DAVE FAVILA | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — It seems fitting that the Valley Morning Star’s final Game of the Week for the 2014 regular season is Bird Bowl XXII.
The annual rivalry between the Harlingen Cardinals and Harlingen South Hawks has pretty much been a one-sided affair in favor of the Red Birds since it began in 1993.
However, as the saying goes, record books usually go out the widow in rivalry games and anything can happen when longtime competitors face off.
The Cardinals lead the all-time series 17-4 and have won the last six straight.
And while the Cards are the odds-on favorite to win Bird Bowl XXII on Friday and make it seven in a row, the Hawks may have something to say about that.
Last week the Hawks stunned the San Benito Greyhounds 21-20 and proved that while they may be a young squad, they are growing up quickly and can be dangerous.
The Cardinals enter the contest with a 4-2 district mark and have already clinched a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, the Hawks come in with a 2-4 league record and have no shot at a playoff spot even with an upset win on Friday.
However, the Cards still have an outside shot at winning a share of the District 32-6A championship if Brownsville Rivera beats San Bentio on Friday.
So while a Hawks win would not keep the Cards out of the postseason, it would undoudtely hurt Big Red by handing the Cards their first three-loss district season in several years.
The Hawks have only won four Bird Bowls, with their last victory coming in 2007 when they won 21-7.
They also beat Harlingen in 2006 (17-6), 1999 (17-14) and 1998 (35-14).
Bird Bowl results
HARLINGEN — The following are the past Bird Bowl results between the Harlingen Cardinals and Harlingen South Hawks. Harlingen leads the all-time series 17-4.
Bird Bowl I Harlingen 13, South 12 (1993)
Bird Bowl II: Harlingen 25, South 22 (1994)
Bird Bowl III Harlingen 29, South 0 (1995)
Bird Bowl IV Harlingen 14, South 7 (1996)
Bird Bowl V Harlingen 48, South 14 (1997)
Bird Bowl VI South 35, Harlingen 14 (1998)
Bird Bowl VII South 17, Harlingen 14 (1999)
Bird Bowl VIII Harlingen 35, South 21 (2000)
Bird Bowl IX Harlingen 42, South 17 (2001)
Bird Bowl X Harlingen 26, South 22 (2002)
Bird Bowl XI Harlingen 31, South 28 (2003)
Bird Bowl XII Harlingen 42, South 26 (2004)
Bird Bowl XIII Harlingen 52, South 36 (2005)
Bird Bowl XIV South 17, Harlingen 6 (2006)
Bird Bowl XV South 21, Harlingen 7 (2007)
Bird Bowl XVI Harlingen 54, South 7 (2008)
Bird Bowl XVII Harlingen 66, South 7 (2009)
Bird Bowl XVIII Harlingen 75, South 21 (2010)
Bird Bowl XIX Harlingen 69, South 7 (2011)
Bird Bowl XX Harlingen 38, South 23 (2012)
Bird Bowl XXI Harlingen 21, South 14 (2013)