By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
Harlingen High has shown this season that it can matchup with any team in a high-scoring slugfest, but the last few games for the Cardinals have given them the chance to showcase their defensive chops.
Harlingen High coach Armando Rangel conducted a positional experiment during tournament play in early March in Corpus Christi with one of his most reliable veteran bats — senior George Stillman.
The move has paid dividends, as Stillman has evolved from a corner outfielder into a sure-handed first baseman, the “cornerstone” of the infield.
“We said, you know what, that’s where he’s going to stay,” Rangel said. “Because of the leadership that he has a senior, and he commands a lot of respect from the guys. Once we inserted him there at first base, our whole infield changed.”
With a young infield up the middle in freshman shortstop Thomas Lyssy and sophomore second baseman Jacob Marroquin, Stillman’s presence was exactly what the Cardinals needed to compliment another veteran leader at third base, senior John Ortega.
“We know those (younger) guys are going to make some mistakes,” Rangel said. “And that’s okay, sometimes they’ll make mistakes. But when we inserted (Stillman) at first, he eliminated some of those mistakes by picking up balls, by making hustle plays. As soon as we saw that, we knew he would solidify our defense.”
Stillman had been asked before to switch between left and right field, but never played infield for Harlingen High before this season.
“I played outfield most of my two varsity seasons,” Stillman said. “It was my first time playing first base at the high school level.”
Another impact player for the Cardinals this season is senior center fielder Frank Rodriguez, who along with senior left fielder Abraham Ibarra has held down the last line of defense for Harlingen High.
“I’m going to miss those two guys when they leave,” Rangel said. “They cover a lot of ground, and they eliminate a lot of outs out there, and that (minimizes) pitch count.”
Rodriguez said the team has been preparing for Laredo United South ace Hector Alva for the Cardinals’ area round matchup with the Panthers at 7 p.m. today at Laredo Unitrade Stadium.
“In the cages, we’re hitting curveballs,” Rodriguez said. “He’s also got a slider on him.”
The seniors on this year’s Harlingen High squad have been a stabilizing force, allowing them to bounce back from losses to Rivera in the final week of the regular season and Edinburg High in bi-district play. Rangel said his team’s trademark has been how it responds collectively to quash negativity — whether it comes on a single play or a throughout a game — with a determined attitude.
“The thing about this team is, it’s just about how they bounce back,” Rangel said. “When we lost against Edinburg High 5-0, they could have come back here and put their head down, but it’s like it never happened. That’s one thing we like about this group. You might have a bad game, or a terrible game, but you come to the next game and it’s like it never happened.”