By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Harlingen High wasn’t happy with the slow start it put together in last week’s bi-district win over Edinburg North.
The Cardinals (6-0) had possession just once during the first quarter, and despite getting into the red zone, they didn’t find the end zone. They know they’ll need a better start when today’s Class 6A Division I area-round game kicks off at 3 p.m. at Buccaneer Stadium in Corpus Christi against the Northside Stevens Falcons (6-4), and the Cardinals are doing all they can in practice to ensure that happens.
“The further we go, we don’t practice so much fundamentals, it’s more like studying, looking at plays and formations,” senior linebacker Ezvyn Zuniga said. “Conditioning-wise, it’s way harder. Especially since after COVID hit here, we’re about a week behind, so we’re trying to close that gap and get caught up. Especially with Stevens coming up, there’s a lot of speed over there.”
Harlingen High coach Manny Gomez said the Stevens defense has a lot of size, particularly on the defensive line, and a speedy secondary. Stevens is entering the second-round game riding a two-game win streak, and the Falcons’ defense limited opponents to 20 combined points in those contests.
Gomez said the Cardinals’ coaching staff is leaning on its experience against San Antonio-area teams to get the players prepared for the physicality expected in today’s game. He believes if the Cardinals don’t let the size of the Falcons affect them and they play a strong first quarter, they’ll have a good shot at advancing to the third round.
“They’ve got some interior guys on the D-line that are big. They’ve got some good-sized kids, and it’s hard to simulate the size and speed of their defense, so we’re going to have to tighten it up,” Gomez said. “Usually what happens is you have a team that steps on the field and you get overwhelmed. If you don’t get overwhelmed, if you survive the first quarter, then you have a great chance of competing against those guys. It’s going to hurt more, you’re going to feel it more, but that’s why you prepare for it.”
Gomez and senior quarterback Joe Zuniga believe the Cardinals’ offense can match up well against Stevens’ defense. Gomez said he feels the offense is peaking at the right time and Harlingen High has “solidified certain positions, certain mindsets and put kids in the right situations, and it’s working at the right time.”
Joe Zuniga is running a well-balanced Cardinals offense, and the quarterback is confident in the big-play abilities of his deep arsenal of receivers. Justin Galvan, Tristan Vasquez and tight end Ian Solis have been some of his most consistent targets. Joe Zuniga praised the offensive line for its play this season and said he thinks the work ethic Harlingen High fosters every day will push the team to a win.
“(Stevens has) pretty big dudes, but just like coach said, they might be bigger, but they ain’t tougher than us mentally. We’ll take it to them, for sure,” Joe Zuniga said. “I feel like if we adjust to (their size) and execute, we’ll be fine. Whatever they bring to us, we’ll be ready for. I feel like right from the first snap when we get the ball, we have to take advantage of it.”
Ezvyn Zuniga said the Cardinals have been preparing for Stevens’ passing game, and he expects the speedy secondary led by Ryan Quilantan, Paul Price and Eric Quilantan to hold down the back end of the defense. Gomez called the Falcons’ offensive line a physical bunch, but Harlingen High counters with a powerful defensive line. Ezvyn Zuniga, Nathan Huerta and JC Moradel played lights-out in the bi-district round and will look to replicate that success against Stevens.
Ezvyn Zuniga said the camaraderie of the defensive unit has been a key factor in the group performing at a new level this season. Through six games, the Cardinals are holding opponents to 8.7 points per game. Clinching a bi-district title was a big preseason goal for Harlingen High, but the seniors don’t want to stop there. Zuniga and the senior class has been leading by example and has their team ready to win a third-round berth.
“(We’re expecting) a lot of passing, they’re a really big passing team, and we’re expecting a lot of speed,” Zuniga said. “But we have a lot of guys with speed here and guys that can cover, so we’re on it and I think we got it. I feel like it’ll be a really good game. Coach Gomez has been grooming us and getting us ready since freshman year, and now we’re all upperclassmen and it’s our time to shine.”