Pirates battle Jourdanton Jerel Beaty Staff writer Lytle played its final game of the 2024 season at home against Jourdanton last Friday. The Pirates could not keep up scoring wise with the district champions as the Indians escaped Walter Joyce Stadium with a 42-20 decision. The Indians went up 21-0 after the first quarter as they scored the first three touchdowns of the night. Lytle fought back to make it 28-14 as Angel Delarosa scampered in from 7 yards out, and quarterback Weston Jackson sprinted in from 21 yards. The Pirates have been known for big comeback wins this year, and some may have believed another upset was in the making. However, Jourdanton scored 14 of the next 20 points to close out the victory. Pirate Jair Flores hauled in a 13-yard reception from Jackson in the 4th and final quarter of the 2024 season. Team stats Total plays Lytle 60, J’town 56; Total yards Lytle 256, J’town 421; Passing yards Lytle 152, J’town 248 Rushing yards Lytle 105, J’Town 173 First downs Lytle 15, J’town 21; 3rd down efficiency Lytle 3 of 12 (25%), J’town 3 of 8 (38%); 4th down efficiency Lytle 2 of 4 (50%), J’town 3 of 5 (60%); Turnovers Lytle 1, J’town 1 Penalties Lytle 5 for 31 yards, J’town 2 for 10 yards. Individual stats Passing Weston Jackson 19 of 30 (63%) for 152 yards, 1 TD Receiving Robert Inming 4 for 56 yards; Chase Guevara 3 for 33 yards; Hudson Lindsay 4 for 18 yards; Jair Flores 1 for 13 To CONTINUE READING PLEASE SUBSCRIBE at www.devinenewsmembers.com
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Jerel Beaty Staff writer Minus a 73-yard touchdown-scamper by a Minutemen running back well after the game was already decided, the Warhorse defense mounted up Memorial’s offense a majority of the night in Devine’s 48-7 District Championship clinching victory. Devine’s ‘D’ recovered two fumbles, deflected a few passes, created a wall up front that was impossible to penetrate, and owned the field on Homecoming night. “We wanted to put a good show on tape for the playoffs and take care of business on our last home game of the season,” stated Devine Defensive Coordinator Danny Sanchez. “It was important for the boys to play well for the seniors. We figured we would take care of our business and let what happened in Bandera take care of itself.” San Antonio Memorial came into the contest 0-9, but they did not take this game lightly. “Memorial scouted us well. We had over-played the edges and they hit us in the A and B gaps in the first series to get a 10-play drive and a couple of first downs. They started at their own 34 and took it down to our 7. After this drive, they would not get closer to our goal line than our 33, except for one time at the end of the game.” The Warhorse ‘D’ bent a few times, but never broke as Memorial simply could not find a way to keep drives alive. “Our boys were able to stop them there on 4th down. They then condensed their formation to try to bully us, but it was too late, we had made our adjustment and only allowed them 6 plays on their second drive. That, and another time, would be the only….. To CONTINUE READING PLEASE SUBSCRIBE at www.devinenewsmembers.com
By Jerel Beaty and Kayleen Holder The Arabian Volleyball season came to an end this past November 7 in Pleasanton against Navarro. A talented and tall Lady Panther team came out on fire, and the Arabians did some deep digging and hitting, but the Panthers ultimately came out on top. Devine displayed the grit they have shown most of the season, garnering 27 kills and 38 digs in the tough match. Airyanna Rodriguez led Devine with 15 kills followed by Aimee Carr who had 6. Kynedie Cruz dished out 23 assists and had 10 digs. Charlee Rangel also had 10 digs while Katie Rios added 8. Skylar Blanton had the Arabians big block. The Panthers defeated the Arabians 25-10 in the opening set, but the next two sets were another story. The Arabians did not take the Panthers quick-set attacks laying down. Up 3-2 in the second set, Devine’s lead vanished, but Navarro did not simply run away with a set two win. The Arabians kept it competitive as they trailed by only small margins. Among the highlights, a kill by Thompson left us trailing only by a couple points at 9-12, two more Rodriguez kills and an awesome dig by Rios kept the ball alive on the next play, and the Arabians Click to Continue Reading with a subscription
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Devine ISD Athletic Director and Head Girls Basketball Coach Jim Sessions left his mark on literally thousands of Devine youths over the more than a quarter century in which he taught and coached in this small, extremely tight-knit community. Coach Sessions’ passing is a gut-punch to all who knew him but is especially difficult to former players and students, both past and present. The love and mutual respect are evident in each reply as former Arabians and Warhorses bid adieu to a man they simply knew as “Coach J.” In memory “Coach J had a really good sense of knowing if someone was struggling with something. On days when no one knew I was having an off day, he would ask if everything was okay.”—Gehrig Runyan, Class of 2019 “It takes a special kind of coach to make an athlete understand the meaning of grit. Coach J created a culture for so many Arabians that made us excited to play the game of basketball. He was able to instill a certain confidence in me that I did not carry in any other sport. I will always be thankful for the 4 years I got to spend with Coach J and all of my teammates. We all love you and will miss you ( and your cookies) so much!”—Megan Runyan, Class of 2021 “Even though I did not have Coach J as a coach or teacher, he always treated me with the same kindness as if I had known him for years. It did not take much to know the great heart he had.”—Brooke Runyan, Class of 2021 “One of the great pillars of DHS. A man who shaped many students lives from athletics to academics. You always knew if you needed a smile you could walk past him on his bench outside his classroom. RIP to not only my coach but my friend!”—Beau Cardenas Class of 2017 “The district championships and success we had reflect our joy and passion that we played with for you. We knew you cared for each one of us and I sure hope you knew how much we loved you. I will cherish the memories forever. THANK YOU!”—Baylee (Quisenberry) Cardenas, Class of 2016 “Coach J treated us like his own and pushed us to be our best every single day. We played hard for him because we knew he loved us. I hope he knows how much we loved him. He let us be ourselves; we had a lot of fun and earned a lot of wins. I will cherish the memories of being an Arabian and playing for Coach J forever. We are all better for knowing Coach J and will miss him dearly.”—Preslee Quisenberry, Class of 2019 “Thank you for always believing in me and always having my back no matter what I went through. You allowed us to simply be our true selves. You were inspiration to so many. I love you and I will miss you always coach J (aka Juicy J). #TheJungleForever “POST UP” John 3:16.”—Jenna Sadler, Class of 2017 “I moved to Devine junior year, and I came from a toxic environment in basketball, and I was blessed to have you remind why I loved this sport so much. You always celebrated me and always made sure I knew I was worth something. I would not have known how special I was without your presence in my life. Thank you for treating me like your own and taking me in without even knowing me. I was blessed to have you in my life, God truly gained a beautiful angel. XOXO Coach J, till we meet again.”—Vanessa Oyola (aka VO), Class of 2017 “Coach J was an amazing basketball coach but an even better human. He left his mark on every student and player he met. We will miss you so much Juicy J but find comfort knowing you have the best seats in the world watching Arabian Basketball from heaven with Neva. #thejungleforever”—Tori Martin, Class of 2016
“One of the best human beings I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Thank you for the laughs, love and support you gave to not only myself but the entire community. Fly high, Coach J!”—Dylan Montes, Class of 2015 “You taught us more than just how to play basketball or do fancy things on computers. You were more to all of us than just a teacher/coach. The Jungle will forever cherish the memories we got to make with you. We love you Juicy J!”—Kailee (Ramirez) Dougherty, Class of 2016 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalms 73:26 We have our Lord’s assurance that the sufferings of life cannot compare to the glory that is coming, for we have hope that is anchored in Christ, and an inheritance that is secured for us in heaven. As you look down from Heaven onto all of the fields/courts/courses you ever set foot, I hope you smile at the lives you touched and the legacy you leave. PS: I will miss your delicious cookies and running through cookie drill. You had such a special way of pushing one beyond what they thought capable of themselves. You will be sorely missed. That final buzzer may have sounded but your legacy lives on. Rest easy, Coach.”—Sierra (Taylor) Zinsmeyer, Class of 2012 “I will be forever grateful for the blessing of a coach, mentor, and friend that God placed in my life. Coach J, you will be missed by the many lives you have impacted in Devine. However, this is not the end, God has the final word! I will miss you on this Earth but pray for Jesus to come quick, so that we may share His peace in heaven. Romans 10:5-11.”—Evan Mata, Class of 2021 “Mr. Sessions was a person full of love and light. Although I did not have him as a coach, he was one of my favorites. Mr. Sessions was the biggest fan of each and every kid. He would always tell me how great of a job I did after our Cross Country meets, come into my mom’s classroom and joke around with us, I would always beg him for some of his famous cookies, and he would always give in. I truly will miss him and seeing his smile when I would pop into Devine for a quick ‘hello.’ He was an amazing person with an amazing spirit and truly blessed with love from God. I have peace knowing he will be up in heaven coaching and smiling down on everyone he has ever encountered. See you soon Mr. Sessions, I hope you will have some cookies ready for me! Mathew 6: 33-34.”—Audrey Longoria, Class of 2022 “There are a million things to say, but most importantly, thank you, for all lessons you taught us, on and off the court, all the laughs & all the memories we have. Even though you are gone you still inspire SO many of us. I will never forget you. Rest easy Coach J.”—Elyse Espinoza, Class of 2016 “This is not a goodbye this is a farewell and see you soon, Jimbo. I will forever cherish every moment and greatest lesson you have taught me growing through high school and carrying it on to my future career. Your legacy to our maroon-and-gold will forever carry on and be remembered. Thank you Coach J for the best HS basketball memories!”—Yessika Garza, Class of 2016 “You were a great coach, teacher, and mentor, and playing for you was such a great time. I did not get to work with you but coached against you. I think playing Devine was always the hardest game we played, both physically and mentally. You would always give positive words, and I knew you truly meant it. If I had any questions, you were always willing to answer no matter the time. I cannot thank you enough for that! I knew my own two girls would probably never get to play for you but now, they will not get to truly know who the ‘Coach J’ was that I grew up with. Give my grandpa a hug. Love always!”—Katy (Herrera) Palacios, Class of 2004 “Coach J, words cannot express how hard it is to say goodbye to someone who left such a big impact on me both as a player and as a person. You saw the potential in me like no other and knew you could push me beyond my own limits, and for that, I am grateful. I will forever hold the memories I made playing for you (and the taste of your amazing cookies), close to my heart as those were some of the best times of my high school career. We love you and will miss you down here, but your legacy will live on through all of us. Until we see you again, stomp that foot a little louder in heaven like you would on that court. Rest easy, Coach.”—Ally Taylor, Class of 2021
Jerel Beaty Staff writer The biggest takeaway from Devine’s 23-13 decision over the Bulldogs in Bandera last Friday night was probably not even the fact that by winning the game the Warhorses kept hopes of a Tri-Championship going. Eli Contreras standing at midfield for the coin-toss with co-captains Matthew Gomez, Anthony Saldivar, and Brayden Reyes as well as Contreras’ 1 carry for 7 yards and 1 reception for 6 yards were the most monumental moments that could have possibly occurred as it began a healing process for the Contreras’ family after the passing of Mr. Art Contreras. Once the game got underway, the healing of Devine’s entire community also began after the subsequent passing of Devine Athletic Director Coach Jim Sessions.
A family and a town, joined in heartfelt pain, was given a chance to unite, a chance to grieve, and then the chance to enjoy a return to normalcy if only for a little while. Contreras left the game after three offensive plays due fracturing his thumb in two places. Like the tough young man he is, he wanted to stay and finish the game but was unable to do so. His fight obviously carried through to the rest of his teammates as Devine avenged last season’s setback to the Bulldogs by going up by as much as 23-7 after Edward Perez scored with little time left on the third quarter clock. Devine took care of business in all three phases of the game. Offensively, Saldivar stepped in to rush 15 times for 86 yards while the always-reliable Reyes touched end zone grass twice and carried a whopping 28 times in Contreras’ absence. Defensively, the Warhorses made the Bulldogs offense look like it never got off the porch as Bandera rushed 15 times for negative 16 yards while 22 of their 33 pass attempts fell harmlessly to the ground. Devine’s special teams showed out as well as Teotimo Stafford nailed a 24-yard field goal at the halftime buzzer sounded, giving Devine a 9-7 advantage and a lead they only continued to build upon. This win was for the entire Warhorse Nation family. Whether the family name be Contreras or Sessions, or any other family name for that matter that has dealt with the loss of a loved one over the last several months, Eli’s presence three nights after the passing of his father shows the toughness and resolve of what the Devine community is all about.
Warhorse tidbit, stats, & scoring summary
Route to Tri-Champs In order for Devine to get a piece of that district-championship pie only 2 things have to happen, but they both have to happen on the last night of District 14 DII action. Devine must beat San Antonio Memorial on homecoming night at Warhorse Stadium and Bandera must beat Carrizo Springs at Bulldog Stadium. If Devine, Bandera, and Carrizo Springs all finish 3-1 then a tri-championship it is. Seeding is then based on point differential up to 18 points for each of the singular games between those three teams. The Warhorses own a 10-point advantage over Bandera while the Wildcats hold an 18-point advantage over Devine. There are too many playoff scenarios with whom Devine’s possible Bi-District opponent could be out of District 13 to even mention at the moment. Lucky # 13 The Warhorses are in the playoffs, no doubt. The question is, who will they play? That answer will not come until around 10pm Friday, November 8. For now, all that is known with two weeks left in the season are the District 13 won-loss records which are as follows: Wimberley 4-0, Lago Vista 3-1, Navarro 2-1, Salado 2-2, Jarrell 2-3, Gonzales 1-3, Smithville 0-4. The playoff picture for that district may clear some this Friday, but the Warhorses situation will not be known until the conclusion of the Bulldog-Wildcat game in Bandera November 8. District records: Carrizo Springs 2-0, Devine 2-1, Bandera 1-1, Pearsall 1-2, San Antonio Memorial 0-2. District results: Oct11 Carrizo Springs 34 Devine 16; Bandera 31 Pearsall 14; Memorial open Oct18 Devine 49 Pearsall 7; Carrizo Springs 34 Memorial 7; Bandera open; Oct25 Devine 23 Bandera 13; Pearsall 28 Memorial 21; Carrizo Springs open. Remaining: Nov1 Devine open; Bandera @ Memorial; Pearsall @ Carrizo Springs Nov8 Memorial @ Devine; Carrizo Springs @ Bandera. Team stats Rushing 51 for 155 yards (3.0), 2 TDs Passing 3 of 5 for 37 yards Receiving 3 for 51 yards. Individual stats Rushing Anthony Saldivar 15 for 86 yards (5.7); Brayden Reyes 28 for 64 yards (2.3), 2 TDs; Edward Perez 3 for 11 yards (3.7), 1 TD; Eli Contreras 1 for 7 yards… Read the full article at www.devinenewsmembers.com
The Arabians will play a warm-up game against Natalia this Saturday and the first playoff game will be this coming Monday.
Jerel Beaty Staff writer Depending on Tuesday night’s final results from Floresville, the Arabians are either the District 27 Co-Champions with the Jaguars or Devine sits alone as district runner up. At press time, there were still a few things to tidy up, but the 10-1 Arabians are in the State Playoffs no matter the 11-0 Floresville outcome. The Arabians have been on a nice roll as they won five in a row prior to Floresville, including decisive wins over Somerset and Pearsall. What is a known fact according to Devine Head Coach Leigh Anne McIver is Devine’s first round opponent will be Gonzales. “With the UIL dividing districts into big-school, little-school divisions, we will go into the playoffs as the #1 small-school and Gonzales will go in as the #2 small school from District 28-4A,” McIver confirmed.
Much respect, Pearsall and Natalia Although the final scores of all three sets against Pearsall were lopsided in Devine’s favor, Pearsall ISD and their volleyball program gets the utmost respect from the Arabians and the community of Devine with showing of support and love after the recent passing of Devine ISD Athletic Director and Head Girls Basketball Coach Jim Sessions. Natalia also honored Coach J as the varsity girls wore maroon and gold ribbons in their hair for their Friday night contest. The Lady Mustangs had another man of character from the Devine community in their thoughts as well after the passing of a Natalia Alum in Art Contreras. “This was a very emotional night for us after losing two great men in our community,” McIver softly said. “The girls came in focused and ready to take care of business quickly. These girls have been supporters of each other this season and really relied on each other this week. In my last conversation with Coach J, he said he was super proud of our team after their win at Somerset. He was looking forward to how we would finished district and for our playoff run to come. He told me, ‘Go get them ready!’ Well, they are ready to take care of business Tuesday night and in playoffs!” vs Pearsall A 3-0 win in Pearsall was expected, but the Lady Mavs are playing terrific ball as the season winds down. The Lady Mavs won 2 of 3 prior to facing the Arabians with wins over Uvalde and Pleasanton. If the Lady Eagles wind up missing the playoffs, they can look back and thank the Lady Mavs for that. Devine won in straight sets in Pearsall (25-13, 25-15, 25-11). Airyanna Rodriguez led in kills with 25, with many of those coming directly from Kynedie Cruz who netted 42 assists. Brooke Thompson led with 2 aces and Bella Flores recorded her team’s only block. Stats vs Pearsall Kills (46) Airyanna Rodriguez 25, Aimee Carr 11, Bella Flores 5, Skylar Blanton 5 Aces (5) Brooke Thompson 2, Charlee Rangel 1, Carr 1, Cami Carroll 1 Blocks (1) Flores 1 Digs…Read the full article at www.devinenewsmembers.com
The Lytle Pirates set their sights on going to State, and that’s exactly where they are gonna do! Pictured above are: Johnny Rey Alvarez, Lucas Salazar, Bryan Montes-Rodriguez, Diego Reyna, Yandel Esquivez, Adrian Reyna, and Nathan Garza. Photo by D Wagner.
Lytle Lady Pirate Svetlana Lopez placed 12th to qualify for the November 2 State Meet in Round Rock. Congrats! Photo by D Wagner.
Warhorse Devo Dixon ran a personal record placing 13th and punching his ticket to state! Photo by T Anderson.
Natalia Cross Country regional qualifer Yahdi Luhan with her coaches.
Devine, Lytle, & Natalia all sending representatives
Jerel Beaty-staff writer The University Interscholastic League along with Texas A&M University Corpus Christi host the 2024 State Cross Country Meet October 21 and 22. Top teams and individuals representing Devine, Lytle, and Natalia high schools vie for the opportunity to run in Round Rock at the State Meet which is held inside Old Settler’s Park. The top four teams and top 10 individuals not on a qualifying team will qualify for the UIL state meet. The top 3 teams and the top 10 overall individuals in each race will receive an award 30 minutes after results have been posted to allow times for protests, approximately 1 hour after each races start time, awards will be handed out to the top three teams and the top 10 individual finishers in each race. The fourth-place team, which has qualified for state will also be recognized but will not receive an awards. The awards stage is located on the south end of the track. Once results are official, they will be posted behind the track stadium stands. Allow time to pick up a commemorative t-shirt that will be on sale until the conclusion of the last race on each day. Schedule Monday, October 21 8:00am 2A Girls 8:30am 2A Boys 9:15am 4A Girls (Arabians) 9:45am 4A Boys (Warhorses) 10:30am 6A Girls 11:00am 6A Boys Tuesday, October 22 8:0 am 1A Girls 8:3 am 1A Boys 9:15am 3A Girls (Lady Pirates, Lady Mustang) 9:45am 3A Boys (Pirates) 10:30am 5A Girls 11:00am 5A Boys The location is Dugan Track and Soccer Stadium which is on 701 E. Nile Dr. Corpus Christi, 78412. Parking is across the street from the stadium in an open grass lot. It is $10 per vehicle that should be paid through ParkMobile. Alternate parking will be available if poor weather dictates. Spectator Parking: Spectator parking is located at the grass parking lot across the street from the stadium.
Eric Smith-Staff Writer First half miscues proved costly for the Natalia Mustangs (1-5, 0-3) vs. Nixon-Smiley (2-4, 1-2)) last Friday night in Gonzales County. The dagger came with one second left on the clock, as Nixon’s Garet Gonzales caught a 30-yard pass over the middle from Eric Rodriguez as time expired to take a 16-0 lead into the half vs. Natalia. This fueled the red and blue Mustangs to a 45-20 win over Natalia. Natalia did show some positives in the first half prior to that second touchdown including a few good drives. Unfortunately, turnovers continued to hurt the Mustangs as they finished with one fumble and two interceptions on the day. “Offensively, we did a good job of moving the ball most of the night, we just had some critical errors that stalled out a few drives,” Natalia Head Coach Jason Reynolds said. “We have to do a better job of not turning the ball over.” In the second half down 16-0, the Natalia Mustangs surrendered..
The Varsity Warhorses clobber the opponent. Photo by Brigid Howard.
Murphy’s Law in full effect in Carrizo
Jerel Beaty Staff writer Murphys’s Law was in full effect Friday night in Carrizo Springs as anything that could possibly go wrong for the Warhorses went wrong for the Warhorses in their 34-16 defeat. Fumbles, penalties, poor tackling, missed blocks, an interception for a pick-six, and flat out inattentiveness to detail haunted Devine throughout the night at the absolute worst possible time as it happened during game one of the District 14-4A DII schedule. With only five teams in the district, which means only four games total for each team makes it nearly impossible to start the campaign 0-1 and maintain hopes of an outright championship. Notice, I did say nearly impossible but that is for an outright championship only. Reality shows Devine could win out to finish 3-1, Carrizo Springs finishing at 3-1 losing to Bandera, and Bandera finishing 3-1 with a loss to the Warhorses makes it a three-way tie for the championship. Seeding then would be based on the point differential, but we will tackle that when or if the time presents itself. In Carrizo, Devine found itself down 22-0 before reality set in that the Warhorses were in for a ballgame against the Wildcats. The Horses finally showed some life when Brayden Reyes finally got Devine’s goose egg off Frank Carter Field’s scoreboard with a 19-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion to cut the deficit to 22-8 with 9:22 left in the third quarter. Most of Warhorse Nation thought that was the spark Devine needed to get their…
