PHARR — Valley View capped off its 2019 season in dominating fashion, roaring past Laredo Cigarroa 56- 21 on Nov. 8, going into the offseason with high hopes for 2020.
Before the Tigers could take the field, Valley View ISD opted out of fall sports, ending their season.
“I remember the one Google Meet that we had where they told us we wouldn’t play,” Tigers receiver Jose Casillas said. “It was very disappointing. All that football season I was in denial, thinking we could have played. But they wanted the safety for us and I’m glad they did.”
The Tigers returned to the gridiron Aug. 2, opening the 2021 campaign with their first official practice in nearly two years.
While the Tigers are back in action, they’ll be led by completely new faces, returning only three players with varsity experience.
They’ll also be without their head coach of five years, Elifonso Esquivel, who announced his resignation Wednesday.
The Tigers’ focus during their return has been on reacclimating the players to the game, working on conditioning and technique, Esquivel said Monday prior to his resignation.
“We just tell them let’s get better every day and every week,” Esquivel said. “We had a pretty good scrimmage, but you can tell where the kids are behind. You can tell where we haven’t been in the weight room because we weren’t here. We didn’t have an offseason so we’re behind but we’re taking it one day at a time.”
The Tigers will lean heavily on seniors Casillas, Cesar De Leon and Andres White, as the only returning letterman from 2019.
Casillas will line up out wide, giving senior quarterback Raul Ramirez a go-to target in the passing game. He’ll be joined by a pair of receivers in 5-foot-11 Felipe Zarate and 6-foot-1 Jacob Gutierrez, who are expected to give Ramirez a pair of big red-zone targets.
De Leon will serve as a two-way player for the Tigers, seeing time at slot receiver and strong safety. He’ll be joined by White on the defensive side of the ball. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound defensive end will be looked to provide a rush on an inexperienced front. Linebacker Diego Aleman and defensive back Isaac Cervantes will be two new faces to watch, Esquivel said.
Aleman said he believe the defense has the talent to compete during their first year back.
“The defense is getting pretty sharp,” Aleman said. “We have a lot of good guys on that side of the ball. But we’re still lacking that experience with trusting each other on the field.
Following a one-year break, the Tigers are aware this season will have its challenges. Still, they are hitting the field with one goal in mind: making sure opponents remember their name.
“We’re going to work hard, hit some people and make them think twice before going against Valley View and doubting us,” Aleman said.
Valley View hits the road for their season opener Aug. 27, facing the Hidalgo Pirates at Bill Pate Stadium in Hidalgo, before returning home Sept. 3, taking on Port Isabel at Tiger Stadium in Pharr. The Tigers begin District 16-5A DII play Sept. 9 against the Mission Veterans Patriots at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission.