Lyford High School’s varsity boys basketball team made it to the second round of the postseason before being eliminated this past Friday.

On this year’s team are seniors Jesse Quiroga, Estevan Tostado, Orlando Barrios, Juventino Pena, Conrad Briseno, Anthony Bella, Ajay Lerma, juniors C.J. Moreno, David Chavez, Adrian Lerma, sophomores Jacob Lerma, Dillin De Los Reyes, Mathew Vasquez, Daniel Espinoza and freshman Lucas Salinas. Caleb De La Rosa is the student trainer.

The Bulldogs defeated Sinton 47-43 in the bi-district tier of the playoffs last Tuesday, February 23. Head Coach Ruben Zambrano said his squad kept up their tenacity for four periods.

“We played tough, poised and confident,” Zambrano said. “What helped us was that the kids on our team who did have playoff experience basically took the leadership role during that game and knew what it was going to take to win. They played for a full four quarters and not just one or two; the other kids - our role players - just followed when their number was called and came in ready to play.”

Lyford’s postseason trek, however, came to an end on Friday at the hands of Boerne during a 63-49 loss in the area round.

“We went toe to toe with them in the first, third and fourth quarters but they outscored us by twelve points in the second period,” Zambrano said. “It was a difference we could not come back from, it was hard trying to catch up.”

Still, Zambrano said, the Bulldogs (who qualified for the playoffs in third place with a 9-5 record in District 32-3A) played with a lot of heart this season.

“It was a great year and I had a great group of kids that played together, what can I say about them but that they all had the same goal which was to win and make the playoffs,” Zambrano said. “Our biggest concept is the word ‘believe’, which if you do that then you can accomplish anything and that was the basic attitude we took into every game. No matter what the score or who the competitor was, we believed we could compete with any team out there and we were going to go 32 full minutes to prove it.”

Lyford concludes its season 17-12 overall. Zambrano was assisted this season by Douglas Ames and Laurence Atteberry.

CORRECTION

Last week’s Raymondville Chronicle sports story - by Contributing Sports Writer Reynaldo Sifuentes Jr. - erroneously named Raymondville varsity girls basketball coach Felix Silva as the head coach of Lyford High School’s varsity boys basketball team. Ruben Zambrano is the actual head coach of Lyford’s varsity boys basketball team.

IN ACTION: BULLDOGS

Lyford High School’s varsity and junior varsity boys and girls track teams host the Bulldog Relays on Saturday. Lyford Middle School’s boys and girls track teams compete at the Bearkat Relays on Saturday.

The Lady Bulldog varsity and junior varsity soccer teams visit Raymondville at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams visit La Feria at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The Lady Bulldog varsity softball team competes at a tournament in Brownsville Friday and Saturday.

IN ACTION: BEARKATS

Raymondville High School’s varsity boys soccer team visits Port Isabel at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, and then visits Progresso at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

The Lady Bearkats varsity soccer team hosts Lyford at 6 p.m. on Thursday, and then visits Progresso at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Raymondville’s boys and girls varsity track teams compete at a meet hosted by the Knights of Columbus in Mercedes on Saturday. Raymondville’s junior varsity boys and girls track teams compete at a meet in Hidalgo on Thursday. Myra Green Middle School’s boys and girls track teams host a meet on Saturday.

Raymondville High School’s varsity softball team competes at a tournament in Brownsville this Thursday through Saturday.