By MARK MOLIONA
Staff Writer
With a 6-1 record and one of the top seats atop District 16-4A DII, the Rio Hondo Bobcats are in a good position with just three games to go.
However, despite handing the then state-ranked Port Isabel Tarpons their first loss of the season last week, the Bobcats have no time to relax as they prepare to host the 6-1 Orange Grove Bulldogs tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium.
For the Bobcats (6-1, 2-0), they walk into a game with a lot on the line in terms of the district standings for the second straight week.
With this game being for a share of the title, the Bobcats are confident that their focus is where it needs to be.
“The Morale is high. We’re coming into our second big game and we have another one next week, so nothing gets easier,” Rio Hondo head coach Rocky James said.” The kids are very well-prepared. You always worry about a let down, but I don’t think this group will have that let down. We’ve had spirited practices; I think the kids are ready.”
Last week, the Bobcats defense took on a stout Port Isabel running attack and came out on top, but this week, it’s a different look as the Bulldogs boast the best passing attack in the district according to the numbers.
The Orange Grove (6-1, 2-0) passing attack is also the top passing attack in the district, passing for 1,843 yards in their seven games this year and is led by junior quarterback Hondo Harris who has passed for 17 touchdowns this year.
That is more than 1,100 yards better than the Bobcats, which statistically come in as the number two team in that category with 721.
However, the Bobcats are second in the district behind the Bulldogs in defending the pass, and have pressured quarterbacks, recording 37 sacks on the year.
Orange Grove also has more than 1,000 yards on the ground this year, making them balanced.
The Bobcats hope to force them one way with their district-best run defense.”
“We’re going to play them (Orange Grove) tough upfront and make them beat us basically. We saw that some teams gave them easy catches, but we need to make every play hard on them,” James said. “We have a really good run-stopping team so we need to try and make them one dimensional; hopefully from there we can put some more guys in the secondary.”
The Bobcats have also forced turnovers as good as any team in the district this year.
Meanwhile Rio Hondo will look to counter with their running game against an Orange Grove squad that has given up 1142 yards this year to opposing rushers.
So look for running back Marco Garate to get a heavy workload and for quarterback Eli Pitones to try to get away from pressure and get up the field.
The two have rushed for 1136 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.