Brothers Trent and Bailey Zappe pushed each other to be better football players ever since they were kids, always arguing about who was the best.

Houston Baptist University quarterback Bailey Zappe wasn’t an ordinary freshman last season.

HALLETTSVILLE – Rhett Trlicek has known since his freshman season at Hallettsville that twin sister, Rylee, would be continuing her softball career on the college level.

El Campo's Rueben Owens and Shiner's Dalton Brooks have already firmly planted their legacies at their respective schools. They hope their senior years can leave those legacies there for generations.

Travis Reeve has spent a majority of his coaching career at Cuero.

EL MATON – The years 1999 and 2018 will always be special for Bryce Galvan.

Bryce Sitka’s high school season ended in April, but the incoming Victoria West junior didn’t stop playing baseball.

Go ahead and call me a homer.

Shiner's Ryan Peterson made one of the biggest decisions of his life and made sure he will play beyond college by committing to Sam Houston State University

Gage Perry comes from a family of educators.

Rhett Trlicek’s final season at Hallettsville ended in the area playoffs.

AUSTIN – Rylee Trlicek and Hallettsville had a lot to be proud of after winning a school record 30 straight games and overcoming six rounds of the playoffs to reach

WEIMAR — Pitcher Rylee Trlicek and catcher Kenna Lange are playing in their third postseason together for Hallettsville.

BAY CITY – Kathy Perry encouraged her son to participate in athletics.

Bailey Zappe didn’t receive much attention from recruiters coming out of high school at Victoria East.

SAN ANTONIO – Falls City’s Keyshawn Johnson had no idea if Burton’s Tristan Brantley’s 27-yard game-winning field goal attempt was successful.

In a game for the ages, the Refugio Bobcats had an incredible and improbable fourth-quarter comeback to beat Shiner on a 35-yard field goal with 5 seconds left.

Victoria East quarterback Latavian Johnson spent the week preparing for Friday night’s game but winning is the last thing on the junior quarterback’s mind.

Naaji Gadsden has never been to Plainview, but even a two-day journey of over 600 miles hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm.

Following are the Victoria Advocate-area all-district teams selected by the coaches. * Designates unanimous selection.

SHINER – Shiner worked hard on special teams leading up to last week’s game at Goliad.

VANDERBILT – Kenny Haynes took it personal when Edna was picked to finish fourth in the newly aligned District 14-3A, Division I.

Hallettsville senior quarterback DJ Taylor has signed a letter of intent to play football at Southeastern University in the fall. Southeastern is an NAIA school located in Lakeland, Fla. Taylor

SAN ANTONIO – Antwaan Gross was playing in a fourth-round playoff game for the first time, but it was hard to tell.

EDNA – Edna’s opponents know someone named Logan will line up at quarterback.

Jared Kelley had his senior season at Refugio cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABILENE — Juan Leal remembered the hard work he and his El Campo teammates had put in this summer.

Justin Barr capped off the Victoria Generals' regular-season finale with a walk off RBI single to secure a 9-8 Texas Collegiate League win over the Acadiana Cane Cutters on Friday

CHICAGO – Houston Baptist University’s Gamar Girdy was selected as the kick returner on the STATS FCS All-America Second Team, the organization announced Thursday.

SEGUIN — As the leadoff hitter for Shiner, Cameron Cowan’s job is to get on base to use her speed and quickness.

WEIMAR — Ryan Peterson did his best to ignore the north wind that was blowing at his back and concentrate on the task at hand.

MVPs

Hallettsville and Shiner have worked hard to earn an opportunity to play at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Luis Vargas doesn’t shy away from the big moment.

The 2020 Victoria Advocate All-Area Football Team.

SHINER — Shiner has never shied away from tough competition and this season is no different.

Spencer Gantt will report to work at the VISD Athletic Office on Wednesday as he has for the last year.

CUERO — Cuero’s Regan Dunn and Beeville’s Aaliyah Ruiz gave fans in attendance a glimpse of whats to come next season for the Lamar University softball team.

GOLIAD – Tuffy Dornburg is swinging a bigger stick – literally.

Burks led the nation with 257 tackles and Brooks rushed for 2,530 yards and 37 touchdowns, and had six receptions for 202 yards and five touchdowns to earn All-American honors

VANDERBILT – Matthew Davis has had to take on a new role this year.

Victoria East grad Bailey Zappe and Cuero's Caeveon Patton have put in all the work they can in hopes of realizing their longtime dream of playing in the NFL. Now,

CUERO — A pair of undefeated, No. 7 ranked teams went into Gobbler Stadium Friday night intent on continuing a rivalry.

REFUGIO — Jordan Kelley was greeted by snow and single-digit temperatures during his visit to New York City.

Here is the 2022 All-Area baseball team for the Victoria Advocate coverage area.

AUSTIN – Four Hallettsville players were selected to the Class 3A all-state tournament team, including Gatorade Player of the Year Rylee Trlicek.