HT:  5’9”        WT: 181

Position(s): C, SS, P

Class: 2013

Who has been the toughest pitcher and/or hitter you have faced?  Lupe Lopez from La Joya is the best pitcher I have faced.  He was a senior when I was a freshman.

Who is your Favorite College and Pro team?  _UCLA is my favorite college team and the Boston Red Sox is my favorite Pro team.

Who is your favorite Major League Baseball Player?  Troy Tulowitzki is my favorite MLB player.

What is the significance of your uniform number?  My uniform number is in memory of one of my best friends that passed away when I was 11.  He was always #7 and that was his favorite number.  We used to hit homeruns 24/7 on the field.  He was #7 and I am #24.  He lives in my game. I use number 24.

If you could have dinner with anyone who would it be and why?  I would want to have dinner with Roberto Clemente.  I would like to have a baseball chat with him and see how the game was played back in those days.

Team Goals? _Win our district and go deep into playoffs, maybe 3 or 4 rounds.

Individual Goals? MVP of my district, All Valley, and All State. 

Special to 956sports.com

EDINBURG – It seemed as though all season long, the Edinburg High Bobcats lived in the shadows of their predecessors. These Bobcats played with the pressure of living up to the tradition – namely six consecutive district championships – those before them set forth.

So when Edinburg High’s streak of that feat ended last week, the Bobcats’ bi-district game against top-seeded Brownsville Porter became a contest of merely trying to salvage their proud tradition. And unfortunately for the Cowboys, tradition, in the end, prevailed.

Edinburg High’s Noe Espericueta scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half and the Bobcats used a decisive 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to stun Porter, District 32-5A’s No. 1 seed, 68-60 on Tuesday night.

The Bobcats advance to face Laredo United in the area round on Friday in Alice.

“I thought our kids really played with a lot of heart and desire,” Edinburg High coach Zeke Cuellar said. “We fell behind early and our kids really fought back and fought through the adversity. They never gave up.”

Something those before them never seemed to do either, perhaps why the Bobcats played with just a slightly greater sense of urgency in the second half. Edinburg High fell behind 31-19 less than midway through the second quarter but finished the period on a 14-2 run that allowed the Bobcats to climb their way back.

Edinburg High guard Matthew Garza added 19 points and connected on four 3-pointers in the second quarter, including three consecutive during the crucial run.

“I felt like I should it fly,” Garza of his decision-making. “I told my teammates, ‘My hand is feeling hot.’ So I just let them fly and they started falling.”

For Porter coach Luis Garza, whose team missed multiple layups due to the Bobcats’ press adjustment, Matthew Garza’s red-hot second quarter “kept (Edinburg) in the game.”

“Take that guy away and maybe we do run away with it,” Luis Garza said. “But we’re getting better and we’re glad we were able to compete against a program like this.”

However, the Cowboys could hardly slow down Espericueta. The 6-foot-4 forward made his presence felt inside, torching Porter with timely shots. Espericueta scored the final five points of the third quarter to put Edinburg High ahead 49-46 and had consecutive baskets that capped a 10-0 run in the fourth, giving the Bobcats a 59-50 lead.

“We won this game on the inside,” Cuellar said. “In the second half, we just relied more in the inside game and our guys down low did a great job of holding it together and getting some baskets down low for us.”

Jonah Kavanaugh scored 21 points for the Cowboys. Hugo Salazar added 18.

Head Coach: Armando Rangel, 2nd season, 7th overall

Assistant Coaches: David Torres, Frank Muir, Hugo Salinas

2010 Record: 17-15, District: 9-5

Career Record: 88-92

School’s District Titles: 1983, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004

Key Losses: Cristo Torres (UTB)

Frankie Rodriguez

Returning Starters: Roberto Vidal (12), 3B/P, HM

Edgar Lopez (11), OF/P,

Johnny Rangel (10), SS/C/P, 32-5A Newcomer of The Year

Joshue Garcia (12), P/1B, 1st Team All-District

Jorge Ibarra (12), DH,

Lerroy Sanchez (10), C

Dago Vidal (12), OF/P

Santos Ramos (10), OF

Osiel Villarreal (11), 2B/P

Mikey Torres (10), 1B

Returning Lettermen:

Jaime Cavazos

Rick Garcia

Top Newcomers: Juan Salazar (9), 2B

The Porter Cowboys will have plenty to say about the District 32-5A title this season with a very good mixture of young and old players returning for the 2011 season. The Cowboys will be seeking their first title since 2004.  Last season the Cowboys defeated PSJA North in Bi-District (10-8, 4-1) before losing a tough series  to La Joya in the Area round (5-2, 7-6).  With all this playoff experience from last season the Cowboys led by Coach Armando Rangel, in his 2nd season as head coach, seek to take a big step forward in 2011.  Weslaco, Pace, and Hanna will all battle Porter for the district title.

Clinging to a fourth place play-off spot the Porter Cowboys held on for dear life down the stretch in a road win over San Benito Saturday night. Hitting clutch shots early the team held their breathe as a frantic San benito squad took the game down to a final shot that just missed in a 66-63 win.

Eric Guerra scored the first three points of the game for the Cowboys and followed that up with 19 more to lead his team to the win. The Cowboys opened up a 22-8 lead after a quarter of play and it was Guerra hitting the final two shots from beyond the arc. His final shot in the quarter came as time was expiring.The Cowboys hit four three pointers in the first quarter which forced a game change by the San benito defense.

“We came out in a zone,” said Greyhound Head Coach Eddie Abrego,” we made a couple of changes so we could get out on those shooters.

The second quarter had Porter leading throughout . They scored the first three points out of the gate before a Jonathan Garcia cut it back to ten at 25-15.

The Hounds scored another four points but Guerra again hit a jumper that seemed to stop the run.
The teams then exchanged three pointers as Martin De Los Santos hit one for the Cowboys and Hugo Ramos answered in transition for the Hounds. San Benito cut the lead to single digits again with a small run but De Los Santos connected for another three to take it back to ten at 34-24.

The Cowboys then held the Greyhounds at bay for the remainder of the quarter and led 40-28 at the half.

Porter missed a total of nine free throws in the first half which could have put it out of reach.

In the third quarter San Benito would eat away at the lead. They would score the final four points of the quarter to make it 50-46 with a quarter left to play.

The fourth quarter was played at a frantic pace. Four technical fouls were called in the mix as the two teams played in a very physical style with neither backing down. The two combined to shoot over 30 free throws in the fourth quarter alone. In the early part of the final quarter the Hounds had a chance to take a lead down 50-49. Guerra went on a personal 5-0 run and helped push the lead back to double digits at 60-50 with a little over four minutes to play.

San Benito came roaring back and missed a three pointer at the buzzer that was dead on. Porter maintained their hold on the fourth adn final play-off spot in Distrcit 32-5A. Guerrra led the team in scoring with his 22 and De Los Santos had 12. Juan Quintanilla and also had double digits in scoring with ten for the Cowboys. Hugo Ramos and Joshua Lopez led San Benito in scoring with 13 each.

For the first time in the girls basketball program history the San benito Lady Hounds can claim a district title. With a Saturday night win over Porter the team guarantees at least a share of the crown with just one district game remaining.
Like a speeding racecar set to perfection on a road course the Lady Hounds cruised to the win over Porter on senior night. Speeding along the way, tapping the brakes as the Lady Cowboys scored an occasional basket and then hitting high gear for the finish in a 78-24 win.
San benito scored the games first basket and Porter countered a couple of minutes later to tie it at 2-2. The Lady Hounds then went on a 6-0 run that in essence put the game away.  A little bit later Sarah Garcia went on a personal 7-0 run and when the first quarter came to an end it was a 24-7 game.
In the second quarter Porter scored first but the Lady Hounds countered with seven straight points. Porter scored their second basketb of the quarter with 2:39 remaining and that was answered by eight straight points.  The Lady Cowboys took a time out but that didn’t seem to do much good as the Lady Hounds rattled off another four points and took a 42-13 halftime lead into the break.
In the second half it was the Lady Hounds defense controlling the game. Porter managed to score just two baskets and added a few free throws.
Garcia finished the night with 20 points and Kassandra Sanchez was in double figures with 11. Ashley Rodriguez led Porter in scoring with seven.The Lady Hounds have a road game next week as they travel to Hanna. A win there and they are District 32-5A champs outright. They are currently tied at the top with Los Fresnos.
“I told these girls the first time I met with them last year,” said Head Coach Clarisse Arrendondo,” that they had the talent to win this district right now this year. They put in the work and deserve a lot of praise.”