NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
The McAllen Memorial Mustangs are 1-2 heading into district play. Memorial will still be the team each of the other seven programs in 30-6A will be hoping to knock off after four years of pony power and consecutive district championships.
Non-district losses for coach Bill Littleton’s teams have not stopped them from handling their business in district play. The Mustangs haven’t lost a district game since the sophomore season of Trevor Speights, in 2013.
“I think we got better every week,” Littleton said. “We were better in Week 3 than what we were in Week 1, and that’s what you want to continue to do.”
The offense has scored 11 touchdowns, including seven in their last two outings — an overtime win over Sharyland High and a home loss to Vela a week ago.
Campbell Speights has had big nights in each game, to different extents. The junior had 154 rushing yards in a loss against Brownsville Hanna and 219 rushing against Sharyland High. In a 19-point Week 3 loss to RGVSports.com No. 1 team Edinburg Vela, he had only 56 rushing yards but added 36 receiving yards and 46 on kick returns.
“I think you got to play each game as it comes to you,” Littleton said. “When you schedule a tough non-district contender, you know things might not go the way you want them to go. Your team’s got to learn from their mistakes and know they were beaten by good people. The people that beat us would have beaten a lot of people.”
Even though the defense gave up 484 yards in Week 1 against Hanna and 421 total yards to Vela on Sept. 14, Littleton said his team is better than ever and should be a sharpened unit in the long run.
“I think this bunch is a whole lot better of what we were against Hanna,” Littleton said. “They continue to improve. That’s all you can ask of them. Get better each time they step on the field and let it lie where it lies. We’re getting closer and closer to putting the pieces together, and we feel like they’re going to be a good unit when it’s all said and done.”
At the end of non-district play, the goal is to be prepared for the most crucial games of the season until playoff games are earned. The veteran coach said he doesn’t overlook any opponent.
“We have all the respect for everybody we play,” Littleton said. “We know anybody in the district can beat anybody on any given day.”
The Mustangs’ title defense begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, when they host 3-0 Mission High.