Mission Veterans entered the season with questions at the receiver position, graduating all its starters from last year.
The Patriots’ new receiving corps combined for 237 yards and two touchdowns on 23 receptions going into the 2021 campaign, with senior Allen Vasquez accounting for nearly 97% of those yards, racking up 21 receptions for 228 yards and two touchdowns during his first three varsity seasons.
Eight weeks into the season, the Patriots have emerged as one of the district’s deepest receiving groups, ranking No. 2 in District 16-5A DII in passing yardage (1,516), with two of the district’s top five pass catchers coming from Mission Veterans.
“I am absolutely not surprised,” Gilpin said. “We expect to put an offense out there that performs at a high-level year-in and year-out.
“They’ve done what we expect our kids to do every year. They rose to the occasion. At this point now, we feel like we’re a veteran bunch with the receivers that are out there. We’re back to having six or seven guys that can step on the field and help us win ball games.”
The Patriots’ passing attack prepares for a marquee matchup, taking on the Mercedes Tigers at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Stadium in Mercedes in The Monitor’s Game of the Week.
Seniors Dylan Velasquez and Marckopolo Cavazos have developed into quarterback Ricky Reyna’s favorite targets, combining for 923 yards and 10 touchdowns on 58 catches.
Velasquez’s 497 yards rank No. 3 in the district, while Cavazos sits behind him at No. 4, with 426 yards.
Meanwhile, junior Enrique Ordaz has shown flashes during his first season, racking up 186 yards and one touchdown on eight receptions, while Vasquez has demonstrated soft hands out of the backfield, nabbing 16 receptions for 182 yards.
Sophomores Vincent Abrego and Obed Marin provide depth at the position. Abrego has emerged as a red-zone target for Reyna, all five of his touchdown receptions coming inside the 20, while Marin has scored on both of his catches this season.
Led by Reyna and a plethora of weapons, the Patriots are averaging 249.2 yards through the air in district play, holding the top spot with a 5-0 record.
Reyna deserves a lot of the credit for the team’s success, Gilpin said, with the senior signal-caller taking command and guiding the inexperienced bunch.
“Ricky deserves about 99.9% of the credit for continuing to grind,” Gilpin said. “I’m not talking about credit for the offense. Everybody involved gets credit for the offense. I’m talking about stepping up and telling his receivers he’s got this, and they can count on him.”
“We knew Ricky Reyna was going to rise to the top and lead our football team as he’s done the past two years. He’s an unflappable kid who never gets shook.”
The Patriots rank second only to the Mercedes Tigers in passing yards in District 16-5A DII, averaging 267 yards per contest.
Quarterback Michael Cisneros commands the Tigers’ high-octane air game, leading the RGV in passing with 2,014 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Tigers wideout Tyrell Treviño leads the district with 38 catches for 622 yards and seven touchdowns, while senior Joseph Rocha has enjoyed a breakout campaign, ranking No. 2 with 39 catches for 558 yards and six scores, 55 yards and one touchdown more than his previous two seasons combined.
Friday’s contest has major district title implications, with the Patriots (5-2, 5-0) and the Tigers (7-1, 5-1) separated by only one game in the standings. A win by the Patriots all but locks up a share of the district crown, with only two games remaining following Friday’s matchup.
Meanwhile, a Tigers victory could create a three-way tie for first in the district, with Sharyland High also in the race with only one district loss.
“Everybody in our program knows where things stand,” Gilpin said. “We win on Friday, there is a good chance a gold ball is going in our trophy case.
“If we lose this week, then we’re in a battle to try and win a championship and getting into the playoffs and trying to win there. That’s not even talking about seeding. There is just a lot riding on this football game.”