Pink was the theme between United Independent School District's oldest rivalry, Alexander and United, on Tuesday night.
A sea of blue and orange filled the United gymnasium in each team’s regular season finale, but it was the pink color that stood out.
The United volleyball team took the court with pink ribbons in its hair and pink t-shirts while the gym was filled with pink balloons in support of breast cancer awareness month.
Alexander (16-2 District 29-5A, 26-5 overall) beat United (13-5, 22-15) in a four-game thriller, 25-16, 22-25, 27-25 and 25-21. Both teams are headed to the Class 5A playoffs, with Alexander the No. 2 seed in 29-5A and United No. 3.
With the playoffs already determined in 29-5A entering the game, the rivalry, the seeding and a year’s worth of bragging rights took a back seat to the real winners of the game, the women Involved in the Nurturing Giving and Sharing organization.
Prior to the game, the United volleyball coaching staff and players presented the WINGS organization with a $2,000 check from all the proceeds off their t-shirt sales for the past three weeks.
Everything you need to know about the Alexander High School sports scene.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Week 7 Football: Alexander 35, C.C. Winn 0
Alexander's typically prolific offense didn't hit its usual highs on Thursday night, but the defense produced its first perfect game as the Bulldogs rolled to a 35-0 victory over the C.C. Winn Mavericks at the SAC.
The Bulldogs improved to 5-1 in District 29-5A play, 6-1 overall. The Mavs fell to 1-5 in district, 1-6 overall.
The Bulldogs scored on their opening two possessions with a pair of Brian Swain touchdown passes and the defense recovered a fumble for a score to make the lead 21-0 just seconds into the second quarter.
The cavalcade of points slowed during the final three quarters, but the outcome was never in doubt.
Swain's performance was a bit shaky as the talented junior quarterback completed 17 of his 33 passes for 272 yards with three touchdowns to one interception, in addition to rushing for 19 yards on six attempts.
Sophomore running back Xavier Skaggs put on an impressive performance, carrying the ball nine times for 60 yards and a score and catching six passes for 119 yards and an additional two touchdowns.
Receiver Alex Bryand also contributed two catches for 35 yards and a score. Daniel Ramos had a pair of receptions for 51 yards and Fernie Garza had four grabs for 50 yards.
The game ball clearly, however, belonged to the Bulldog defense that earned its first shutout of the season.
The defense forced four fumbles, one of which was recovered by defensive back Oscar Cabello at the Mavs' 10-yard line and run in for a score.
Other Bulldogs who had fumble recoveries were Josh Romero, with two, and Jose Sanchez, who also intercepted a pass.
The Bulldogs finished the night with 408 yards of total offense, dwarfing the Mavs' 97.
The Bulldogs improved to 5-1 in District 29-5A play, 6-1 overall. The Mavs fell to 1-5 in district, 1-6 overall.
The Bulldogs scored on their opening two possessions with a pair of Brian Swain touchdown passes and the defense recovered a fumble for a score to make the lead 21-0 just seconds into the second quarter.
The cavalcade of points slowed during the final three quarters, but the outcome was never in doubt.
Swain's performance was a bit shaky as the talented junior quarterback completed 17 of his 33 passes for 272 yards with three touchdowns to one interception, in addition to rushing for 19 yards on six attempts.
Sophomore running back Xavier Skaggs put on an impressive performance, carrying the ball nine times for 60 yards and a score and catching six passes for 119 yards and an additional two touchdowns.
Receiver Alex Bryand also contributed two catches for 35 yards and a score. Daniel Ramos had a pair of receptions for 51 yards and Fernie Garza had four grabs for 50 yards.
The game ball clearly, however, belonged to the Bulldog defense that earned its first shutout of the season.
The defense forced four fumbles, one of which was recovered by defensive back Oscar Cabello at the Mavs' 10-yard line and run in for a score.
Other Bulldogs who had fumble recoveries were Josh Romero, with two, and Jose Sanchez, who also intercepted a pass.
The Bulldogs finished the night with 408 yards of total offense, dwarfing the Mavs' 97.
10.12.10: Volleyball: Alexander 3, Cigarroa 1
The Alexander Lady Bulldogs' dominance of the Gateway City schools continued with a hard-fought victory over Cigarroa at Alexander on Tuesday night.
Alexander beat Cigarroa in four games, 25-10, 23-25, 25-22 and 25-13, to take a strong hold of second place in District 29-5A after United was upset by Nixon earlier in the night.
The Lady Bulldogs dominated every facet of the game with great net play that stopped any Cigarroa offensive momentum.
Alexander (12-2 29-5A, 26-5) came out with offensive firepower that found the holes in the Cigarroa (8-6, 21-14) defense.
While Alexander's season is making a march toward the postseason, the Lady Toros' season is slowly slipping away with the loss to Alexander and just four games remaining in the regular season.
Cigarroa entered tied with Nixon for the fourth spot in district, but now faces a tough climb after Nixon’s win and its loss. The two teams split their regular season series.
Alexander beat Cigarroa in four games, 25-10, 23-25, 25-22 and 25-13, to take a strong hold of second place in District 29-5A after United was upset by Nixon earlier in the night.
The Lady Bulldogs dominated every facet of the game with great net play that stopped any Cigarroa offensive momentum.
Alexander (12-2 29-5A, 26-5) came out with offensive firepower that found the holes in the Cigarroa (8-6, 21-14) defense.
While Alexander's season is making a march toward the postseason, the Lady Toros' season is slowly slipping away with the loss to Alexander and just four games remaining in the regular season.
Cigarroa entered tied with Nixon for the fourth spot in district, but now faces a tough climb after Nixon’s win and its loss. The two teams split their regular season series.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Week 6 Football: Alexander 62, Cigarroa 8
The Cigarroa Toros met with the Alexander Bulldogs Thursday night for what was supposed to be a great battle between teams with identical 3-1 District 29-5A records.
To the surprise of those in attendance, the battle looked a lot more like a Spanish bullfight, as numerous scuffles broke out during the night, culminating in a second half bench-clearing brawl that resulted in two players being ejected from the game.
While Alexander was victorious, 62-8, its dominating win was plagued by the turn of events late in the game at the SAC.
"All I can say is we’ve never, since we started this season, since my time began at Alexander, this is my fifth year there, I've never had anything like that happen to me," said Alexander head football coach Joel Lopez.
All told, there were 28 flags thrown over the course of the game, 12 of which were personal fouls. Each team picked up a roughly even number of flags over the course of the night.
"As soon as we went ahead, those things started happening … that's never happened to our guys," Lopez said. "I know they (Cigarroa) have had a scuffle in scrimmages … I don’t know! I don't know. We tried to hold our guys back and keep them out of that."
The biggest breakdown came near the end of the third quarter when Alexander junior quarterback Brian Swain scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to take a 56-8 lead over Cigarroa.
The players on the field from both teams began fighting each other in a skirmish that took place between the end zone and the 20-yard line on the side of the field closest to the Cigarroa bench.
Many Toros players ran past their coaches, who were trying to keep them on the sideline, into the brawl.
Bulldogs players, who were on the far sideline from the fight, mostly stayed off the field as coaches, referees and district personnel separated the two teams.
The results were the ejections of Cigarroa defensive back Jesus Sanchez and Swain.
"Both teams were playing emotionally high," Cigarroa coach Frank De Hoyos said. "It was on both teams. When the referees don't control the game, things get out of hand. When officials don't throw the flag and kids are hitting each other after the whistle, it creates a problem. It has to do with both sides, Alexander and Cigarroa. We don't teach that and I'm sure Mr. Lopez at Alexander doesn't teach that.
"I can’t speak for Mr. Lopez, but we will address it."
Each school district is responsible for the policing of its players following such an altercation.
The fighting was the lowest point of a night where just about everything went right for Alexander while everything went wrong for Cigarroa.
Cigarroa, which had thrived early in its season by forcing turnovers and earning defensive scores, accomplished neither against the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs punted only once on offense, scoring either touchdowns or field goals on every other offensive possession.
The Toros fell to 3-2 in district, 4-2 overall. The Bulldogs improved to 4-1, 5-1.
To the surprise of those in attendance, the battle looked a lot more like a Spanish bullfight, as numerous scuffles broke out during the night, culminating in a second half bench-clearing brawl that resulted in two players being ejected from the game.
While Alexander was victorious, 62-8, its dominating win was plagued by the turn of events late in the game at the SAC.
"All I can say is we’ve never, since we started this season, since my time began at Alexander, this is my fifth year there, I've never had anything like that happen to me," said Alexander head football coach Joel Lopez.
All told, there were 28 flags thrown over the course of the game, 12 of which were personal fouls. Each team picked up a roughly even number of flags over the course of the night.
"As soon as we went ahead, those things started happening … that's never happened to our guys," Lopez said. "I know they (Cigarroa) have had a scuffle in scrimmages … I don’t know! I don't know. We tried to hold our guys back and keep them out of that."
The biggest breakdown came near the end of the third quarter when Alexander junior quarterback Brian Swain scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to take a 56-8 lead over Cigarroa.
The players on the field from both teams began fighting each other in a skirmish that took place between the end zone and the 20-yard line on the side of the field closest to the Cigarroa bench.
Many Toros players ran past their coaches, who were trying to keep them on the sideline, into the brawl.
Bulldogs players, who were on the far sideline from the fight, mostly stayed off the field as coaches, referees and district personnel separated the two teams.
The results were the ejections of Cigarroa defensive back Jesus Sanchez and Swain.
"Both teams were playing emotionally high," Cigarroa coach Frank De Hoyos said. "It was on both teams. When the referees don't control the game, things get out of hand. When officials don't throw the flag and kids are hitting each other after the whistle, it creates a problem. It has to do with both sides, Alexander and Cigarroa. We don't teach that and I'm sure Mr. Lopez at Alexander doesn't teach that.
"I can’t speak for Mr. Lopez, but we will address it."
Each school district is responsible for the policing of its players following such an altercation.
The fighting was the lowest point of a night where just about everything went right for Alexander while everything went wrong for Cigarroa.
Cigarroa, which had thrived early in its season by forcing turnovers and earning defensive scores, accomplished neither against the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs punted only once on offense, scoring either touchdowns or field goals on every other offensive possession.
The Toros fell to 3-2 in district, 4-2 overall. The Bulldogs improved to 4-1, 5-1.
10.09.10: Volleyball: Alexander 3, Nixon 0
The title of the best team in Laredo clearly belongs to Alexander, as it tightened its hold on second place in District 29-5A on Saturday with the district season winding down.
The Lady Bulldogs swept Nixon, 25-18, 25-22 and 25-14, to stay two games behind district-leader Eagle Pass.
Alexander (11-2 29-5A, 21-5 overall) displayed a well-balanced offensive attack at the net as four Lady Bulldogs combined for 30 kills, with Lizzy Prieto leading the way with nine.
Daisy Gonzalez, Daniella Gonzalez and Sam Gonzalez backed Prieto’s effort at the net with seven kills apiece.
The Lady Bulldogs took control of the match from the inception of the game and looked in playoff form throughout the first game, taking it 25-18.
Nixon (8-5, 18-15) never got into an offensive rhythm.
The Lady Mustangs had a hard time keeping the ball in play and had more balls hit out of play than not.
ALEXANDER STATS: Adriana Nino (16 assists, one kill, three digs, five points), Denisse Vela (13 digs), Klaire Kazen (one kill, one block), Alexa Salazar (seven digs, six points), Diana Scott (13 digs, four kills), Darian Canno (four blocks), Lizzy Prieto (nine kills, 16 assists, two blocks, nine digs), Sam Gonzalez (two aces, seven kills, three blocks, four digs).
The Lady Bulldogs swept Nixon, 25-18, 25-22 and 25-14, to stay two games behind district-leader Eagle Pass.
Alexander (11-2 29-5A, 21-5 overall) displayed a well-balanced offensive attack at the net as four Lady Bulldogs combined for 30 kills, with Lizzy Prieto leading the way with nine.
Daisy Gonzalez, Daniella Gonzalez and Sam Gonzalez backed Prieto’s effort at the net with seven kills apiece.
The Lady Bulldogs took control of the match from the inception of the game and looked in playoff form throughout the first game, taking it 25-18.
Nixon (8-5, 18-15) never got into an offensive rhythm.
The Lady Mustangs had a hard time keeping the ball in play and had more balls hit out of play than not.
ALEXANDER STATS: Adriana Nino (16 assists, one kill, three digs, five points), Denisse Vela (13 digs), Klaire Kazen (one kill, one block), Alexa Salazar (seven digs, six points), Diana Scott (13 digs, four kills), Darian Canno (four blocks), Lizzy Prieto (nine kills, 16 assists, two blocks, nine digs), Sam Gonzalez (two aces, seven kills, three blocks, four digs).
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
10.05.10: Volleyball: Alexander 3, Del Rio 0
The Lady Bulldogs swept, 25-6, 26-24, 25-22. Alexander improved to 10-2 in District 20-5A, 20-5 overall. Del Rio fell to 6-6, 11-10. Leading the way for Alexander was Adriana Nino (14 assists, six digs, four aces), Lizzy Prieto (19 assists, nine points, seven kills, two aces) and Daisy Gonzales (nine kills, two blocks).
Monday, October 4, 2010
Week 5 Football: Alexander 48, Nixon 14
Coming off an exhilarating victory over Del Rio last week, Alexander didn't miss a beat as it got back to work Saturday night at the SAC, dispatching the Nixon Mustangs, 48-14, in a game that was never.
The Bulldogs got off to a quick start, scoring on six of their first seven drives.
Their efforts were often aided by Nixon mistakes, as the Mustangs fumbled on two of their first three possessions to twice give Alexander short fields to work with.
Alexander's defense started strong and only improved as the night went on, forcing four turnovers and holding Nixon to negative yards in the second half.
The Bulldogs' defense harassed Mustangs quarterback Manny Martinez relentlessly, though they only reached him once for a sack. Martinez completed eight of 19 passes for 27 yards and a single interception, in addition to scrambling for nine yards on six carries.
Mustangs head football coach Tommy Ramirez again reached into his bag of tricks to produce his team's biggest play of the night.
Early in the second quarter and down 27-7, Martinez threw a backward pass to Jesus Perez, who then launched the ball downfield to a wide-open Jesus Hinojosa.
Hinojosa ably caught the ball and reached the end zone just ahead of the pursuing defense for a 56 -yard touchdown.
Nixon running back Ritchie Rendon led his team in rushing despite having zero carries in the second half. The sophomore running back gained 41 yards on nine attempts, including a 17-yard touchdown run, in the first two quarters of play.
Alexander's offense slowed to a crawl in the second half, scoring only once in the final 24 minutes on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Brian Swain to Xavier Skaggs with six minutes left in the game.
Swain put up impressive numbers as he completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards and five touchdowns while being intercepted only once.
The junior quarterback also had an impressive 67-yard touchdown scramble when a play broke down on third-and-long.
Nixon’s defense spent most of the night focused on containing the Bulldogs running game and rushing the quarterback and they succeeded, sacking Swain six times.
Alexander sophomore running back Xavier Skaggs had only 50 rushing yards on 11 attempts, but contributed 108 receiving yards on 10 catches, three of which went for touchdowns.
Bulldogs wide receiver Bobby Bowen emerged as his team's primary threat in the second half, accounting for half of Alexander's second-half yards by bringing in four catches for 66 yards.
Alexander’s offense dwarfed Nixon's as the Bulldogs registered 389 total yards compared to the Mustangs' 140.
Worse news than the final score for Nixon was a severe lower leg injury to linebacker Robert Rocha suffered in the second half.
Rocha suffered the injury while covering a Bulldogs punt return and it wasn't clear exactly what happened to cause it.
The stretcher was called out to the field and Rocha was taken away by an ambulance for further treatment.
The game pitted two familiar friends against each other. Ramirez, in his first year at the helm of Nixon, and Alexander coach Joel Lopez grew up in Zapata together and attended the same high school.
Ramirez was also Lopez's defensive coordinator from 1999-2003 when Lopez was the head coach at Nixon then. Together, they won three consecutive district championships.
The Bulldogs got off to a quick start, scoring on six of their first seven drives.
Their efforts were often aided by Nixon mistakes, as the Mustangs fumbled on two of their first three possessions to twice give Alexander short fields to work with.
Alexander's defense started strong and only improved as the night went on, forcing four turnovers and holding Nixon to negative yards in the second half.
The Bulldogs' defense harassed Mustangs quarterback Manny Martinez relentlessly, though they only reached him once for a sack. Martinez completed eight of 19 passes for 27 yards and a single interception, in addition to scrambling for nine yards on six carries.
Mustangs head football coach Tommy Ramirez again reached into his bag of tricks to produce his team's biggest play of the night.
Early in the second quarter and down 27-7, Martinez threw a backward pass to Jesus Perez, who then launched the ball downfield to a wide-open Jesus Hinojosa.
Hinojosa ably caught the ball and reached the end zone just ahead of the pursuing defense for a 56 -yard touchdown.
Nixon running back Ritchie Rendon led his team in rushing despite having zero carries in the second half. The sophomore running back gained 41 yards on nine attempts, including a 17-yard touchdown run, in the first two quarters of play.
Alexander's offense slowed to a crawl in the second half, scoring only once in the final 24 minutes on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Brian Swain to Xavier Skaggs with six minutes left in the game.
Swain put up impressive numbers as he completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards and five touchdowns while being intercepted only once.
The junior quarterback also had an impressive 67-yard touchdown scramble when a play broke down on third-and-long.
Nixon’s defense spent most of the night focused on containing the Bulldogs running game and rushing the quarterback and they succeeded, sacking Swain six times.
Alexander sophomore running back Xavier Skaggs had only 50 rushing yards on 11 attempts, but contributed 108 receiving yards on 10 catches, three of which went for touchdowns.
Bulldogs wide receiver Bobby Bowen emerged as his team's primary threat in the second half, accounting for half of Alexander's second-half yards by bringing in four catches for 66 yards.
Alexander’s offense dwarfed Nixon's as the Bulldogs registered 389 total yards compared to the Mustangs' 140.
Worse news than the final score for Nixon was a severe lower leg injury to linebacker Robert Rocha suffered in the second half.
Rocha suffered the injury while covering a Bulldogs punt return and it wasn't clear exactly what happened to cause it.
The stretcher was called out to the field and Rocha was taken away by an ambulance for further treatment.
The game pitted two familiar friends against each other. Ramirez, in his first year at the helm of Nixon, and Alexander coach Joel Lopez grew up in Zapata together and attended the same high school.
Ramirez was also Lopez's defensive coordinator from 1999-2003 when Lopez was the head coach at Nixon then. Together, they won three consecutive district championships.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
09.28.2010: Volleyball: Alexander 3, United South 0
The Lady Bulldogs swept, 25-22, 25-17, 25-10. Alexander improved to 9-1 in District 29-5A, 19-4 overall. United South fell to 0-10, 7-17. Leading the way for Alexander was Alexa Salazar (15 digs, nine points) and Darian Canno (four kills, two blocks, two digs).
Week 4: Football: Alexander 47, Del Rio 41
The Bulldogs needed a huge win on the road against the Rams to stay in the District 29-5A title hunt, and they got just that. In the process, they handed Del Rio its first loss this season. Alexander jumped out to a 21-7 lead and never looked back, thanks to the heroics of junior quarterback Brian Swain. Swain ran for two touchdowns and passed for four more. Alexander led as much as 47-28 in the second half. The Bulldogs improved to 2-1 in District 29-5A, 3-1 overall. Del Rio fell to 2-1, 3-1.
09.25.2010: Alexander 3, United 2
The first round of District 29-5A volleyball came to a dramatic end Saturday afternoon when two old rivals met at the Alexander gymnasium.
Alexander and United squared off in one of the most anticipated games of the week, with second place on the line.
The Lady Bulldogs (8-1 29-5A, 18-4) utilized their home court advantage to hold off United in a five-game nail-biter that had both crowds on their feet throughout the match.
Alexander walked away with a 25-18, 25-14, 23-25, 25-27 and a 15-7 win to take sole possession of second place heading into the second round of district play starting Tuesday.
United (7-2, 14-12) fell to third place while Cigarroa is in fourth place.
Eagle Pass has a strong hold of first place with an unblemished district record at 9-0.
Alexander and United squared off in one of the most anticipated games of the week, with second place on the line.
The Lady Bulldogs (8-1 29-5A, 18-4) utilized their home court advantage to hold off United in a five-game nail-biter that had both crowds on their feet throughout the match.
Alexander walked away with a 25-18, 25-14, 23-25, 25-27 and a 15-7 win to take sole possession of second place heading into the second round of district play starting Tuesday.
United (7-2, 14-12) fell to third place while Cigarroa is in fourth place.
Eagle Pass has a strong hold of first place with an unblemished district record at 9-0.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
09.21.2010: Volleyball: Alexander 3, Martin 0
The Lady Bulldogs swept, 25-13, 25-18, 25-13. Alexander improved to 7-1 in District 29-5A, 17-4 overall. Martin fell to 1-7, 11-12. Michelle Perez (17 digs, three points) and Kasandra Blanquez (seven assists, three points, three digs) led Martin. Lizzy Prieto (14 assists, 11 points, seven kills, four digs) and Adriana Nino (11 assists, nine points, five digs) led Alexander.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Week 3: Football: Eagle Pass 21, Alexander 13
The Eagles of Eagle Pass came out on top of the Alexander Bulldogs with a score of 21-13 in a highly anticipated Thursday night contest at the SAC between the pair of District 29-5A title contenders.
Bulldogs junior quarterback Brian Swain, who had carried his team to two big wins over Alice and United South, was harassed by a ferocious Eagles defense and held to season lows in production.
Alexander dropped to 2-1 overall, 1-1 in 29-5A. Eagle Pass is still undefeated at 3-0, 2-0.
Alexander wide receiver RJ Aguero, the Bulldogs' No. 1 wideout, missed the game due to a foot injury and fellow wideouts Daniel Ramos and Fernando Garza were playing despite having just recently returned from injuries of their own.
Ramos suffered a shoulder AC sprain and Garza had suffered a tweaked hamstring earlier in the week.
The absence of Swain's favorite target noticeably handicapped the Bulldog offense.
Swain, who had been averaging more than 400 yards of total offense through his first two games, was contained to well below that mark.
He completed 28 of 45 passes for 226 yards through the air and rushed for an additional 46 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Swain also threw a costly interception in the third quarter that was returned 68 yards for an Eagle Pass touchdown.
Alexander sophomore running back Xavier Skaggs was also stifled, with 33 rushing yards on six attempts and 71 yards receiving on a team-leading 12 receptions.
Despite the lower than average offensive production, however, the Bulldogs were still in it to the very end.
Eagle Pass only scored two touchdowns with its offense and finished the game with fewer offensive yards than the Bulldogs.
It was the second week of impressive Bulldog defense after the once maligned unit held United South to 17 points in Week 2.
Bulldogs junior quarterback Brian Swain, who had carried his team to two big wins over Alice and United South, was harassed by a ferocious Eagles defense and held to season lows in production.
Alexander dropped to 2-1 overall, 1-1 in 29-5A. Eagle Pass is still undefeated at 3-0, 2-0.
Alexander wide receiver RJ Aguero, the Bulldogs' No. 1 wideout, missed the game due to a foot injury and fellow wideouts Daniel Ramos and Fernando Garza were playing despite having just recently returned from injuries of their own.
Ramos suffered a shoulder AC sprain and Garza had suffered a tweaked hamstring earlier in the week.
The absence of Swain's favorite target noticeably handicapped the Bulldog offense.
Swain, who had been averaging more than 400 yards of total offense through his first two games, was contained to well below that mark.
He completed 28 of 45 passes for 226 yards through the air and rushed for an additional 46 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Swain also threw a costly interception in the third quarter that was returned 68 yards for an Eagle Pass touchdown.
Alexander sophomore running back Xavier Skaggs was also stifled, with 33 rushing yards on six attempts and 71 yards receiving on a team-leading 12 receptions.
Despite the lower than average offensive production, however, the Bulldogs were still in it to the very end.
Eagle Pass only scored two touchdowns with its offense and finished the game with fewer offensive yards than the Bulldogs.
It was the second week of impressive Bulldog defense after the once maligned unit held United South to 17 points in Week 2.
09.18.2010: Volleyball: Alexander 3, LBJ 0
Alexander 3, LBJ 0: The Lady Bulldogs swept, 25-17, 25-21, 25-9. Alexander improved to 6-1 in District 29-5A, 16-4 overall. LBJ fell to 1-6, 5-15. Leading the way for LBJ was Lety Reyes (two blocks, three kills) and Lizette Martinez (six kills).
Saturday, September 18, 2010
09.14.2010: Volleyball: Alexander 3, C.C. Winn 0
The Lady Bulldogs swept, 25-17, 25-14, 25-8. Alexander improved to 5-1 in District 29-5A, 15-4 overall. Winn fell to 2-4 in 29-5A. Leading the way for Alexander was Adriana Nino (15 assists, 11 points), Kassy Garcia (11 digs, five points), Lizzy Prieto (six aces, 12 assists, nine kills, four digs, 18 points) and Samantha Gonzalez (10 points, five kills).
Monday, September 13, 2010
Week 2 Football: Alexander 46, United South 17
It was supposed to be a shootout, but only one contender brought any ammo.
The Alexander Bulldogs dominated the United South Panthers, 46-17, at the SAC on Friday night in a game where the Bulldogs (1-0 29-5A, 2-0) were clicking on all cylinders.
The spread offense isn't known as a time-of-possession offense, yet it looked like one Friday night. Alexander dominated the clock with a 20 minute advantage in time of possession.
The credit for that belongs in large part to the Bulldogs' defense, which came into its own after giving up 37 points in a 41-37 win over Alice two weeks ago.
United South (0-1, 0-2) only achieved two first downs in the entire first half, and nine by the end of the game. The Panthers were held to 138 yards of total offense.
Alexander, meanwhile, amassed 562 total yards of offense.
The Panthers made it interesting early by tying the game at 7 with an 85-yard touchdown return by speedy return man/defensive back Javier Flores, but they didn't score again until the final minute of the game on a Robert Camarillo pass to Amado De La Fuente.
Camarillo finished the night with 136 of United South’s 138 yards of offense by completing 50 percent of his passes and throwing for a single interception with his lone touchdown.
Bulldogs junior quarterback Brian Swain continued to make his case as the best signal-caller in the district with a standout performance where he did a little bit of everything.
Swain finished the game with 309 passing yards on 26-of-38 passing and four touchdowns through the air, along with 96 rushing yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns on the ground.
Daniel Ramos and J.D. Hinojosa each caught two touchdown passes, all from Swain. Xavier Skaggs rushed for 121 yards on 19 carries.
The Alexander Bulldogs dominated the United South Panthers, 46-17, at the SAC on Friday night in a game where the Bulldogs (1-0 29-5A, 2-0) were clicking on all cylinders.
The spread offense isn't known as a time-of-possession offense, yet it looked like one Friday night. Alexander dominated the clock with a 20 minute advantage in time of possession.
The credit for that belongs in large part to the Bulldogs' defense, which came into its own after giving up 37 points in a 41-37 win over Alice two weeks ago.
United South (0-1, 0-2) only achieved two first downs in the entire first half, and nine by the end of the game. The Panthers were held to 138 yards of total offense.
Alexander, meanwhile, amassed 562 total yards of offense.
The Panthers made it interesting early by tying the game at 7 with an 85-yard touchdown return by speedy return man/defensive back Javier Flores, but they didn't score again until the final minute of the game on a Robert Camarillo pass to Amado De La Fuente.
Camarillo finished the night with 136 of United South’s 138 yards of offense by completing 50 percent of his passes and throwing for a single interception with his lone touchdown.
Bulldogs junior quarterback Brian Swain continued to make his case as the best signal-caller in the district with a standout performance where he did a little bit of everything.
Swain finished the game with 309 passing yards on 26-of-38 passing and four touchdowns through the air, along with 96 rushing yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns on the ground.
Daniel Ramos and J.D. Hinojosa each caught two touchdown passes, all from Swain. Xavier Skaggs rushed for 121 yards on 19 carries.
09.11.10: Alexander 3, Cigarroa 2
The most anticipated volleyball game of the week, Alexander versus Cigarroa, lived up to all the hype as both teams battled to the end in a packed house at the Cigarroa gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
Alexander needed five games to come from behind and hand Cigarroa its first loss in district, 25-19, 20-25, 21-25, 25-20 and 15-4.
Alexander (4-1 29-5A, 14-4) moves into a tie with Cigarroa and United for second place with three games left in the first round of district play, while Eagle Pass is in first with a 5-0 record.
Alexander needed five games to come from behind and hand Cigarroa its first loss in district, 25-19, 20-25, 21-25, 25-20 and 15-4.
Alexander (4-1 29-5A, 14-4) moves into a tie with Cigarroa and United for second place with three games left in the first round of district play, while Eagle Pass is in first with a 5-0 record.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Sept. 7: Volleyball: Alexander 3, Nixon 0
Alexander 3, Nixon 0: Alexander swept Nixon, 25-11, 25-16, 25-15. The Lady Bulldogs improved to 3-1 in District 29-5A, 13-4 overall. Nixon fell to 2-2, 12-12. Leading the way for Alexander was Adriana Nino (14 assists, six digs, eight points), Lizzy Prieto (nine assists, 11 kills, five points), Kassy Garcia (13 digs, 16 points) and Denise Vela (12 digs, five points).
Sunday, September 5, 2010
09.04.10: Alexander 3, Del Rio 0
The Lady Bulldogs (12-4, 2-1 29-5A) swept the Queens (7-4, 2-1), 25-20, 25-16, 25-18.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Lady Bulldogs fall to Eagle Pass in 29-5A volleyball
The circus-like atmosphere that Eagle Pass anticipated at Alexander High came alive in the third game of Tuesday's District 29-5A match and never let up, but the Lady Eagles were able to take one away from the Lady Bulldogs.
Alexander dropped a hard-fought five games to Eagle Pass, 21-25, 13-25, 25-16, 25-23, and 14-16, for its first district loss of the season.
Eagle Pass (15-5, 2-0 29-5A) remained undefeated in District 29-5A play and snapped the Lady Bulldogs’ nine-game winning streak.
Alexander's (11-4, 1-1) slow start at the inception of the game gave Eagle Pass wings to fly in the first two games.
Eagle Pass dominated every facet of the game, forcing Alexander to commit defensive errors and keeping the Lady Bulldogs off the net, away from their offensive attack.
With a 2-0 lead, Eagle Pass smelled the blood to possibly finish off the Lady Bulldogs, but Alexander made a complete turnaround, reverting to an offensive attack at the net and great defensive plays in the back row.
Alexander was led by Alexa Salazar and Lizzy Prieto as they breathed some life into the Lady Bulldogs’ offensive attack in the crucial third game.
Alexander jumped out to a 9-7 lead in the third game and never looked back, as it took game three, 25-16.
The momentum shifted in the Lady Bulldogs’ favor and it grew with each great play that the Lady Bulldogs executed.
Eagle Pass' inexperience showed through in the fourth game and the Lady Bulldogs took advantage in every point.
But it was leadership that pulled Eagle Pass through when it mattered most.
Alexander dropped a hard-fought five games to Eagle Pass, 21-25, 13-25, 25-16, 25-23, and 14-16, for its first district loss of the season.
Eagle Pass (15-5, 2-0 29-5A) remained undefeated in District 29-5A play and snapped the Lady Bulldogs’ nine-game winning streak.
Alexander's (11-4, 1-1) slow start at the inception of the game gave Eagle Pass wings to fly in the first two games.
Eagle Pass dominated every facet of the game, forcing Alexander to commit defensive errors and keeping the Lady Bulldogs off the net, away from their offensive attack.
With a 2-0 lead, Eagle Pass smelled the blood to possibly finish off the Lady Bulldogs, but Alexander made a complete turnaround, reverting to an offensive attack at the net and great defensive plays in the back row.
Alexander was led by Alexa Salazar and Lizzy Prieto as they breathed some life into the Lady Bulldogs’ offensive attack in the crucial third game.
Alexander jumped out to a 9-7 lead in the third game and never looked back, as it took game three, 25-16.
The momentum shifted in the Lady Bulldogs’ favor and it grew with each great play that the Lady Bulldogs executed.
Eagle Pass' inexperience showed through in the fourth game and the Lady Bulldogs took advantage in every point.
But it was leadership that pulled Eagle Pass through when it mattered most.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Momentum carries for Bulldogs
The Alexander Bulldogs didn't waste any time in proving that last year's remarkable district finish wasn't just a flash in the pan.
The momentum looks to have carried on through the summer and was unleashed against the Alice Coyotes in a 41-37 win on Friday.
"Not just anybody can go to Alice and beat Alice," Alexander head coach Joel Lopez said. "They're a perennial playoff team and the tradition there is impeccable. I would know, I have people that I know in Alice that have had the same season tickets for the last 30 years and they don’t have any family playing ... football is a way of life in Alice.
"So to go down there at their own place and beat them is just a tremendous accomplishment and it says a lot about our program and where we are headed."
Getting recognized with honors in their respective positions were Xavier Skaggs (offensive back), Bengie Mota (offensive line), Jose Sanchez (defensive back), Luis Villanueva (defensive line), Eduardo Garcia (head hunter) and kicker/punter Jerry Villarreal (special teams).
For Lopez, the difference in the game came off a stripped fumble created after a kickoff late in the fourth quarter.
"The very next play, we scored a touchdown and that’s where we took the lead," Lopez said. "At that point, it was a very close game and I thought the kids kept their composure; even though we threw an interception at the end, the defense came through."
The Bulldogs' offense was in top form, with junior gunslinger Brian Swain throwing for four touchdowns and over 380 passing yards. Skaggs gutted the defense with his speed and agility.
While the defense did allow a fare amount of points, it pulled through when it mattered; something that the Bulldogs failed to do last season against Donna in the playoffs. That experience didn’t take long to come in handy.
"As a staff, we are very pleased with our performance," Lopez said. "We stuck through a heavyweight bout, we took a lot of punches, but when we needed to rise to the occasion, the defense did and they did great job.
"You tell them many times that it's not over until it's over, but until they go through it they won't know. I think our experience helped us out. We do not want to let happen what happened against Donna last year, when we lost in the last seconds of the game."
The momentum looks to have carried on through the summer and was unleashed against the Alice Coyotes in a 41-37 win on Friday.
"Not just anybody can go to Alice and beat Alice," Alexander head coach Joel Lopez said. "They're a perennial playoff team and the tradition there is impeccable. I would know, I have people that I know in Alice that have had the same season tickets for the last 30 years and they don’t have any family playing ... football is a way of life in Alice.
"So to go down there at their own place and beat them is just a tremendous accomplishment and it says a lot about our program and where we are headed."
Getting recognized with honors in their respective positions were Xavier Skaggs (offensive back), Bengie Mota (offensive line), Jose Sanchez (defensive back), Luis Villanueva (defensive line), Eduardo Garcia (head hunter) and kicker/punter Jerry Villarreal (special teams).
For Lopez, the difference in the game came off a stripped fumble created after a kickoff late in the fourth quarter.
"The very next play, we scored a touchdown and that’s where we took the lead," Lopez said. "At that point, it was a very close game and I thought the kids kept their composure; even though we threw an interception at the end, the defense came through."
The Bulldogs' offense was in top form, with junior gunslinger Brian Swain throwing for four touchdowns and over 380 passing yards. Skaggs gutted the defense with his speed and agility.
While the defense did allow a fare amount of points, it pulled through when it mattered; something that the Bulldogs failed to do last season against Donna in the playoffs. That experience didn’t take long to come in handy.
"As a staff, we are very pleased with our performance," Lopez said. "We stuck through a heavyweight bout, we took a lot of punches, but when we needed to rise to the occasion, the defense did and they did great job.
"You tell them many times that it's not over until it's over, but until they go through it they won't know. I think our experience helped us out. We do not want to let happen what happened against Donna last year, when we lost in the last seconds of the game."
Week 0: Alexander 41, Alice 37
Alexander 41, Alice 37: The Bulldogs trailed 13-7 at halftime. "We came back … picked it up and did a great job in the second half," coach Joel Lopez said. Junior QB Brian Swan completed 29-of-40 passes for four touchdowns and 384 yards. He threw for three interceptions. R.J. Aguero had 109 receiving yards and a touchdown. Daniel Ramos had 93 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Xavier Skaggs accounted for 167 all-purpose yards and a rushing touchdown. Bobby Bowen also had a rushing touchdown. The Bulldogs amassed 489 yards of total offense, 384 through the air.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Lady Bulldogs win volleyball opener
Volleyball scores from Tues., Aug. 10.
Alexander 3, McAllen 1: The Lady Bulldogs won 20-25, 25-21, 32-30, 25-23. Alexa Salazar had eight digs and nine points, Adriana Nino had 17 assists and nine digs, Daisy Gonzalez had 10 kills, Daniella Gonzalez had seven kills, Denisse Cela had eight digs and 12 points, Kassy Garcia had 21 digs, Lizzy Prieto had 28 assists and 14 kills and 11 points, Xcaret Ramirez had seven kills and four digs.
Alexander 3, McAllen 1: The Lady Bulldogs won 20-25, 25-21, 32-30, 25-23. Alexa Salazar had eight digs and nine points, Adriana Nino had 17 assists and nine digs, Daisy Gonzalez had 10 kills, Daniella Gonzalez had seven kills, Denisse Cela had eight digs and 12 points, Kassy Garcia had 21 digs, Lizzy Prieto had 28 assists and 14 kills and 11 points, Xcaret Ramirez had seven kills and four digs.
United Independent School District 2010 Football Season Ticket Prices
Season Ticket holders will be able to purchase season tickets through Friday. On Monday, Aug. 16, season tickets will go on sale to the general public. Tickets can be purchased at the Student Activity Complex on Highway 359, 5208 Sta. Claudia Lane, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ticket prices are as follows: Alexander $42; United $36. LBJ and United South games will be sold on a game to game basis. If you have any questions please call the Athletic Office at 473-7100.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Alexander Football practices begin Monday
The Alexander Bulldogs will begin football practice on Monday. Times are as follows: Varsity practices ar 6:30 a.m.; JV and freshmen practice at 9 a.m.; varsity holds its second practice at 10:30 a.m. Paperwork and physical exams need to be turned in before the players are allowed to practice. Please turn in to the trainers at the fieldhouse.
Alexander team tennis
All returning tennis players need to pick up paperwork this week at the Alexander tennis courts from 8-11:30 a.m. Practice will begin on Monday from 9-11 a.m. For more information please contact coach Cuellar at 286-3056.
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