<body><div><h2>Two Big 7 squads play a crucial 5A-1 Region IV Dist. 16 matchup tonight</h2>With district play beginning its second week in 5A-1 Region IV District 16, the two Big 7 programs in that district are set to face each other tonight. Both teams are seeking a crucial win in what is still the early part of the 2026-27 season.The La Joya-Palmview Lobos and Mission High Eagles will kick off tonight at 7:30 at La Joya ISD-PACK Stadium. And this early district showdown between two Big 7 teams could shape the dynamics of the remainder of the schedule.While this game does not represent the district opener for either squad, both Palmview and Mission are eager to gain some early momentum and secure a crucial in-district win in the early part of the district schedule.The Progress Times takes a closer look at the Lobos and Eagles and what’s at stake for both teams going into this Week 5 district duel.Mission High Eagles (0-4, 0-1 DIST)<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1F8RL4_1FVJxitK00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1F8RL4_1FVJxitK00" width="1200" height="800" ><figcaption>Mission Eagle #6, Noah Torres, moves the ball for a 1st down while being tackled by Mission Patriot #9, Kevin Rangel. – Progress Times Photo by Mario Magallon.</figcaption></figure>Things have, quite simply, not gone the Eagles’ way this season. Off to a winless start this season, Mission has already dealt with a bevy of injuries. Most notably, an injury to their starting quarterback that has forced the Eagles to make personnel changes.Taking his place under center this week is senior Sebastian Rodriguez. Last season, Rodriguez was selected as first district all-safety for the Eagles. Mission head football coach Jody Cantu told the Progress Times he was selected to start under center because he is a “very dynamic athlete” who has the ability to play multiple positions.“We’ve been battling injuries pretty much the whole season,” Cantu said. “Sebastian’s been real surprising. He’s raised some eyebrows with what he’s been able to do [at QB].”The Progress Times spoke with Rodriguez about the position change. In an interview, he told the paper he’s “never been scared of a challenge” as the senior prepares to take his first varsity snaps as a quarterback.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0zybId_1FVJxitK00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0zybId_1FVJxitK00" width="1129" height="1200" ></figure>“It’s been weird,” Rodriguez said. “But every day, you try to do every rep as good as I can, getting used (to it), getting a feel for it, and just getting my confidence in that position so we can get out there and win.”One of the players tasked with protecting the Eagles’ new quarterback is senior offensive lineman Yezzuel Gomez. He told the Progress Times the team’s practices going into tonight’s game helped the team “stay locked in” and “ignore the outside noise.”“Wipe it,” Gomez said about Mission’s 0-4 start. “We’re staying positive [and] not letting anything bring us down on the team …it’s not always the way you start. It’s the way you finish. And that’s the mentality this whole season.”Cantu told the Progress Times about the importance that this game will have relative to the rest of the season, stating that tonight’s game is going to be “huge” for the program.“We’ve schemed it pretty good [and] game-planned pretty well,” he said. “We’re facing just tough-nosed kids. They do a great job. They have a great coach and staff. So we’re expecting hard-nosed football, and, you know, we’re going to get after it.”La Joya-Palmview Lobos (2-2, 1-0 DIST)<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=35NvU2_1FVJxitK00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=35NvU2_1FVJxitK00" width="1200" height="800" ><figcaption>Lobos #13, Andrik Cantu, with a last minute touch down giving the Lobos the win over the Jaguars. Progress Times Photo by Mario Magallon.</figcaption></figure>On the contrary, the hosting Palmview Lobos come in to tonight’s game off of a road win in their district opener against PSJA Memorial (25-20 on Sept. 18) and at a precise .500 record prior to kickoff.Lobos’ head coach Mage Requenez spoke about this game in an interview with the Progress Times. He said the key to continue gaining momentum in district is to eliminate the mistakes they made in the first half, adding that Palmview is treating it as a rivalry game.“But if we eliminate our mental mistakes, it should be a very nice competitive game,” Requenez said. “It’s going to be a big game. It’s like we’re [both] playing Mission Vets. It’s one of these games [with] bragging rights on east side vs. west side.”This year marks the first year the Lobos’ offense shifted from a slot-T scheme to a spread formation. And while Requenez said the scheme remains a “work in progress”, he made the change in order to best implement their skill players into the offense.“When you change schemes, it’s always a work in progress,” he said. “And it’s getting there. I can’t say that our kids understand everything they’re trying to do, but they’re learning. And it shows when you can still come back and find ways to win with a new scheme.”Senior starting quarterback Edgar Villalpando told the Progress Times that the more games the Lobos play, the more “confident” he and the team get about their ability to execute it.“We’re working hard towards our goal,” Villalpando said. “And that’s just to make the playoffs and to finally make something of ourselves …I experienced a whole new offense three years before this, but it does move better than what it used to.”Another thing that has begun to click as of late has been Palmview’s defense. After allowing 36 points in their opener, they have allowed an average of 24 points over their next three games.The Progress Times spoke with senior middle linebacker Joshua Flores. Speaking about his defensive unit, Flores said it’s “great” to be a part of a unit that has been playing together for years, stating that it has built “chemistry” and “trust” over several seasons.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=21pk2N_1FVJxitK00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=21pk2N_1FVJxitK00" width="1129" height="1200" ></figure>“We just succeed on the field because we know each other and we know what we’re capable of,” Flores said. “We’re coming in early, putting in that work. [Mission is] like every other game on our schedule [and] we’re going to go by it for the win.”The Lobos and Eagles kick off tonight at 7:30 p.m. at La Joya ISD PACK Stadium in La Joya. After this week, Palmview travels to McAllen to play McAllen Rowe on Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. while Mission hosts Donna North on Oct 8. at 7 p.m. at Tom Landry Stadium.</div></body>

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Two Big 7 squads play a crucial 5A-1 Region IV Dist. 16 matchup tonight. With district play beginning its second week in 5A-1 Region IV District 16, the two Big 7 programs in that district are set to face each other tonight. Both teams are seeking a crucial win in what is still the early part of the 2026-27 season.

Lobos and Eagles square off in district

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Two Big 7 squads play a crucial 5A-1 Region IV Dist. 16 matchup tonight. With district play beginning its second week in 5A-1 Region IV District 16, the tw

Lobos and Eagles square off in district

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