NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
The parity throughout District 30-6A has eluded McAllen Memorial.
The district has been a mixed bag for the teams ranked second through seventh in the standings. McAllen Rowe has had impressive performances against La Joya Juarez-Lincoln and McAllen High but just squeezed by Mission High in overtime. Even winless La Joya Palmview had a close call last week in a 2-point loss to Mission High.
The Mustangs haven’t lost a district game since Oct. 25., 2013, pushing their win streak in district to 24 straight games.
Coach Bill Littleton wanted to make sure his defense was not ignored amid all the chatter about the team’s well-known rushing attack.
Ace Chavez is one of those leaders making sure Memorial isn’t threatened. The Mustangs haven’t had a district game finish within a 10-point margin since Sept. 26, 2014.
“Ace has been a real solid football player these past couple years,” Littleton said. “He’s a kid that often gets overlooked. He just goes out there every day and does his job. Sometimes you might miss a few things that he does, but when you sit down and analyze the ballgame, he’s a big part of our defense.”
Chavez has 49 tackles to his name in 2017, plus an interception return for a touchdown and a fumble recovery.
On the theme of unsung heroes, Littleton commended the all-around effort of senior fullback Emiliano Cruz. Even as the lead blocker for Campbell Speights, he’s had a good season in his own right with 457 yards and six TDs.
“The two games we had setbacks in, he wasn’t a big part of those two ballgames,” Littleton said. “He’s a kid that’s going to run hard and do his job. Does a good job blocking for us. He’s a very valuable part of our offense.”