West tops East in RGVCA All-Star Football Game
WESLACO — From August through December, high school football teams across the Rio Grande Valley battle against each other for bragging rights, district titles and playoff wins.
At the end of it all, however, is the annual Rio Grande Valley Coaches Association East vs. West All-Star Football Game — an opportunity for the top seniors in the RGV to put rivalries aside, join forces and suit up one final time to close their high school careers.
The West All-Stars claimed this year's battle by taking down the East All-Stars 17-10 on Saturday at Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco. The win by the West snaps a three-game losing streak against the East in RGVCA All-Star Football Games.
“Anytime there’s a scoreboard, anytime you’re competing, the goal is to win. That’s what we talked about on Day 1 and the kids came out and did it,” PSJA Memorial and West All-Stars head coach Will Littleton said.
The West All-Stars took to the air to get it done against the East as four quarterbacks — Edinburg Vela’s Geoffrey LeFevre, McAllen High’s Joaquin Valdez, Mission High’s Diego Salinas and PSJA High’s Myles Lopez — took turns leading their offense downfield.
Lopez started the scoring for the West on a 71-yard touchdown pass to Mission High receiver Christopher Kirk in the second quarter.
Then, a pair of SaberCats stepped up for a scoring connection as LeFevre found his top target in Vela receiver June Garza Jr. for a 65-yard touchdown, which proved to be the game-winning score for the West.
For LeFevre and Garza, their All-Star Game touchdown was the cherry on top of the sundae of two sensational high school careers.
“It was a privilege to be able to do that and that’s all God’s will,” LeFevre said. “We couldn’t do it without him, and June’s been my boy forever, just love the heck out of him.”
“It’s a memorable moment,” Garza said. “Me and (LeFevre), we’ve been together since freshman year, always going out and throwing the ball, practicing on our own time, whatever we could do. It was just a fun moment and a memorable experience with my boy.”
While the East wound up on the losing end, there were memories and plays made on their side of the field, too.
Weslaco High quarterback/receiver Franky Treviño was on the receiving end of a 65-yard touchdown pass from Brownsville Veterans quarterback Storm Montoya, which put the East on the board early in the second quarter.
Treviño battled on the field of Bobby Lackey Stadium his entire career and ended it with a visit to the end zone in his final high school game.
“It was honestly a great feeling,” Treviño said. “Even though I didn’t play quarterback this week, still getting in the end zone and scoring all over again in my hometown where I’ve played my four years, it feels amazing.”
The last four RGVCA All-Star Football Games have now been decided by one possession, but this year’s bragging rights belong to the West.
“It was definitely a good game, for sure. Both sides fought hard, but it feels good to get the throne back,” PSJA’s Lopez said.
