PHARR — PSJA North’s rise to the top starts with its offensive line.
Although the Raiders have expanded their play-calling this season to incorporate more passing, when they need to put together a drive to eat up clock or put points on the scoreboard head coach Marcus Kaufmann and company fall back on their bread and butter.
“We got behind those offensive linemen, got behind those big dogs. That’s the heart and soul of our team — that offensive line and Ale (Aparicio),” Kaufmann said after PSJA North’s 28-21 Game of the Week win over Edinburg Vela last week.
The Raiders’ offensive line features four juniors and one sophomore in its starting five — left tackle Dante Garcia, left guard Adaen Sanchez, center Joe Derek Vecchio, right guard Agustin Renterria and the sophomore Jordan Brewster at right tackle. All five are listed as 6 feet or taller and their average weight is 274 pounds.
PSJA North (5-0, 2-0) already overpowered its toughest challenge to win the District 15-5A DI title by taking down Edinburg Vela. If the Raiders end the regular season hoisting a district championship trophy, their offensive line will have paved the road to get there.
TRENDING UPWARD
The eight-team District 15-5A DI features five playoff qualifiers from a season ago — Edinburg Vela, McAllen High, McAllen Memorial, McAllen Rowe and PSJA North.
While all have goals of making it back to the postseason in 2022, La Joya Palmview has other plans.
The Lobos are off to their best start since 2011 with a 4-1 overall record and 1-1 mark in district play. Palmview pulled off a stunner in Week 5 with a 21-12 win over McAllen Memorial, sending the Lobos into the bye week on a high note.
Next for Palmview is PSJA North (5-0, 2-0) on Oct. 7 at La Joya ISD Pack Stadium in La Joya.
Meanwhile, two District 16-5A DI teams — PSJA Memorial (3-2, 0-0) and Roma (3-2, 0-0) — are making noise as they look to end playoff droughts.
The Wolverines haven’t qualified for the playoffs since 2011. This year’s group, however, already has surpassed the program’s win total from 2019-2021 (one) with three this season.
The Gladiators enter their bye week as winners of three straight, including a Week 5 upset over previously unbeaten Brownsville Porter 43-21 last Friday.
The 3-2 start for Roma is the team’s best since 2015, which was also the last year the Gladiators made a playoff appearance.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
McAllen High sophomore quarterback Joaquin Valdez looked in complete command of the Bulldogs’ offense during a 55-14 win over Rio Grande City in Week 5. He completed 19-of-28 passes for 371 yards and five touchdowns, all season-highs.
Mission Veterans senior receiver Enrique Ordaz was a key contributor during the Patriots’ 27-25 victory against Brownsville Hanna. Ordaz was on the receiving end of all three of Mission Veterans’ touchdown passes, finishing with four catches for 105 yards. He also made a heads-up play during the fourth quarter by jumping on a muffed punt by Hanna that helped Mission Veterans seal the victory.
La Villa junior quarterback Brandon Felix lifted the Cardinals to a 40-14 Week 5 win over Harlingen Marine Military Academy and had a hand in all six of his team’s touchdowns. Felix threw for 138 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 90 yards and two touchdowns, and caught two passes for 13 yards and one score.