WESLACO - Losing football teams outnumbered the winners through the first weekend of the 2017 high school football playoffs.  50 Valley schools started the season in August.  After 11 weeks of regular season action, the number of playoff qualifiers was slightly more than half at 28.  The bi-district round was punishing.  Just 12 teams stood ready for Thanksgiving week football, with three of those teams still to play on Saturday.  Only two Valley squads, McAllen Memorial and Rio Hondo, were able to win against out-of-Valley competition.  Seven games were guaranteed to provide a Valley team to the second round because they matched the Valley against the Valley.

The lack of qualifiers promises a shortage of Area round games to be played locally over the Thanksgiving weekend.  At press time, only McAllen Memorial and San Benito promised a game at a Valley location.

CHANNEL 5's Dave Brown has a summary of the night's action in this First & Goal Final report.