By FREDDY GONZALEZ
Staff Writer
LA FERIA – You can’t speak about high school football rivalries without mentioning the Battle of the 506. The traditional long-standing game between two towns separated by a mere six miles of desolate farm road once again is in the spotlight.
Some say it’s the oldest rivalry but doesn’t garner enough attention. Others describe the game like big brother versus little brother. And although the rivalry felt a little more intense when it was a district game, the moment you’re on the field it feels like the biggest game of the season.
No matter how you look at it, for both La Feria and Santa Rosa it’s a rivalry that carries much more significance than just bragging rights.
“We’re excited because we know its going to be a big challenge,” said Santa Rosa head coach Arturo Garcia. “La Feria’s a strong program year in and year out and they are very completive, so we know we have our work cut out for us.
“La Feria and Santa Rosa are only six miles apart and a lot of these kids know each other. We have a lot of respect for them, but at the same time we want to compete and try to beat them.”
History hasn’t been too kind for the Warriors, although a 33-21 Santa Rosa victory in 2012 (their only win that season) had fans on both sides in tears, Santa Rosa has to go back to 1992 to find another victory.
This year could be another close contest. The Lions bring an explosive offense led by quarterback Isaac Galpin who threw for 179 yards and rushed for another 103 yards in La Feria’s 34-23 victory over Donna North.
Santa Rosa, on the other hand, brings a junior quarterback by the name of Leo Lara game against Rio Hondo. Something not many players can say against last years best defense in the Rio Grande Valley.
As Garcia said after that game “This group isn’t into moral victories. These young men prepared to win and we’re disappointed we didn’t win. Nothing against Rio Hondo, they made more plays than we did tonight but the warriors beat the warriors with our penalties.”
In that game Santa Rosa had nine yellow flags for 75 yards.
“Anytime you have that many penalties you’re helping the other team out,” Garcia said. “They are already a big enough challenge, with teams like Rio Hondo and La Feria, you cannot help them out with penalties.”
The game is set to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. in Lions Field.