GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
With 15,000 fans expected in the Bobby Lackey Stadium and the outright District 31-6A title on the line, Weslaco High coach Tony Villarreal knows his team won’t need any extra motivation for Friday’s game against Weslaco East.
The Panthers have been hearing it all week from their friends, family and everyone else in the community: this game is for bragging rights and the series lead in the cross-city rivalry.
“I try not to tap into that, because they’re already emotionally to the brink,” Villarreal said. “If you have to fire these kids up for this game, they probably shouldn’t be in the locker room.”
Weslaco East coach Mike Burget has also chosen not to treat this game differently from any other district opponent. Yes, it’s for the district title, and that’s important. But any cross-city implications?
“I don’t think so,” Burget said. “A rivalry? The third time we’ve played them? If they want to call it a rivalry, I guess.”
Weslaco High certainly reacted like it was a rivalry game after their win last season, with linebacker Michael Torres saying the Panthers had “taken the town back.” Running back Eric Gonzalez remembered the feeling of losing to Weslaco East the first time the two schools met, in 2012.
“Any time a school that’s been open for 80 years, 100 years, 2000 years, compared to a school that’s been open about 10 years, I guess that would be a bad feeling,” Burget said. “But we just took it as another district game.”
For Weslaco High, this game is about more than bragging rights or even the title. After the team started the year 1-4, this game is about redemption.
“The kids feel like, for everything we went through, with people doubting us, they’ve got something to prove,” Villarreal said.
The Panthers knew they came into the season with high expectations, and Villarreal said they felt the weight of the negativity during the slow start.
During the first five weeks, the Panthers lost to Harlingen South, Corpus Christi King, Harlingen High and PSJA North. The only win came against Donna High, a 1-point victory that could have been thwarted were it not for a missed last-second field goal.
As the doubt increased, so did the Panthers’ focus.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen some real good teams, and we’ve had some good focus, but I’ve never seen this type of drive and this type of focus since I’ve been here,” said Villarreal, who is in his 10th year at Weslaco High.
The past four games, that focus has paid off. Weslaco High is on a four-game winning streak to move to 5-4, and 4-1 in district play. East is 8-1, and also 4-1 in district.
The Panthers’ offense, which averaged 210.2 yards per game during the slow start, is gaining 472.5 per game during the stretch.
Villarreal credited the improvement to the group’s high football IQ and the starting experience they gained during the early going.
Weslaco High suffered three injuries on the offensive line during the preseason, and the players who were forced to step in have grown into competent starters. Burget said he sees an improved Weslaco High offensive line with each game he watches on film.
“We’re peaking at the right time,” Villarreal said.
Also peaking at the right time is the Weslaco East defense. Weslaco East was allowing 362.1 yards per game through seven weeks but has yielded just 179.5 yards per game the past two outings in wins against PSJA North and Edinburg High.
On film, Villarreal has seen an improved defensive tackle group and linebacker corps. He also credited Burget’s willingness to use offensive studs Lupe Moron and Darren Rivas on that side of the ball when the team needs critical stops.
Burget said the keys are simply getting off blocks and tackling better now that a young group has had time to mature.
“Any time you play young guys at the beginning of the year, it takes time to grow up,” Burget said. “But we’re going into the 10th game. So even though it’s a freshman, we don’t consider him a freshman anymore.”