By ROY HESS | Staff Writer
One week without a football game was simply one week too many for the Hanna Golden Eagles.
The threat of tropical storm activity in the Gulf of Mexico caused the Eagles’ non-district game at Weslaco East last Friday to be canceled.
“We worked out the whole week and prepared thinking we were going to be playing, but of course, we didn’t get to play,” said Mark Guess, Hanna’s third-year coach. “If anything, it makes our guys even more hungry to get back out on the field.
“It wasn’t like having a bye week,” Guess added. “The silver lining was it gave us more time for our injuries to heal.”
Hanna (1-1) plays host to Sharyland High (1-2) in a non-district matchup at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sams Memorial Stadium.
The Eagles are ranked No. 4 in the most recent RGVSports.com Top 10. The Rattlers are unranked this week.
The last action for Hanna was a 35-20 loss Sept. 7 at Edinburg Vela, the Rio Grande Valley’s top-ranked team. Sharyland High is coming off last Friday’s 31-7 setback at home against La Joya High.
Sharyland High coach Ron Adame said Friday’s game against Hanna offers the Rattlers an opportunity to get back into the win column against a strong opponent.
“We need to go into the game with the right mindset and be patient (for things to develop for us),” the seventh-year Rattlers coach said. “We need to win the third-down battle and the turnover battle.”
The Rattlers boast an experienced senior quarterback in Edgar Longoria, who is considered a legitimate dual-threat signal caller with three rushing touchdowns and one passing score so far in 2018. Running and passing, he accounted for 32 TDs last season. Longoria, hampered by an illness, was feeling less than 100 percent last week and saw limited action against La Joya High.
Longoria is expected to be available for the entire game against the Eagles.
Sharyland has a quarterback that is dangerous,” Guess said. “They have several people who can run the ball, plus their defense is sound. We have to make sure we play fundamental football against them.”
Adame is equally complimentary of the Eagles.
“Hanna is very athletic and well-coached,” Adame said. “I’m impressed with running back Cesar Mancias and their quarterback, Victor Campos, who is a great pilot and very capable. The scheme Hanna runs on defense requires athletic players to make it work, and Hanna has them. Their defensive line impresses me.
“We can’t afford to give up the big play,” Adame added. “Hanna certainly has come up with some big plays.”
Having played only two games, Mancias ranks second in rushing in District 32-6A with 274 yards and five TDs with a 5.8-yard average per rush on 47 carries. His five TDs (30 points scored) lead the district.
Campos ranks fifth passing-wise in 32-6A. He has completed 21 of 41 passes for 381 yards and three TDs with one interception.
Miguel Payan is Hanna’s top receiver with six catches for 162 yards and two scores in two games.
The last time the two teams played each other was 2013 when Sharyland High defeated Hanna 42-0 in Mission during the season opener.
The season continues for both teams next week with Sharyland High opening District 16-5A Division II action at home Sept. 28 against Laredo Cigarroa and Hanna playing a non-district game Sept. 29 in San Antonio against Amarillo Tascosa.
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess