KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
RIO HONDO—-The time has come once again for one of the Rio Grande Valley’s biggest rivalry games. Rio Hondo hosts La Feria tonight at 7:30 P.M. with a little extra juice. With the 2019 season going as well as it has been for the Lions, this just might be the year La Feria to snap a seven year drought to the Bobcats.
The last time the Lions beat the Bobcats was back on Oct. 12, 2012 in a 28-21 decision that was ironically enough played in Rio Hondo.
“Overall, the kids’ spirits are high and obviously it is always big when we play Rio Hondo,” La Feria coach Oscar Salinas said. “This isn’t so much about last year, but it is about this year and the kids are excited. The kids know each other and have been playing against each other since junior high. It puts an extra pep in their step. It has been a while since we beat them and they have our number. I don’t remember the last time we beat them and coach James does a great job over there we just have to be ready.”
While the seven-year skid looms, this year’s La Feria squad — led by senior quarterback Dorian Hernandez and their stingy secondary led by Evan Avila — will have a chip on their shoulder when they arrive in Rio Hondo.
“This game is just as important to us as any other game,” Hernandez said. “But it would be good to come out with a win since we lost last year in a close one.”
The Lions offense, who is known for their speed, depth and athleticism, has been prolific through five games. The Lions are averaging 48 points per game and have scored over 40 points in four of their five games played this season.
“We like to start out fast,” Salinas said. “That always has been the key. We had been struggling, but last week we got off to a fast start against Rivera on both sides of the ball. The goal is to start fast and get ahead of them if we can. We have focused our kids that this will be a fourth-quarter game. They feel the same way and they know it won’t be an easy game.”
Last year, Rio Hondo slipped past La Feria 14-7. This year, the case is a bit different. If Rio Hondo wants to make it eight in a row, they will need plays from their young crop in Ethan Reyna, Smiley Rodriguez and Jonah Ortega.
“I think our practices this week have been some of the best we have had all year long,” Rio Hondo coach Rocky James said. “I’m excited about our potential and how we can play. We played well last week and we are looking forward to playing well again this week. This will be our toughest challenge to date and we are 3-2 right now, but this being a non-district game, it still has all the feel of a district game.”
The list of matchups is endless with La Feria running back Avishai Dickerson running between the tackles against Rio Hondo’s linebacker Joey Ortega to Rio Hondo’s receiving corps against La Feria’s secondary.
“They do a great job over there in La Feria, their QB Hernandez is phenomenal and we have to be ready for this challenge,” James said. “We have talked to the kids about this challenge and we hope they are up for it.”