GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

PSJA North is rising from the ashes of an 0-10 season, Edinburg North is coming back down to earth after a third-round playoff appearance, and the rest of District 31-6A is somewhere in between.

Weslaco East, the only team to escape non-district play unbeaten, suffered a loss to Edinburg North last week. Weslaco High, expected by many to be the district’s team to beat, lost its opener to PSJA North. And PSJA Memorial, the eighth-place finisher in District 31-5A last year, started district play with a win against an Edinburg Economedes team coming off a playoff berth.

It all adds up to a wide open District 31-6A and puts extra emphasis on the matchup between Edinburg North and PSJA North at 7 Thursday at PSJA Stadium. Whichever team wins will be the district’s first 2-0.

“You look at the teams in our district, and they’re all competitive,” Edinburg North coach Rene Saenz said. “Any team, in my opinion, in our district, can beat any other team on any given night. I don’t think there’s a for sure, ‘OK, check this one off.’”

North has the advantage of already checking off the team that looked the strongest heading into last week: Weslaco East.

“Knowing that we were going up against East, and that they were undefeated coming in, of course it was probably the biggest challenge of all the other schools in our district, just because of the record,” Saenz said.

For North, the key to the 36-35 double-overtime win was the strength of the offensive line, which is coming together as a unit after replacing four starters from last year.

The game was also a return to form for running back Matt Whitesides, who picked up 203 yards on 21 carries and looked like the same back who racked up 1,621 yards last season.

“That was crucial,” Saenz said. “I had spent some time talking to him and really just said, ‘Where is the old Whitesides at?’ We used to see a guy who would hit the line, he was going downhill. He’s a downhill runner. And a lot of times, we would kind of see him put the brakes on and dance around in the backfield. That wasn’t his style.”

Unfortunately for the Cougars, the old Whitesides isn’t going up against the old PSJA North defense.

Coach Jorge Peña has brought major changes to the PSJA North program and made the players forget all about last year’s 0-10 season. The playing field is level, and the Raiders are as much of a contender as anybody.

“Everybody is about equal — anybody can beat anybody,” Peña said. “We realize that it is a tough task, but these kids don’t think about (0-10) anymore. Right now, they’re feeling very confident. Last year was last year. We don’t think about it much.”

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RGVSPORTS.COM

Sharyland High is back on top.

After McAllen Memorial booted the Rattlers from the top spot in last week’s RGVSports.com Top 10 poll, Sharyland High moved back into first place this week. Sharyland earned three first-place votes for this week’s poll. McAllen Memorial had one, and Port Isabel had two.

The Rattlers (4-1) beat fellow top-10 team Edinburg Vela 27-24 last week and have another big tilt this week against Mission Veterans Veterans Memorial in The Monitor’s Game of the Week.

The Mustangs (4-1), No. 2 in the poll, beat a 1-4 La Joya High team 21-17 and will face McAllen Rowe in Week 6.
Port Isabel (5-0) is fourth in the poll after a 44-21 takedown of Brownsville St. Joseph last week.

McAllen High (3-2) is in third after a 48-7 win over Mission High to open District 30-6A play last week. The Bulldogs are still yet to lose to a Valley team this season, a streak they’ll hope to keep alive when they play host to La Joya this week.

Vela (4-1) is in fifth and resumes distirct pay this week with a home game against Roma.

Mission Vets (3-1) is now sixth, moving up a spot even with a bye week after Weslaco East (4-1) fell to Edinburg North in double overtime last week. The Wildcats are now seventh, followed by Mercedes (3-1) and Harlingen High (2-2).

Los Fresnos (3-1) and Edinburg North (3-2) are tied for 10th. No teams dropped out of this week’s poll, but the Cougars are back in after their big win over Weslaco East.

The following are the teams in RGVSports.com’s Top 10 poll, with first-place votes in parentheses and total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through 1 point for a 10th-place vote:

Record Pts Pvs
1, Sharyland (3) 4-1 54 2
2, McAllen Memorial (1) 4-1 52 1
3, McAllen High 3-2 43 3
4, Port Isabel (1) 5-0 35 4
5, Edinburg Vela 4-1 33 T5
6, Mission Veterans 3-1 29 7
7, Weslaco East 4-1 21 T5
8, Mercedes 3-1 19 8
9, Harlingen High 2-2 17 9
T10, Los Fresnos 3-1 10 10
T10, Edinburg North 3-2 10 NR
Others receiving votes: PSJA Southwest (3), Edcouch-Elsa (2), Brownsville Veterans Memorial (2)

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

The biggest questions facing Edinburg Economedes coach Gabe Peña coming into the year were on the defensive side.

The Jaguars are starting five sophomores, and Peña has really seen that group of players grow and develop during the first four weeks.

“Any time you’re playing five sophomores on defense, you really need that seasoning,” Peña said. “We’ve had some opportunity to get that seasoning these first four weeks, and we held our own. I’m real proud of that.”

The Jaguars’ defense ranks in the middle of District 31-6A through four non-district games. The majority of the damage came in a 69-38 loss to McAllen Memorial in which Economedes surrendered 633 yards. Removing the game, the Jaguars have allowed just 214.7 yards per game across their other three contests. That figure would rank first in the district.

Sophomore Darren Earhart has been starting at middle linebacker, and Peña said Earhart has shown a lot of maturity for his age. Earhart has grown through the first four weeks, and Peña said he was “proud of his effort.”

Earhart’s transition has been eased by the presence of linebackers Amador Puente and Israel Gomez on either side of him.

“Their experience has allowed for Darren to mature in the middle,” Peña said. “It’s given him time to come into his own the first four weeks. I can’t say enough about both Amador and Israel Gomez.”

Peña also spoke highly of Dayron Molina, a two-year starter at defensive back who has become another one of the unit’s leaders.

HUSKIES HURTING

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln has been dominated on the field and riddled by injuries through the first four weeks of the season, but coach Tommy Garcia thinks he’s found a reason for optimism: the defense.

The group has given up an average of 382 yards, but Garcia said it had its best performance of the season last week in a 21-7 loss to Edinburg Economedes.

“Defensively, I just felt like we came together as a unit last week,” Garcia said. “If we can play that type of inspired football on the defensive side and move the ball on offense, I think we have a good chance of beating Nikki Rowe.”

Linebacker Dustin Ruiz is the defense’s leader and top tackler. Rene Loredo, who started off on the defensive line, has been used at linebacker and in the secondary, playing well in every role.

But getting anything out of the offense has been a challenge. The team has scored just 26 points in four games, averaging only 157.5 yards.

The struggles start up front with the offensive line, which starts three sophomores and two juniors.

“The offensive line has really come a long way,” Garcia said. “We’re not where we want to be, but it takes time.”

Leading receiver Anthony Mora suffered a broken clavicle in Week 4 and will miss the rest of the season. The team entered the year without a true running back. Miguel Cuellar was the closest the Huskies had, and he’s out with a high ankle sprain. Obed Fernandez, an offensive weapon who contributes both running and receiving, is also injured.

RAIDERS RISING

PSJA North may have gone 0-10 last season, but first-year coach Jorge Peña never doubted that his team, when healthy, could play with anybody.

The Raiders proved him right in non-district play, defeating PSJA High and losing to Brownsville Veterans, Los Fresnos and Mission Veterans by a combined 16 points.

“We feel like when we’re healthy and we know what we’re doing, I feel like we can play with everybody,” Peña said. “Every week, the offense and the defense gets a better grasp of what the coaches are trying to implement. When that happens, mistakes go down, and the efficiency goes up.”

Also expected to boost efficiency is the return of offensive tackles Anthony Marin and Andy Martinez, who Peña called North’s two best players. Both suffered injury against Los Fresnos in Week 3 and missed last week’s matchup against Mission Veterans.

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — When McAllen Rowe quarterback Hector Bosquez was benched after starting 0 for 2 with an interception during Week 2, his formula for a rebound was simple.

“I needed to work harder,” he said.

Fast forward two weeks, and Bosquez is the leading passer in District 30-6A, spearheading a speedy offense that has shown flashes of strength amid an inconsistent first month.

Bosquez has amassed 537 yards and four touchdowns through the air in essentially three games, bouncing back from the benching in that 39-12 loss to Mercedes almost seamlessly.

“It was a horrible feeling, just knowing you were taken out,” Bosquez said. “I love to play. You just have to do whatever. Just do well in practice, and it’ll show up in the game.”

Bosquez certainly showed up Friday against Laredo United, completing 24 of 30 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 10 times for 32 yards and a score, giving him 276 yards rushing and three touchdowns for the year.

Although it wasn’t enough to keep Rowe from a lopsided 65-16 loss, the performance showed what the Warriors offense is capable of at its peak.

“Overall, we’re just coming together now,” Bosquez said. “All of those preseason games, we’re preparing just for our district season.”

Rowe’s offense is a fast, up-tempo group that relies on a strong running game and short-to mid-range passing. In addition to Bosquez, who wows teammates with his speed and arm strength, the Warriors have a pair of dynamic backs in the speedy Ino Rios and the powerful Jose Chavez. With Victor Adames back for his senior season and Joseph Moreno contributing as only a sophomore, Bosquez has no shortage of targets. And if Bosquez doesn’t show up, the Warriors have a reliable second option in John Perez, who has completed 24 of 46 passes for 313 yards in limited time.

Rowe is just 1-3, but the only thing holding the team back so far has been consistency, coach Paul Reyes said.

“It’s just a lack of focus,” Reyes said. “We make little mistakes, and they just compound on us. We’ve shown little glimpses of being a good offensive team. It’s something where we’re either making a wrong read, a missed block, a dropped pass. That’s what’s keeping us from going over the hump. … We’re on the verge of just being able to have a breakout game.”

Take Friday’s loss to United. Reyes said the Warriors turned the ball over twice in the red zone and dropped a sure touchdown pass. The defense missed three opportunities at interceptions, and all three possessions ended with scores. Eliminate the mistakes, and the game could be entirely different.

“I know we’re really good,” Chavez said. “Just sometimes, we make mistakes. Sometimes, we’re not fully prepared for our games. … We have the techniques. We have the tools. We have everything. We just need to get a little smarter and know what we’re doing a little bit more, and I think we’ll be fine.”

Part of that comes down to being a young group. Although the offense entered the year with six returning starters, many of them are young. Bosquez and Perez are both juniors, as is Chavez. Moreno, who leads the team’s wideouts with 15 catches for 206 yards, is a sophomore.

“I think we can do way better by the time we’re seniors and I’m a junior,” Moreno said.

Reyes agreed that the future looks promising, but he also needs to find ways to get those players to produce now.

The Warriors need to stop dwelling on mistakes, Reyes said, and Chavez added that sometimes he and his teammates have to be more mentally prepared. Reyes has tried to make that easy on them.

“We’ve simplified things a little bit more,” Reyes said. “Maybe we were asking a little too much. You go into a game, and you have to have this check, this check and this check. Now, we just eliminate those things.”

Bosquez said he knows the offense has the potential to “do some damage.” If a few weeks of growth and a simpler game plan can eliminate some mental errors, then the Warriors believe they will be dangerous in District 30-6A, which begins play this Friday when Rowe hosts La Joya Juarez-Lincoln.

“We think that if we can do the things that we’re capable of,” Reyes said, “we can be there right in the thick of the race.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

PHARR — When Edinburg Vela quarterback Ebher Lopez limped off in the third quarter after a dominant first half, the SaberCats proved they can get it done in the ground game, too.

Lopez continued his dominant start to the 2014 season on Friday, tossing four touchdown passes to lead Edinburg Vela to a 42-20 win against PSJA Memorial at PSJA Stadium. And, when Lopez went down, backup Sean Smith and running backs Anthony Arredondo and Robert Guerra moved the ball on the ground.

Lopez now has a Valley-best 15 touchdown passes this season, connecting with Eddie Luna for two, Elijah Reyna for a third and Arredondo for the final score. Reyna now has 7 touchdowns, the most on the team.

Lopez even contributed on the ground, rushing eight times for 65 yards. He limped off the field with about 5:30 remaining in the third quarter after taking a shot following a 25-yard gain. Lopez stood on the sideline and did some stretching for about 5 minutes. He put his helmet back on and looked ready to return to the game but never did, instead watching from the sideline as Arredondo and Guerra took over.

Lopez started slowly, missing on all three passes as Vela’s first drive stalled and ended with a missed field goal. His first pass of Vela’s second possession yielded much better results. Luna caught a screen to Lopez’s left, weaved his way through traffic near the sideline, reversed field and ran 67 yards for the score.

Luna caught his second touchdown of the night with 5:58 remaining in the second quarter. Then, with just 6.4 seconds remaining until halftime, Lopez found Reyna streaking wide open across the field, giving Vela a 21-14 lead heading into intermission.

Running backs Robert Guerra and Anthony Arredondo complemented Lopez’s performance with a solid rushing attack. Guerra gained 123 yards on 11 carries, and Arredondo added 116 on 15 attempts.

Arredondo did most of the heavy lifting on Vela’s first drive of the second half, carrying three times for 50 yards before taking a screen pass from Lopez 17 yards for a touchdown to extend Vela’s lead to 28-14.

Guerra finished the SaberCats next possession with a 23-yard touchdown run, and Smith added the final score with 9:08 left in the fourth on a 30-yard run of his own.

Vela’s offense entered Friday leading District 31-5A with 385.6 yards per game and looked as strong as ever against a strong a stout PSJA Memorial defense, picking up 575 yards, including 385 on the ground.

The SabertCats have scored at least 42 points in every game this season, and Friday’s 20-point margin of victory was their closest thus far.

The Wolverines defense had allowed just 218.3 yards per game entering Friday, tops in District 31-6A. Although Memorial generated excitement with plenty of big hits, Vela consistently moved the ball and kept possessions alive.

Jonathan Trevino continued to be the workhorse for PSJA Memorial’s offense, rushing 21 times for 104 yards and scoring twice before halftime. After each touchdown, Trevino brought his hands together and took a bow, the signature touchdown celebration of Houston Texans running back Arian Foster.

Wolverines quarterback Michael Gonzalez did his best to match Lopez stride for stride, completing 9 of 15 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown. He enabled Memorial’s first touchdown drive with a 65-yard pass to Jay Bocanegra on third and 26 from the Wolverines’ 12-yard line.

Bocanegra finished with four catches for 131 yards, adding a 40-yard touchdown reception from Gonzalez on 4^th-and-5 in the fourth quarter that cut Memorial’s deficit to the 42-20 margin that would become final.

WEATHER DELAY

Friday’s kickoff was delayed until 8:57 p.m. due to weather.

Players were about to begin warmups on the field just prior to 6:30 p.m. when they were forced back indoors due to lightning in the area. Heavy rains and lightning strikes surrounded the stadium until 7:52. The weather delay was officially lifted at 8:22.

UP NEXT

Edinburg Vela opens District 31-5A play with a bang next week, going on the road to face Sharyland High.

PSJA Memorial also opens district play next week, hosting Edinburg Economedes in a matchup of teams that figure to contend for a playoff spot in District 31-6A.

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Edinburg North coach Rene Saenz entered Thursday’s game against McAllen Memorial wanting to limit big plays from running back Trevor Speights.

That goal unraveled when Speights ran for a 91-yard touchdown on the game’s second play from scrimmage. Edinburg North’s hopes of winning evaporated almost as quickly, as McAllen Memorial cruised to a 44-14 win at McAllen Memorial Stadium.

“Every week in practice, we try to get better and better, and that’s what we proved today,” Speights said. “We’re going into district with momentum, and thank God we have momentum going into district. We look to win our district.”

Memorial dominated on offense in the first quarter, scoring a touchdown on each of its first three possessions. The Mustangs amassed 232 yards of offense over the first 12 minutes, compared to just 9 for Edinburg North.

“We couldn’t stop them tonight if we had 15 guys out there,” Edinburg North coach Rene Saenz said.

Speights carried 16 times for 215 yards and two scores, as Memorial racked up 357 yards on the ground. Speights also had a 50-yard touchdown run in the third quarter called back on a holding penalty.

For the season, Speights has 989 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s eclipsed the 200-yard mark in every game and is on pace to rush for 2,472 yards this season.

The reigning All-Valley Player of the Year even contributed on special teams, returning a punt 74 yards for a touchdown to push the margin to 44-7 early in the fourth quarter.

“In practice, I’ve been catching punts more,” Speights said. “Our punt-return coach, he set up a new blocking scheme, and I just hit the sideline and I was gone.”

The Mustangs led 31-7 at halftime on the strength of Speights touchdowns of 91 and 49 yards, plus a 1-yard touchdown from Aaron Villarreal and a 33-yard pass from Jonathan Sanchez to DJ Talamantez.

Before Thursday, Sanchez had completed only 1 of 6 pass attempts on the season.

Memorial’s young defense continued to show signs of development on Thursday, holding North to 258 total yards. Defensive back Michael Garza hauled in a pair of interceptions.

The Mustangs allowed 470 yards in a Week 1 loss to Sharyland but have given up just 443 combined the past two weeks.

“We played pretty good tonight,” McAllen Memorial coach Bill Littleton said. “We’re getting better. We’re beginning to get the puzzle put together. … It’s taken those kids a little bit longer to gel, but we’re beginning to gel, and we like what we see there.”

RETURNING RECEIVER

McAllen Memorial wideout DJ Johnson started on Thursday, his first action of the season after suffering a broken foot during an offseason basketball game.

“I felt great,” Johnson said. “I’m kind of rusty, but I’ll get there.”

Johnson was targeted on the first play of Memorial’s second drive but dropped what looked like a sure touchdown pass on a fly route.

He was targeted on two other deep passes in the first half, neither of which connected, before notching a 17-yard reception in the fourth quarter.

Given that Johnson had only been in practice for three days, Littleton was not surprised by the slow start.

“He’s definitely a threat,” Littleton said. “Just got to get that rust off. And he will.”

COUGARS SCORE

Michael Cantu continued to look like Edinburg North’s top offensive weapon on Thursday, scoring the Cougars’ lone first-half touchdown on a 27-yard pass from quarterback Martin Rodriguez.

Cantu has scored in every game for the Cougars this season and has 15 receptions for 341 yards overall.

NORTH’S INJURY

Rodriguez left the game in the third quarter, returned for one series and then sat out the entire final period. Saenz said Rodriguez is still nursing the same ankle injury that cost him most of 2013.

“He’s going to have to deal with that throughout the season,” Saenz said. “That’s just something he has.”

Rodriguez finished 6 of 19 for 88 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions, but could’ve had a bigger game. In the third quarter, Angel Barron dropped a 37-yard touchdown pass.

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GREG LUCA | THE MONITOR

McALLEN — PSJA Memorial running back Jonathan Treviño admits he was tired on the Wolverines’ final offensive possession of their 19-14 win.

Treviño was one of many Memorial players and coaches who had battled the flu throughout the week, and he had already carried the ball 23 times before Memorial took over possession down 14-13 with 9:17 left to play.

Regardless, Treviño continued to be the Wolverines’ workhorse. He carried the ball eight times and punched in a 1-yard touchdown on a 15-play drive that ate up 7 minutes and 3 seconds. That possession proved to be the difference in PSJA Memorial’s win against McAllen Rowe on Friday at McAllen Memorial Stadium.

“I was a little bit tired, but at the end, you just have to fight for your team if you want that ‘W,’” Treviño said. “And we took it.”

As heavy rain fell in spurts, coach Gus Cavazos said Memorial all but abandoned the passing game.

That led to an increased workload for Treviño. He carried seven times on the Wolverines’ opening possession, which ended when he fumbled under the wet, slippery conditions.

From then on, Treviño ran with two arms clamped squarely on the ball, sacrificing big-play potential in favor of safety. He finished the game with 156 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, and only four of those carries went for double-digit yards. His biggest gain on the night was 18.

“I’m glad it was a cool night, because if it had been a hot night, I think he would’ve been out there cramping up,” Cavazos said. “He asked to come out a couple of times, came out for one or two plays, and went right back in.”

Quarterback Michael Gonzalez was quietly consistent for the Wolverines, completing 9 of 13 passes for 103 yards with an interception.

Rowe’s offense struggled to find that same consistency and was done in by a few costly mistakes, especially in the second half.

In the third quarter, wideout Jonathan Colin dropped a potential touchdown pass on fourth down from the Wolverines’ 40-yard line.

On Rowe’s next drive, quarterback John Perez fumbled the first two snaps. Starter Hector Bosquez re-entered the game, fumbled a third-down snap, recovered and watched Victor Adames drop a would-be first down pass.

The Warriors also came up short on a pair of first-half fourth-down tries and kicked a 6-yard punt on the night.

“We come out early in the third, pretty much it’s going to be a touchdown pass, and we dropped that,” Rowe coach Paul Reyes said. “We dropped some other passes that could have kept some drives alive. It’s a wide-open pass. You can’t make that kind of mistake. Whether it’s dry football or rain, you just have to make plays.”

Bosquez finished the night 13-of-26 passing with 100 yards and an interception — part of wild final series as Rowe tried to rally after taking over with 1:36 to play.

On second-and-5 from the Memorial 46, Bosquez’s pass was intercepted by Ismael Canizales, who fumbled the ball back to Rowe. That gave new life to the Warriors, but their comeback attempt came to an end when Bosquez’s 22-yard pass into the end zone was knocked away as time expired.

“As a football payer, you have to adapt,” Bosquez said. “That’s how great football teams win. Unfortunately, we didn’t come out with a win, but we still fought to the end.”

WARRIORS’ WEAPON

Rowe’s Jose Chavez scored both of the Warriors’ touchdowns — on rushes of 2 and 4 yards — to give him six scores on the season.

He finished the game with 7 carries for 44 yards and added a pair of catches for 11 yards. Chavez entered Friday as District 30-6A’s leading receiver, catching nine passes for 204 yards and a pair of scores in Rowe’s first two games.

SLIGHT DELAY

Although neither team took the field until after 7:20 p.m., Friday’s game kicked off at 7:32 — just past the scheduled time.

No lightning was spotted in the area, but heavy rains kept both teams in the locker room as kickoff approached. The teams skipped all pregame festivities — including player introductions and the national anthem — in order to start on time. Rowe’s players ran out of the inflatable tunnel and immediately onto the field to kick off.

UP NEXT

Both teams face stiff tests to close out their non-district schedules next week.

Rowe travels to face a Laredo United team that gave Sharyland a test in a 28-23 loss last week.

PSJA Memorial hosts a 3-0 Edinburg Vela team that has won each game by at least 25 points.

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Edinburg North entered the year as one of the Valley’s least experienced teams, but the Cougars have grown up quickly after playing nail biters each of the first three weeks.

Take kicker Diego Sanchez. He kicked three field goals, including a game-winner, against Los Fresnos in Week 1. He followed that up with a 49-yard overtime winner against Brownsville Rivera in Week 2. Then, in Week 3, he missed both tries as North lost an overtime decision to Edcouch-Elsa.

Coach Rene Saenz considers it a valuable lesson learned.

“Our field goal kicker got his head full of hot air,” Sanez said. “He started believing everything everybody was saying about him about being a great player and this and that. He kind of lost focus. He missed two early ones. He lost his confidence and now he knows, no matter how much success we’re having, you’re only as good as your last kick. And he needs to stay focused on that. I think the rest of the team saw that and learned from it.”

District season is still a week away, but Saenz’s team has already learned how to win tight games and handle close losses. He hopes the Cougars can play just as tight with powerhouse McAllen Memorial, which hosts Edinburg North at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“We’re just getting ready for Memorial, and hoping we can keep it close and have another nail-biter at the end,” Saenz said.

Staying in striking distance will be no easy task. The Mustangs have run for a Valley-best 1,280 yards through three game behind reigning all-Valley Player of the Year Trevor Speights, who has amassed 774 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

“Obviously, we have to stop (Speights),” Saenz said. “That’s everybody’s formula for success against Memorial. It’s going to be a lot easier said than done. We know he’s going to get his yards. We just want to limit everything. We want to make Memorial earn every touchdown. Not just have some big plays.”

Memorial’s passing game could also be more of a threat than it has been through the first three weeks, as coach Bill Littleton said returning all-district 31-5A receiver DJ Johnson will be in uniform for the first time this season after suffering a broken foot during a basketball game in early June.

The Mustangs will be looking to iron out some special teams issues and to continue finding the right pieces to the defensive puzzle. Littleton knows topping battle-tested Edinburg North won’t be an easy task.

“This is a ballclub that is 2-1 and has played pretty close ball games,” Littleton said. “I know they’ll be coming back fighting to get back to the top, so we’ll have our work cut out for us. They’re a good football team, so we’ll have to play well.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

With offense hard to come by in the wake of an injury to starting quarterback Jesus Cuellar, Mission High coach Mario Peña decided to move running back David Flores into a rotation with backup quarterback William Arias.

The results haven’t been spectacular, but the Eagles offense has started to make improvements. Mission gained only 9 yards in the first half it played without Cuellar — the final 24 minutes of a loss to Mission Veterans in Week 1.

The next week, Mission gained 257 yards and scored 14 points against Brownsville Hanna. In Week 3, Mission scored 23 points before halftime against Donna North, eventually amassing 199 yards in a rain-shortened game.

“I was pleased that we secured the ball,” Peña said. “We’ve still got a lot of improvements to do, and we’re still looking at personnel trying to find that perfect fit on offense.”

The answer for the Eagles has been a more run-first approach. Mission has averaged 195.5 yards per game on the ground the past two weeks after putting up just 28 in Week 1.

Flores played a major role in that, rushing 20 times for 116 yards against Donna North.

“That’s what we had to do,” Peña said. “We really needed to focus more on running the ball.”

The passing game is also coming along. Peña said Arias has shown more poise and confidence with better decision-making as he’s gotten more reps, and that “he’s got what it takes to become a good quarterback for us.”

Although Flores is moving over from running back, he played quarterback as a freshman, and he can produce as a passer if needed.

“Definitely he can throw the short-range passes,” Peña said. “If you’re thinking that he can’t hurt you by throwing short or intermediate passes, he will.”

SECOND DIMENSION

When opponents sell out to stop the run against Edinburg Economedes’ slot-T, the Jaguars have shown the ability to take advantage through the air.

Quarterback David Garcia has completed just nine passes this season, but those nine passes have gone for 274 yards — an average of 30.4 yards per completion.

“David has been around us for four years, and he’s primed and ready for the opportunity, when it comes, to throw the ball,” coach Gabe Peña said. “We’re not a passing or throw-first offense, but he has good command of our total offense. … I guess you could say the passing game is a little bit more gravy on that mashed potatoes, and he’s having fun doing it.”

Garcia was expected to give Economedes a more mobile threat at quarterback, but so far this year he’s lost yardage on the ground. Instead, he’s found his success throwing, and left the running to as many as 10 backs and receivers who might get carries in a given game. Peña said Garcia’s strengths are his communication with his receivers and his ability to stay calm and cool under pressure.

“We’re very fortunate this year with David taking over at quarterback, he has command of what needs to be done back there, and he has the leadership skills to proceed with our offense,” Peña said. “Right now, we feel like the passing game is going to be a good part of our offense.”

STABLE OF BACKS

Weslaco East’s Lupe Moron is far and away District 31-6A’s leading rusher, but he didn’t even start in Week 3. Not because of any sort of disciplinary issue, coach Mike Burget said, but simply because of how many talented backs the Wildcats have at their disposal.

“A lot of people think he got in trouble or whatever. There was no trouble,” Burget said. “It was a coach’s decision. I started another kid. We’ve got six running backs. I don’t know who we’re going to start this week.”

With a stable of backs and a mobile quarterback in Darren Rivas, East has racked up 1,219 rushing yards this season, almost double anyone else in the district. Edinburg Economedes is second with 624.

One of the Wildcats’ dynamic backs is Alexis Cervantes, last year’s No. 2. Cervantes missed East’s first game while recovering from a knee injury suffered during the team’s first scrimmage. In two games since returning, he’s carried 20 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s very elusive. He’s fast,” Burget said. “If you don’t get your hands on him, he’s going to be in that end zone. He’s everything we expected out of him this year. As soon as he gets healthy, we’re going to expect a little bit more out of him.”