GREG LUCA AND MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
After winning two straight games and three of the past four, La Joya Palmview coach Margarito Requenez had mixed feelings about hitting the open week in his schedule.
On one hand, he’d like to get back on the field this week so the Lobos can continue the roll they’ve been on. On the other, Palmview lost some key defensive players to injury during last week’s win against McAllen Rowe and can use the time off to get back to 100 percent.
“I don’t like bye weeks. They kind of throw your whole rhythm off,” Requenez said. “But I’d rather take a bye week and get those kids healthy that I lost last night, so they can come back.”
Since an 0-3 start to the season, including a pair of losses by 30 points or more, Palmview has started to find its footing offensively.
Quarterback Jon Zieseke ranks second in District 30-6A with 941 passing yards, and wideout Tristan Myende tops the district with 525 receiving yards. Running back Joel Piña also sits second in the district with 767 rushing yards, having hit his stride as a once banged-up offensive line has come together around him. Piña has cracked 100 yards in three of the past four games, including season bests of 37 carries for 204 yards against Rowe.
Palmview sits third in the district standings at 2-1 and 3-4 overall, with the matchup against powerhouse McAllen Memorial already out of the way.
“We’re in a very good spot,” Requenez said. “We have three games left, three hard games. And I keep telling them it doesn’t matter how many games we have left. We need to take it one game at a time. And as long as we keep our focus on a one game at a time attitude, I think we’ll be OK.”
GETTING GOING
When starting sweeper Hector Ramirez suffered an injury early during McAllen Rowe’s Week 3 matchup against Brownsville Porter, coach Bobby Flores started looking into other options at the position. Ramirez never missed a game, but the scare was a wake-up call to find more bodies at a spot where Flores always wants to have fresh legs available.
Looking through his program, Flores found his second option in a freshman, Horacio Moronta. After a few weeks of practice, Moronta got his first taste of varsity action last week, catching three passes for 42 yards and a touchdown against La Joya Palmview.
“He showed a lot of speed and agility, and obviously he had good hands,” Flores said. “He’s young, but he’s picking it up and learning. He’s a good athlete. … There’s no doubt about it: He has a lot of potential.”
With Moronta adding a new dynamic and Ramirez continuing to thrive in the role, running back Raudel Garcia has come on strong. After averaging 13 carries for 67.3 yards during the Warriors first three games, Garcia has picked up an average of 144.7 yards on 21.3 carries in Rowe’s three most recent contests.
“Even last year, he ran the ball hard when we did run it, so I knew he was something special,” Flores said. “This year, we put in our new scheme of things, and him getting a feel for our running lanes and our plays as far as our blocking schemes, he’s gotten better and better as the weeks have gone by.”
SEEING IMPROVEMENT
Though PSJA Memorial endured a 14-0 loss to Edinburg High in Week 7, coach Michael Uribe was encouraged by his team’s defensive efforts.
The Wolverines (0-6, 0-3 in district) yielded two touchdowns and 178 yards (both season bests), while surrendering just 15 yards in the air against an Edinburg High team that is in position to make the playoffs. It was a stark contrast from the Wolverines’ previous five games, in which they allowed an average of 38.6 points and 372.2 yards.
“It’s just a matter of understanding the concepts, the coverages we run and our responsibilities,” Uribe said. “Every play has to be orchestrated in order to work. A lot of times, it’s minor mistakes here and there — or we get beat here and there — and that causes breaks in the defense. That’s why we feel football is the ultimate team sport; all 11 players have to be on the same page.”
Uribe anticipates his defense improving with Luis Ovando, a senior defensive end, back from a hand injury he sustained during a preseason scrimmage. Aside from his physical play, Ovando’s demeanor, experience and leadership have been a welcome addition to a relatively young defense (two sophomores, two juniors at linebacker; one sophomore, two juniors in the secondary).
“We tell them that we all work together,” Uribe said. “We will succeed together, and we will fail together. So we have to keep lifting each other up. We have to take care of each other. We’re all on the same boat. If we’re on track, we’re all going to sail, if not, we’ll sink.”