Texas State Football Championships

Two teams (Refugio and Shiner) from the Victoria Advocate's coverage area played in the Texas State Championships in Arlington at AT&T Stadium on Thursday.

Fellow Advocate photographers Mason Trinca and Kat Duncan covered the action of both games while I worked the crowd and looked for more feature oriented photos to help diversify the coverage a bit.

Here are a few frames from the assignment:

Richard Rico Deleon Remembrance Balloon Release

A sad set of circumstances took place on Thanksgiving Day in Victoria as 17-year-old Richard Rico Deleon died due to a gun related incident. At the moment, the case is still under investigation and the details surrounding his death are unclear.

On Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, family and friends gathered at a Victoria area park to remember him and share stories from his life.

Despite the very recent tragedy, the Deleon family graciously allowed me to spend time with them to try and capture the various emotions that come with a sudden death.

Here are a few frames from my afternoon with them:

Richard Rico Deleon's friends, from left, Jared Gonzales, Josh Brown and Matthew Gonzales take a moment to remember him at a vigil at a pavilion off of North Ben Wilson Street in Victoria, Texas on Dec. 1, 2013. "I've known him since we were like 11 years old," Brown said. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

A group of Richard Rico Deleon's friends and family take a moment to remember him at a vigil at a park off of North Ben Wilson Street in Victoria, Texas on Dec. 1, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Richard Rico Deleon's mother, Sandra Deleon, left, hugs her grandson at a gathering of remembrance on Dec. 1, 2013 in Victoria, Texas for her son who was killed on Thanksgiving Day in Bloomington, Texas. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Friends and family of Richard Rico Deleon wrote messages of remembrance on his favorite jacket at a pavilion off of North Ben Wilson Street in Victoria, Texas on Dec. 1, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Sandra Deleon, of Bloomington, left, is consoled by her husband Joe Ramirez at their family's vigil for their son Richard Rico Deleon, 17, who was killed on Thanksgiving Day, at a pavilion off of North Ben Wilson Street in Victoria. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Ally Alonzo Durham,  right, writes a message on a basketball that belonged to her deceased friend Richard Rico Deleon at a vigil for him at a pavilion off of North Ben Wilson Street in Victoria, Texas on Dec. 1, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Sandra Deleon, of Bloomington, left, embraces a family member at a vigil for her deceased son at a pavilion off of North Ben Wilson Street in Victoria, Texas on Dec. 1, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Sandra Deleon, bottom right, watches balloons being released into the sky at a vigil for her deceased son at a pavilion off of North Ben Wilson Street in Victoria, Texas on Dec. 1, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Multiple Myeloma

The Lara family celebrated Thanksgiving early this year because of Vincent Lara's impending admittance to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to begin chemotherapy treatment for multiple myeloma.

Reporter Elena Watts and I spent some time with the family to help tell their story.

Here are a few frames:

Vincent Lara sits in his mother's home in Victoria, Texas with his nieces Jaylynn Flores, 13, left, and Ava Flores, 7, right, during a family Thanksgiving get-together before he was eventually admitted to MD Anderson Hospital for multiple myeloma treatment in Houston weeks later. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Katherine Vargas, left, feeds her son Trent, 1, while her brother Nicholas Sanchez feeds her other son, Ty, 1, at their grandmother's home in Victoria, Texas during an early Thanksgiving celebration their family celebrated before Vincent Lara would eventually be admitted to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston for multiple myeloma cancer treatment. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Susana Lara wears the ring, on her right hand ring finger, her husband, Vincent Lara, gave her when she was 16 years old before they married. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Vincent Lara celebrates an early Thanksgiving with family in Victoria, Texas. Lara's sister, Vanessa Flores, donated stem cells to help in the treatment of his multiple myeloma cancer. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

From left, Ava Flores, 7, T.J. Vargas, 9, N.J. Sanchez, 4, Trey Vargas, 4, and Jaylynn Flores, 13, play together at their grandmother's house in Victoria, Texas during an early Thanksgiving celebration. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Tylee Flores, 2, sits in her father Rudy Flores' lap at her grandmother's home in Victoria, Texas during an early Thanksgiving celebration her family celebrated before Vincent Lara would eventually be admitted to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston for multiple myeloma cancer treatment. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Vincent Lara pushes his niece, Tylee Flores, 2, on a swing set outside of his mother's home in Victoria, Texas during an early Thanksgiving celebration his family celebrated before he would eventually be admitted to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston for multiple myeloma cancer treatment. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Refugio vs. Rogers High School Playoff Football

Last Friday, I had the good fortune of being able to photograph perhaps the single most exciting game of football I have ever witnessed.

Watching Refugio High quarterback Travis Quintanilla break the all-time Texas State high school career passing yards record and then go on to win in a stunning 73-72 overtime finish was quite the spectacle.

"That was one of the best high school games I've seen in 30 years," said (legendary) Texas sports reporter Mike Forman after the game. We couldn't stop talking about it the whole way home from Houston.

Here are a few images from the game:

Refugio High quarterback Travis Quintanilla celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass against Rogers High at Ken Pridgeon Stadium in Houston, Texas on Nov. 29, 2013. Quintanilla passed for 712 yards, breaking the Texas State high school career passing yards record, on the way to a 73-72 victory in overtime. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Rogers High quarterback Colton Maiorka jumps past Refugio High defenders at Ken Pridgeon Stadium in Houston, Texas on Nov. 29, 2013. Refugio High would go on to win 73-72 in overtime. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Rogers High running back Brody Malovets, center, is tackled by Refugio High players J.B. Brown, left, and Alex Coronado, right, at Ken Pridgeon Stadium in Houston, Texas on Nov. 29, 2013. Refugio High would go on to win 73-72 in overtime. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Refugio High players watch on the sidelines as the game winning extra point clinches their 73-72 victory in overtime against Rogers High on Nov. 29, 2013 at Ken Pridgeon Stadium in Houston, Texas. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Refugio High band members, from left, Lizbeth Delgado, Krystal Garcia and Hannah Heard cheer as Refugio High scores a touchdown to tie the game at 66-66 late in the fourth quarter at Ken Pridgeon Stadium in Houston, Texas on Nov. 29, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Refugio High kicker Adolfo Cordero, center, celebrates with teammate Julian Murillo, left, after kicking the game winning extra point to win 73-72 against Rogers High in overtime at Ken Pridgeon Stadium in Houston, Texas on Nov. 29, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Refugio High defensive lineman Jonathan Cantu, bottom left, celebrates with teammates after defeating Rogers High 73-72 in overtime at Ken Pridgeon Stadium in Houston, Texas on Nov. 29, 2013. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

The Victoria Advocate | November 30, 2013