The swarm — Yellowjacket senior defensive end Derek Cardenas, age 17, has two goals for the 2025 season: for his team to repeat as district and bi-district champions and to play in December. (Courtesy photos/ Yellowjacket Athletics)
By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
ELSA, TX—Come November, there is little to no doubt that the District 15-5A Division II champion will be either the Edcouch-Elsa Yellowjackets or the Mercedes Tigers as they feed off the success from a year ago.
E-E will be defending its district title, but Mercedes is the biggest threat to take it for the first time outright since 2020.
For the Yellowjackets, this was their first district title since 2013.
The only time the Tigers failed to make the postseason in that time was 2023, when the current crop of seniors was sophomores.
Last year, each team cemented a winning record way before the district concluded.
The Yellowjackets and Tigers will face each other in the district opener on Friday, Oct. 10, and both will have an open date leading up to their showdown at Tiger Stadium.
Among the district foes who will likely compete for third- and fourth-place postseason spots, respectively, are Brownsville schools Porter (0-10 record), Pace (6-5 record, bi-district finalist), and Lopez (7-4 record, bi-district finalist); and PSJA Southwest (2-8 record, no playoffs).
Mercedes has its first two games away against the Edinburg Bobcats and Donna Redskins. E-E opens its season against Donna at home, followed by two road games against the Mission Veterans Memorial Patriots and the McAllen Bulldogs.
With input from both schools’ coaching staffs, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine has a bevy of players that need to be watched.
For the Tigers, whose Head Coach Roger Adame is beginning his 12th year, the offense is anchored by running back Robert Sanchez (1,669 yards, 24 touchdowns) and quarterback Diego Bravo (429 yards passing, 475 yards rushing). Bravo played in five games last year after eventually earning the starting role.
Defensively, the Tigers have Frank Gonzalez (153 tackles), Noah Buenrostro (118 tackles), and Frankie Salinas (58 tackles).
The Yellowjackets have Head Coach Victor Cardenas now in his fourth year, and their defense is heralded among the Rio Grande Valley’s best, which includes end Derek Cardenas (32 tackles, 2 sacks), back Israel Campos (56 tackles, 7 interceptions), and back Marcus Garcia (43 tackles, 3 INTs).
Both teams had their 2024 seasons end mercilessly in the Class 5A Division II Region IV area round as Mercedes fell to San Antonio Alamo Heights, 75-14, and E-E to Boerne, 38-3.
In bi-district, the Tigers topped Mission Sharyland, 45-20, and the Yellowjackets 15-7 over Mission Veterans Memorial.
In their August scrimmages, E-E scheduled the Roma Gladiators and the Donna North Chiefs, while Mercedes went against the Brownsville Rivera Raiders and the McAllen Memorial Mustangs.
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