By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
This is a bounceback kind of week for the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers and the Port Isabel Tarpons.
Both teams are coming off last week’s tough setbacks in games with their respective district leads on the line.
Now it’s time to regroup and try to get back in the win column, and, of course, no one is saying it’s going to be easy.
Brownsville Veterans (5-2, 3-1 district) is coming off Saturday’s 67-57 loss at Sams Memorial Stadium against San Benito (5-2, 4-0), which now is in sole possession of the District 32-6A lead. Port Isabel (6-1, 1-1) was defeated 21-14 at home Friday on a late touchdown by Rio Hondo (6-1, 2-0), which now is the District 16-4A Division II co-leader with Orange Grove (6-1, 2-0).
Brownsville Veterans faces yet another demanding 32-6A challenge at Harlingen High (3-4, 2-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and Port Isabel makes its first of two straight trips out of the Rio Grande Valley on back-to-back weekends to continue 16-4A Division II play at West Oso (1-6, 0-2), also at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Tarpons play at Orange Grove on Oct. 31.
Although Harlingen High has lost its past two games, Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu remains wary of the Cardinals.
“(Harlingen High’s) Manny Gomez is an intelligent (head) coach, and they always seem to find ways to take away what you do best,” Cantu said. “Also, Harlingen ’s team speed impresses me a lot. They have it all over the field.
“Everything we do, we do it to win, so it would mean a lot for us to get the victory this week,” Cantu added. “It would help us get to the postseason. We understand that. Right now, the district championship is by no means tied up. There’s definitely a favorite (in San Benito), but nothing is for sure at this point. Crazier things have happened.”
Metro-area action starts Thursday as Donna High (3-3, 2-2) plays Porter (2-5, 1-3) in a District 32-5A game at 7 p.m. at Sams.
Also in 32-5A action, Pace (2-5, 1-3) travels to play Donna North (0-7, 0-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
In other 32-6A matchups at 7:30 p.m. Friday, it’s Lopez (0-7, 0-4) at San Benito and Harlingen South (2-5, 1-3) vs. Hanna (2-4, 1-3) at Sams.
In 32-6A action at 7 p.m. Saturday, it’s Los Fresnos (5-2, 3-1) vs. Rivera (2-5, 2-2) at Sams.
Rounding out this week’s Metro-area schedule is a TAPPS district contest as St. Joseph Academy(5-2, 1-1) visits Austin St. Michael’s (2-5, 1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday.
Saturday’s combined 124-point total between the Chargers and Greyhounds is believed to be a Rio Grande Valley record. It’s a distinction that understandably hasn’t set all that well with the two teams’ defensive coaches and players. It’s prompted a heightened focus on tackling this week in practice for the Chargers.
“Defensively, we had 45 missed tackles and that led to a whole bunch of yards and points by San Benito, so we’ve gone back to the basics (of tackling),” Cantu said. “Guys were in position to make plays and just didn’t get it done, so that told us as a coaching staff that we’ve got to work on it. We can’t assume a skill like that stays with them without working on it.
“I think because of the result, our defense is in a little bit of a bad mood, and as a coach, I’m kind of glad,” Cantu added. “I think the defenses for both teams are looking at themselves in the mirror. Our defensive coordinator probably feels just like theirs does, which is a little frustrated, after a game like that. Our guys plan to redeem themselves in regards to finishing plays and making tackles.
“There are no regrets. It was a great game to be a part of. It would have been a lot more fun to have gotten the ‘W,’ but sometimes that happens. Offensively, it was a track meet with some big (yardage and point) numbers put up. It got a little crazy.”
Meanwhile, Port Isabel is refocusing this week after seeing its six-game winning streak in district dating to 2012 come to an end.
Against Rio Hondo, a lost fumble by the Tarpons near midfield with four minutes left allowed the Bobcats to drive for the winning score, 21-14, as just 34 seconds remained.
“The effort was great by both teams, but we made one more mistake (at the end) than they did and it wound up costing us,” Tarpons coach Monty Stumbaugh said. “We thought we’d drive down for the score and win, but we fumbled the ball away and Rio Hondo capitalized.
“We told our players after the game that adversity is going to happen,” Stumbaugh added. “We’ve just got to correct our mistakes and move on. Our frame of mind is that this is a huge game (against West Oso) and that it means (getting to) the playoffs for us.
“With our character, we’re going to fight back. We’ll see what kind of fighters we are Friday. I think we’ll be fine. We just need to play our kind of football and do what we do.”