District 32-6A Football Notebook: Raiders refuse to give up
By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Rivera has seen this before. The Raiders were 0-5 last season, including a 0-2 start in district, and went on win seven straight games and advance to the regional semifinal round of the playoffs.
Rivera is in the same place this season, albeit without some of the offensive weapons of years past.
Whether the Raiders can duplicate last season’s success depends on improving offensively. Rivera is seventh in the district with an average of 191 yards per game, and the Raiders have scored a tad over eight points per game. Rivera has switched its starting quarterback from Angel Tolentino to Oscar Gonzales in hopes of getting something going.
Rivera coach Tom Chavez didn’t mince words regarding his struggling offense.
“We don’t have the offense to make up for those mistakes,” he said about the Raiders throwing three interceptions during the first half Saturday. “So we’re having a little bit of trouble.”
But Chavez and the Raiders remain optimistic.
“We’re not playing very well, but all I can say is we have to keep working,” Chavez said. “I want the boys to stick together and keep working. We need to keep on working, never quit, just keep going forward.”
The Raiders face Lopez on Thursday, and each team is seeking its first win of the season.
STOUT DEFENSE
Los Fresnos has played some of its best defense this season when the team has needed it the most.
The Falcons have allowed 14 points — on second-half touchdowns — through two district games this season and allowed slightly more than nine points per game this season.
Los Fresnos’ stingy defense allows 241 yards per game, 142 on the ground and 99 through the air.
With an impressive defensive game against San Benito, the Falcons shut down one of the district’s top offenses. The Greyhounds had averaged 455 yards and 47 points per game but were held to 291 yards and seven points Friday.
“We’re happy with the defensive play,” Los Fresnos coach Clint Finley said. “They did exactly what we wanted them to do (against San Benito).”
The Falcons’ defense could be one of the main factors that determine how far the team could go in the playoffs if it wraps up a postseason berth. But don’t expect much to change in the defensive game plan week to week.
“We have to get better at what we do, kept practicing and consistently get better on a daily basis,” Finley said. “If we can do that we’re going to be in good shape.”
MOVING THE CHAINS
During a close, back-and-forth game with Hanna, Harlingen High returned to one of its strengths: running the ball.
By making the adjustment, the Cardinals amassed 20 first downs against the Golden Eagles, the majority of which came after the halftime break and gave running back Leo Tienda one of his best games of the season ((24 carries for 183 yards and two touchdowns).
Harlingen High used time of possession to limit Hanna’s offensive possessions and sealed the win with three second-half touchdowns.
Harlingen High coach Manny Gomez said his team’s offense is designed to move the chains.
“We figured it out and adjusted, and we saw what we could do,” he said. “That is what this offense is based on, creating first downs. If it explodes, it explodes, but that’s one thing we emphasize. We must get first downs.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.