous nature may make Gilpin seem a bit intimidating to some, but it is his unabated enthusiasm for the game of football and not his size that makes him stand out among his peers.

As a 22-year veteran of teaching and coaching, all at Mission schools, Gilpin has touched the lives of thousands of young people. Entering his fourth year as the athletic coordinator and head football coach at VMHS, Gilpin is a strong believer in turning small lessons into life lessons.

Read more: Coach David Gilpin: Building more than just football players

Juarez Lincoln Huskies (L-R) Israel Garza (DB), Francisco Contreras (C), Martin Diaz (RB), Kevin Ruiz (LB), Ramiro Garza (QB) and Jose Jasso (DL) are some of the Huskies starters hoping to bring home more wins this season. Progress Times photo by Luciano GuerraIn the four years that La Joya Juarez-Lincoln High School (LJJL) has been in existence, their varsity football program has had its ups and downs. Unfortunately for Huskies fans, players and former Head Coach Aaron Garcia, the downs consistently outnumbered the ups. As a result, Coach Aaron Garcia is out and Coach Tomas Garcia is in.

In his first ever head coaching opportunity, Tomas Garcia knows that his work is cut out for him. He’s more than ready, however, to take on the challenge of turning around a program that has never won more than four games in any one season.

“The first year the Huskies had four victories. The second year they had three and the past two years they were 2-8 both years,” said Garcia.

Read more: Huskies: New district, new coach and new attitude