Falcons, Raiders meet for important game
By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer
A win for either the Los Fresnos Falcons or the Rivera Raiders would go a long way in their hunt for a postseason berth.
Each team is riding high after earning wins last week, and the two teams will battle at 7 tonight at Sams Memorial Stadium.
A two-loss skid to start District 32-6A play put the Raiders (2-5, 2-2 in district) behind the eight ball early, but they’ve countered with two straight wins and are now playing meaningful football games late in the season.
“Hopefully we keep the momentum, but I hope we can pick it up a notch,” Rivera coach Tom Chavez said. “We were losing by seven points last week and came back.
“Each of these games is important. We’ve got three games left and, except for San Benito, I think everyone is equal in this district. Any team can win on any night.”
Last week, the Raiders capitalized on a strong defensive effort that held the Harlingen South Hawks to fewer than 150 yards, including a scoreless second half.
Chavez is proud of the distinction that his team’s defense now ranks first among District 32-6A teams, allowing an average of only 251 yards to opposing teams.
“The defense has played well,” he said, “Especially because we played some tough teams early on. I think it helps a lot that our offense and defense have really started to jell.”
The Falcons (5-2, 3-1) will answer with a strong defense of its own.
Los Fresnos defeated the Harlingen High Cardinals 35-23 last week and now finds itself tied with the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers for second place in the district. A win tonight would give the Falcons a good shot at securing a playoff spot with Brownsville Veterans and Hanna remaining on the schedule.
If Los Fresnos is going to penetrate the Rivera defense, it will likely be the responsibility of the district’s third-ranked rusher and fifth-ranked passer. Quarterback Pierce Ruiz led the way last week with 144 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to go with 100 yards and one score through the air. The Falcons average nearly 35 points per game, which will be a certain test for the Raiders.
Falcons coach Clint Finley could not be reached via phone as of press time.
Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.