Mission Veterans quarterback Ricky Reyna got off to a rough start this season, throwing six interceptions during a Week 1 loss to Mission High, followed by a blowout loss to San Benito during Week 2, which featured Reyna going five for 21 while throwing for only 24 yards.
Heading into Week 3, Mission Veterans head coach David Gilpin took to Twitter to back his senior signal caller, sharing a picture of Reyna and writing, “This QB right here…Ricky Reyna????He’s OUR QB snd he is GOING TO BE our QB!!!! We have our entire season still in front of us and Ricky is going to lead our offense back to being a prolific, point scoring machine!!! I have no doubt about it!!!!!! Fresh start tomorrow!!!!”
“I think sometimes it’s good for a player to hear, doesn’t matter if it’s your quarterback,” Gilpin said. “Anytime you can double down and let that young man knows that you as the head coach or as a coaching staff and team have his back, it’s a positive.”
Reyna delivered on his coach’s promise, throwing for 250 yards and six touchdowns, adding another score on the ground en route to a 59-14 victory over the Valley View Tigers.
“Even as we struggled offensively the first two games, he (Ricky) was calm about it,” Gilpin said. “He talked to us. He studied his film and tried to get better.
“Last Thursday night, he did what he always does. He did what we expect him to do and what we know he’s capable of. Anytime you throw six touchdowns, that’s huge.”
The win by the Patriots moves them to 1-2 on the year, including a 1-0 start in District 16-5A DII play.
Reyna and the Patriots will look to build off their Week 3 success Friday, hitting the road to take on the Roma Gladiators (2-1, 1-0) at Gladiator Stadium in Roma.
“They’re like us now, 1-0,” Gilpin said. “Doesn’t matter what we did in those other two games. We’re both 1-0. We’re both sitting at the top of the district standings and only one of us is going to be 2-0 and still sitting there after Friday. That’s the approach we’re taking.”
RISE OF ROMA
Since losing their season opener, the Roma Gladiators have come to life, winning back-to-back contests behind a dominant rushing attack.
Through three games, the Gladiators have rushed for 940 yards, led by Gabriel Garcia’s district-leading 319 yards and three touchdowns, while passing for only 139. Roma’s 940 yards rushing exceed the total yardage of seven other teams in the district.
The Gladiators enter Week 4 ranked No. 2 in District 16-5A DII offensively, averaging 359.7 yards per contest, second only to the Mercedes Tigers.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
After carrying the ball 54 times during McAllen Memorial’s first two contest, Max Alaniz-Choy received a much-needed break Friday, toting the rock only eight times for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
Still, the Mustangs’ district-leading offense didn’t skip a beat, with running back Ethan Castillo delivering a standout performance, rushing for 214 yards and three touchdowns, his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season.
Through three games, Alaniz-Choy and Castillo rank first and second in District 16-5A DI in rushing yards and points scored, respectively.
Alaniz-Choy leads the league with 518 yards and five touchdowns, while going seven of nine on extra points. Not to be overlooked, Castillo has rushed for 391 yards and four touchdowns, giving the Mustangs a dominating one-two punch in the backfield.
BREAKOUT BULLDOG
McAllen High’s Weston Guzman had been held in check on the ground during the Bulldogs’ first two contests, limited to 12 yards on eight carries.
He broke out in a big way Friday, rushing for 187 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries, including a 76-yard touchdown run to spark McHi’s comeback victory over Donna High.
Guzman’s breakout performance vaulted him from the bottom of District 16-5A DI in rushing yards, to No. 6 on the list, bringing his season total to 199 yards on 25 carries.
He’ll look to build off his performance Friday as the Bulldogs (2-1, 1-1) host the Brownsville Veterans Chargers (2-1, 2-0) in The Monitor’s Game of the Week.