BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
Even during the blistering heat of the summer, with the start of football season still seven weeks away, the Hidalgo Pirates have a goal.
“We want to put Hidalgo football back on the map,” senior quarterback Peter Quiroz said. “We’re trying to make a name for ourselves.
The Pirates will look to begin their season-long quest for legitimacy Thursday when they participate in the state 7-on-7 football tournament in College Station. Hidalgo will be one of three Valley teams to compete in the 64 team pool.
This year marks the first time the Pirates have qualified for state, a goal the team made for themselves from the get-go.
“The boys all practiced hard and did what they needed to do,” 7-on-7 coach David Navarro said. “They want to go up there and compete and see how they do against schools that aren’t from the Valley.”
Along with gaining experience, Hidalgo players are also using the summer leagues as a chance to grow accustomed to the system of coach David Duty, who was hired in March. Duty looks to stabilize a program that has seen four coaches come and go in as many years. Quiroz says he already senses a change in the locker room.
“Last year, we were kind of all over the place,” senior receiver Eliud Castillo said. “We needed someone to put us in our place. Discipline wise, the coaches have put us in our place, telling us flat out what’s expected of us.”
The Pirates went 1-9 a season ago, and have posted a record of 20-32 since 2010. In the last five seasons, 2012 was the only year in which Hidalgo had a winning record.
“Everything has been a learning experience for us,” Castillo said. “You win just as much from your wins as you do from your losses.”
With room for improvement across the depth chart, the team is exploiting the non-contact play of 7-on-7 competition to improve its offensive capabilities.
“We’re focusing on our receivers running better routs,” Navarro said. “We’re really looking for them to step up for us.”
Quiroz, who has played alongside Castillo since junior high, says the pair are ready to lead the Pirates.
“I’ve been working on my accuracy and trying to make myself better,” he said. “And it’s really nice to have (Eliud) out there with me. He always knows what to do, where to be. If you throw it his way, he’s going to do whatever it takes to go and get it.”