STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
Winners of six straight, Raymondville enters tonight’s District 16-4A Division II clash at Port Isabel as one of the hottest teams in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Bearkats (6-1, 1-0 16-4A DII) boast the top defense in the district, yielding just 14.5 points per game and 219 yards per game. Port Isabel is coming off of a 69-0 win over Progreso in its district opener.
The Tarpons (3-4, 1-0 16-4A DII) are 11-6 in the last 17 meetings between the two schools, but the Bearkats have won the last two matchups by a combined magin of 70-7.
The Raymondville defensive line had one of its best performances of the season last week, recording five sacks of Rio Hondo quarterback Matthew Trevino. Dylan Ramirez accounted for two sacks, while Isaiah Gloria, Jayden Galvan, and Jaden Brooks each had one. The Bearkats also forced two turnovers, including an interception by Arturo Sayas and a fumble recovery by Jose Guajardo.
Raymondville will need a similar effort against the Tarpons. Port Isabel has averaged 391 yards per game on offense, led by workhorse Brayan Medina (who has posted 845 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground) at running back and an increasingly confident Joey Kreighbaum under center who has thrown for more than 1,000 yards through seven games.
“(Port Isabel) is very tough, they’re explosive,” Cantu said. “We’ve got our defense set, and I’m sure they’ve got theirs as well. We’re going to have to play our best football to try and come out of there with a ‘W.’”
As Kreighbaum’s poise in the pocket has improved, his receiving corps has reaped the benefits. Will Camacho, the team’s leading wideout, has nine catches for 285 yards, and Medina is the second-best pass-catcher, hauling in 16 receptions for 269 yards. Four other Tarpons have at least 100 receiving yards, including Mac Strunk (142 yards on 13 catches), Michael Perez (six receptions for 139 yards) Angel Nino (six catches for 131 yards) and Tito Zamarron (10 catches for 127 yards).
Two-way players to watch include Raymondville running back/defensive back ZaRaivion Armendarez (1,011 rushing yards on 84 carries and 369 receiving yards on 14 catches), and Port Isabel linebacker/quarterback Zaid Calderon.
Cantu said he believes the run game and time of possession will be a key factor in tonight’s contest.
“(Port Isabel) is going to be tough,” Cantu said. “It should be a good ballgame.”
Rain was forecasted for late Thursday night and earlier this morning in Port Isabel, which could affect field conditions. The temperature around kickoff is expected to be around 62 degrees, and winds approaching 28 miles per hour are expected.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. from Tarpon Stadium.