(photo courtesy/Hidalgo Early College High School)
By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
This past Saturday, June 28th, the 37th Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held in Harlingen, TX. Among the class of 2025 individual inductees was former Port Isabel High School
AD/Football Head Coach, Monty “Stump” Stumbaugh. He now joins other former PI head coaches inducted into the RGVSHOF, Alex Leal (1996), John C. Lerma (2000), Willie Crafts (2003), Tommy Roberts (2009),
and Tony Villarreal III (2018).
Stumbaugh spent 44 years in the field of education, getting his start in 1979 at Wilson Jr. High in Lubbock, TX. He then moved to Midland in 1981-95 where he was defensive coordinator for Midland High School.
From 1996-2000, he got hired at Cuero where his team reached the State Finals in 1998.
In 2001, he got his first head coaching opportunity at Port Isabel HS, where his spent his next 15 years coaching the mighty Tarpons. He departed Port Isabel after the 2016 season, but not before posting a 124-
64 overall record. Under Stumbaugh, the Tarpons recorded nine District Championships, five Bi-District Championships, two Area Championships, one Regional Championship and one Quarterfinal Championship.
One of the more memorable Tarpons’ seasons under Stumbaugh was the 2003 football season where Port Isabel fell short of the state title game by one round.
Although, the Tarpons managed to clinch a share of the district title with Lyford that year, the young Tarpons entered the playoffs under the radar, sporting a somewhat average 6-3 overall record.
With the benefit of a bye week, the Tarpons used the extra time to prepare for their first playoff opponent, Orange Grove. By the end of the game, the Tarpons walked away with a dominant 28-0 shutout of the
Bulldogs. The Tarpons started to raise some eyebrows the following week when they beat the Hondo Owls 37-20 in the Area round. The Tarpons then upset Liberty Hill in a 35-27 Regional Semi-Finals game, picking
up their sixth win in a row.
In the Quarterfinal round, the Mighty Tarpons faced off with Altair Rice Consolidated at the Alamo Stadium in San Antonio, TX. After four grueling, hard-fought quarters, the game was tied at 35-35. After four
overtime sessions, the Tarpons finally came away with a 63-61 win, which at the time became the highest scoring high school playoff game in Texas history.
Unfortunately, the Tarpons suffered some injuries to some key players in that game and were not at full strength when they met Marlin in the State Semi-Finals. The Bulldogs went on to defeat the Tarpons 41-10,
ending one of the most exciting football seasons the Tarpons have ever had.
Current Defensive Coordinator for the Tarpons, Albert Barberena III was grateful for coach Stumbaugh as he was the one who gave him his first coaching opportunity. “Stump always taught us to do things the right
way and to make sure your decisions were based on the best interest of the kids. He gave our Tarpon community great memories.” Said Barbarena III. “I’m very proud and honored that he is in RGV hall of fame. Well deserved!”
Former PI football player, Brandon Cantu recalled his days playing under Stumbaugh like it was yesterday.
“He was strict like a dad and always encouraged and pushed us. He made sure to make us behave if not he
would punish us. He was a man of few words so when he spoke, we listened. He knew all his kids individually and treated us differently but respectfully.” Said Cantu. “He always ran the same plays from his play book
until we ran the route right and made it a success.”
In 2017, Stumbaugh became the head coach at Hidalgo where he spent five years coaching the Pirates. He then retired in 2022 with an overall record of 148-98. He recently has now come back to the sport as an
assistant at Brownsville St. Joe.
Besides coach Stumbaugh, the other individual 2025 Class inductees were Roberto Garza (football), Jake Gautreau (baseball), Juan Escobar (basketball), Diana Trevino Lerma (volleyball), Mario Rodriguez
(softball), and Ford Sasser (official).
The RGVSHOF organization, honors people who were born or raised in the RGV and who have brought pride and recognition to the region through outstanding achievements in sports.
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