By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILE HERALD
LOS FRESNOS — Given a choice, no team wants to be 0-2 in District 32-6A, or any other district for that matter.
That’s why Friday’s game between the Los Fresnos Falcons and Harlingen South Hawks was so important as both teams were coming off losses in last week’s 32-6A openers.
As it turned out, Los Fresnos was the one getting the victory at Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium with a 35-7 triumph over the Hawks.
Los Fresnos led 7-0 after one quarter and 14-0 at halftime. The Falcons added three touchdowns in the third period to take a 35-0 advantage into the final 12 minutes when their reserves got a chance to play.
“Obviously, our defense stood out to me tonight,” Los Fresnos coach Patrick Brown said. “Our defense has played so hard. I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a defense that has made so many fourth-and-short stops, and they’ve done it week after week after week.
“Our offensive coaches and players are able to get so much confidence (because of our strong defensive effort),” Brown added. “We’re able to take some chances on offense that we wouldn’t normally take because of what our defense can do. Everyone is just playing so hard.”
Los Fresnos kept South scoreless in the first half even though the Hawks marched to the Falcons’ 4- and 8-yard lines on separate drives. On their drive that went to the 4-yard line, the Hawks wound up having a 21-yard field-goal attempt blocked at the 7:44 mark of the first quarter.
The Falcons, ranked No. 7 in the Valley, now are 3-2 overall and 1-1 in 32-6A, while South is 1-4 and 0-2, having suffered its fourth straight setback.
Los Fresnos bounced back from last week’s 43-33 defeat at San Benito, the Valley’s No. 1-ranked team, in the 32-6A opener for both ballclubs. South was coming off a 36-7 loss against Harlingen High in the 25th Bird Bowl in another 32-6A opener.
Los Fresnos quarterback Charles Chapa led the scoring for his team on Friday with three TD runs as the Falcons went ahead 21-0.
He scored on a 6-yard run at the 5:25 mark of the opening period to cap a 10-play, 93-yard drive and added a 3-yard uncontested jaunt into the end zone with 7:32 showing in the second quarter to provide the Falcons with a 14-0 edge at intermission, thanks to Adrian Torres’ extra-point kicks.
Chapa skipped into the end zone from 2 yards out with 8:22 left in the third period to increase the lead to 21-0.
“After losing against San Benito, tonight felt pretty good,” Chapa said. “We had to come out here and show everyone that we’re just not going to get run over by the other teams in our district, so this was a statement win for us.
“I give credit to the whole, entire offense (for helping me score),” Chapa added. “If I don’t get blocks on the outside by my receivers, I’m not scoring. If I’m not getting blocks up front by my ‘O-line,’ I’m not scoring, and if the running backs aren’t carrying out their fakes, I’m probably not going to score. That’s why I have to give a big thanks to everybody on the offense.”
It became 28-0 with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter when the Falcons returned a South punt 52 yards down the left sideline for another TD. Los Fresnos running back Matthew Medina burst up the middle 62 yards with 3:11 to go in the third period to make it 35-0. Medina, replacing injured starter Alberto Banuelos, led all rushers with 159 yards on 11 caries.
South got on the scoreboard with 6:25 left in the game when quarterback David Torres hooked up with Gilbert Jaure on a deep pass for a 37-yard scoring play.
South running back Jorge Alicea, the Hawks’ leading rusher and scorer, appeared to be out with an injury as he was on the sideline dressed in street clothes.
It was the second straight game that Torres, a sophomore, played QB for the Hawks in place of Dylan Carreon, a senior.
District 32-6A action continues next week as Los Fresnos is at home against Weslaco East and South plays host to Hanna.