FREDDY GONZALEZ | Staff Writer
SAN BENITO — The message in the San Benito Greyhounds’ locker room this week was simple: Stay focused.
With last week’s decisive area-round 56-37 victory over Laredo Alexander, the Greyhounds go into tonight’s 6A Division II regional matchup against the Schertz Clemens Buffaloes with plenty of momentum.
Tonight’s game will be played at Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Javelina Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7p.m.
Last week’s brilliant defensive display produced a total of eight turnovers for the ’Hounds, six of which were interceptions. And in order to go toe-to-toe with the Buffaloes, San Benito may need a repeat performance.
“The coaches do a good job day-to-day throughout the practice week of getting the kids prepared with the details of the game,” said San Benito head coach Dan Gomez.
“We are in the third round of the playoffs so it doesn’t take much to get the kids motivated. Just knowing that, everybody is excited to get to practice and get to work.”
One of the stars from last week’s game agrees that motivation won’t be a factor.
“We have a great coaching staff that helps us prepare for it Monday through Friday,” said cornerback Mario Valdez Jr. “We do so many drills, so many ball drills and so many pursuit drills. So when it comes to the game, everything just comes back to you. What helps us is the momentum that transitions from this game to the next.”
Defense will be the key to slowing down a potent run-heavy Clemens offense. The Buffaloes come into the contest racking up more than 5,900 yards this season, with 4,171 yards coming on the ground.
One of the Buffaloes’ biggest stars is quarterback Frank Harris, who has compiled 1,708 passing yards and 2,432 rushing yards.
THIRD-ROUND PLAYOFF WOES: For much of recent history, the third round has been the exit door for many Valley teams. Last year both Los Fresnos and Brownsville Rivera both lost at this round of the playoffs. However, Gomez hopes to change that this year.
“If you go listening to the media or social media that this is the round when Valley teams finished out their season, then you have already lost before you go into the week,” said Gomez. “We have to just put that aside and believe in what we can do and work on what we can do to get after it.”
Valdez agrees.
“We have a really tough district,” he said. “Every team we played against was a playoff contender. Every time we faced them it felt like it was another round in the playoffs.
“We are in the third round for a reason. We have a lot of heart and at the end it’s whoever wants it the most.”