KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN—The Harlingen South offensive line has gelled quite well over the last few weeks.
The Hawks have four seniors along their offensive in Samuel Elizondo, Chance Jennings, Miguel Flores and Charles Mattingly.
Caleb Davis rounds out the offensive line as a sophomore.
Mattingly is the right tackle and protects the edge for quarterback David Torres.
Mattingly began his career at left tackle then got moved over to right tackle his sophomore year.
“There really isn’t a difference,” Mattingly said. “It is the same thing technique wise. It is the same position; I’m just on the other side. As a tackle you have to be able to read the defense, too.”
Sophomore running back Marcos Gonzales has benefited from his offensive line play and has rushed for over 100 yards in three straight games. After South’s win over Rivera last week, Gonzales referred to the Hawks offensive line as “the heart and soul of the team.”
“It makes us proud that we have a good running back and that he can trust us,” Mattingly said. “We block our hearts out and when we see our guys do well, it is a fun game when that happens.”
Mattingly is one of a handful of seniors who will take the field tonight for their third and final Bird Bowl.
“This senior group, a lot of them played as sophomores,” Hawks coach Brian Ricci said. “They have plenty of experience and this is their third Bird Bowl. This is a big deal and the environment is something you have to get used to because it can overwhelm you.”
Mattingly is eager to grab his first Bird Bowl win and feels the pieces are in play for South to snap that skid against their sister school.
“This week is fun leading up to the game,” Mattingly said. “But we are just focused on the game and that is the most important part. It is a great tradition to be a part of.”