By MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — While it was billed as a clash of District 32-6A heavies, it didn’t take long for the Harlingen High Cardinals to overwhelm the visiting Hanna Golden Eagles.
Behind big performances from brothers Jaime and Justin Galvan and a stingy defense, the Cardinals cruised to a 42-8 victory over the Eagles on Friday night at Boggus Stadium.
“ It’s what you prepare for during the offseason,” Harlingen High coach Manny Gomez. “You want to progress, you want to produce and you want to get better every week. It seemed like today, we played a pretty decent game. We were moving the ball and doing what we needed to do defensively. You also have to give credit to Hanna. They have a great competitor at the helm at quarterback, and they’re well-coached. It was a great game, and I definitely like the effort of the Cardinals.”
Harlingen High moves to 2-0 in district play (6-1 overall) and takes control of first place atop the 32-6A standings with three games to play. Hanna falls to 1-1 (3-4 overall).
“ We know when we play Harlingen, we have to prepare and have the best on the field,” Hanna coach Mark Guess said. “We came out tonight and had a good game plan, and they had a game plan, too. Ultimately, the bottom line is that they executed a lot better than we did. We just have to bounce back from this one, and continue to persevere and get through this season. In the end, we have three games guaranteed left, and we really feel we will make a run at the playoffs.”
Quarterback Jaime Galvan did it all for the Harlingen High offense, passing for three touchdowns, rushing for one and catching another on a throwback pass from brother Justin, who also caught a pair of scores.
The Cardinals’ defense zeroed in on Hanna quarterback Victor Campos, sacking him six times and forcing him into a pair of interceptions as he was picked off twice by Cards defensive back Isaiah Lizcano.
The Harlingen High defense forced three turnovers overall.
“ Anytime you have an opposing quarterback back there, you want to get him off his spot and put pressure on him and rattle him up a little bit, and that’s what we did,” Gomez said. “The kids bought in, got it done and they’re having fun, that’s the most important thing collectively. The bottom line is that the credit goes to these kids. They’re doing some great things.”
Despite the Cardinals’ pressure, Guess said the slow starts and lethargic offensive output this season can be traced to early down issues, much like the ones the Eagles faced Friday night that prevented them from moving the chains and sustaining longer drives.
“ The last three weeks, I talked to the offense about us putting ourselves in a hole on first downs and getting into second- and third-and-longs,” Guess said. “That’s really giving us fits and putting us in a bind. We have got to get positive yards on first down. If we don’t we’ll continue to struggle.”
Harlingen High scored on its first two drives, with Jaime Galvan passes to Ryan Elizondo from 7 yards out and to Jaime Galvan from 17 to make it 14-0 late in the first quarter.
Hanna’s only score during the first half came on a safety, a botched Harlingen High snap on a punt in the second quarter, but it did nothing with the ensuing possession.
Jaime Galvan found paydirt later in the second on a 14-yard touchdown run, and then scored on a 40-yard touchdown catch on a throwback pass from Justin Galvan to make it 28-2 at the half.
“ They’re both great competitors,” Gomez said of the Galvan brothers. “Their whole family is. We had three other Galvans come through here, but it’s a great family. They’re great kids, and they definitely put in lots of work. Sometimes you have to kick them out of the field house — those guys are always there. I love those kids. Their energy, their effort, their want-to and will is spreading all over.”
The Cards scored twice more during the second half, on a Jaime Galvan to Justin Galvan touchdown pass and an Isaiah Perales run.
Hanna’s only offensive score came late in the fourth on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Campos to Sabian Arceneaux with the game well out of reach.