McAllen Memorial senior running back Campbell Speights continued his monumental start to the season when he tallied 236 rushing yards and three touchdowns off a season-high 23 carries in a 28-25 last-second defeat to the Mission High Eagles on Friday at Tom Landry Stadium.
It’s the fourth time in as many games that Speights has surpassed the 200-yard threshold on the ground and also marked his fourth game with multiple touchdowns. His game-breaking performance against the Eagles brought his season totals to 976 yards and 13 rushing scores.
The Mustangs’ workhorse back currently ranks 18th nationally and sixth in the state with 244.0 yards per game, while also holding the 14th-highest yardage total in Texas. McAllen Memorial (3-1, 0-1) will host La Joya High (2-2, 0-1) on Thursday, and if Speights maintains his high yards per carry rate, he’ll hit the 1,000-yard mark with just two more carries.
‘KINGS OF THE NORTH’ CELEBRATE SIDELINE ADDITION
What’s the only thing better than a turnover chain? Try a turnover throne.
That’s what debuted on the PSJA North sideline during the team’s district opener against La Joya Juarez-Lincoln in Week 5. The throne — a mammoth wooden chair painted jet black — is eerily reminiscent of the iron throne from HBO’s Game of Thrones with “BLACKSHIRTS” emblazoned on the back in silver lettering.
“It’s like the turnover chain everyone has. Our kids wanted to do something different,” Raiders head coach Marcus Kaufmann said. “We had one of our CTE teachers, Mr. Clifford, put something together and it took on a life of its own. … Everyone loves it and wants a picture in it.”
What originally started as an idea to have a “turnover king” has now evolved to include a crown and red velvet king’s robe. It seems to be working as a motivational instrument already, as PSJA North forced two turnovers in its first home game with the throne.
TRACK TALENTS TRANSLATE FOR HUSKIES’ FLORES
There may be no better athlete throughout District 30-6A than La Joya Juarez-Lincoln wide receiver and do-everything offensive superstar Luis Flores.
In the Huskies’ most recent game action — a 34-19 loss at PSJA North on Thursday — Flores accounted for his team’s only two touchdowns: one off a 67-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Briones, and the other on a direct snap out of the wildcat formation that he raced in untouched from 31 yards out.
But the most miraculous play of the evening for Flores came on a fourth-and-short opportunity around midfield, where he fielded a direct snap, got a running start and hurdled over standing offensive and defensive linemen to pick up the first down.
It stands to reason that Flores’ athleticism translates so well on the gridiron based off his previous success as part of the Juarez-Lincoln track team.
He’s the reigning back-to-back high jump champion in the District 30-6A track and field meet and last spring helped the Huskies track team win the district title in the 4x200m and 4x400m relay teams. Flores set a personal record for the high jump at 6 feet, 4 inches.