By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer
When the Los Fresnos Falcons completed their fifth game of the district season — a loss to the Hanna Golden Eagles — they owned a 2-3 record in 32-6A.
Things looked bleak at that point, and coach Marco Hinojosa hoped his team could rally for a playoff berth.
Instead, the Falcons proceeded to string together eight straight wins, finishing the district season 10-4. The final record was enough to earn a co-district championship, their first since 1982 — 33 years ago.
“We struggled at the beginning to find our identity. We started 0-2 in district, but I knew we had a good team with good players,” Hinojosa said. “At the end of the day, I give all the credit to the kids.
“We just needed to get some wins just to get into the playoff hunt. That was our goal. I told the kids, ‘District might be out of reach, we’re fighting for a playoff spot now.’ But when we got on an eight-game winning streak, I told the guys, ‘We put ourselves in a very good position, now we just have to finish the job.’”
The second-year coach led his team to the postseason last year, but this season set a new benchmark for the Falcons’ basketball program. It played host to the PSJA North Raiders in the bi-district round and pulled ahead for its first postseason victory in team history.
“The most memorable game of this year would be the playoff win. It was a packed house, and we were down all game,” Hinojosa said. “The kids showed their toughness, keeping their heads up and not giving up.
“In the fourth quarter with less than a minute to go, two freshmen came up big for the team. We’ve had different guys step up all year, but for two freshmen to go 6 for 6 from the (free-throw) line and help Los Fresnos win a playoff game at home in front of our crowd was great.”
Youth will be key for the Falcons moving forward. Hinojosa anticipates his team’s recent success will carry over into future seasons. The younger players who had an impact this year will be expected to carry the torch.
“We’re losing five seniors overall, two starters that played a big role for our team,” he said. “I already told the kids that these seniors laid the foundation for them. I expect to compete for another district title, I expect to win another bi-district game and hopefully get an area championship this time.
“Each year from here on out, I expect to do great things.”
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.