BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — In a chippy game that saw verbal barbs and late hits traded back and forth, Ricky Espinoza and the rest of the La Joya Palmview offensive line knew what they had to do: keep plugging away.
The Lobos did precisely that, picking up 464 yards on the ground in a 35-21 win against Mission High on Friday at Tom Landry Stadium.
“It was very intense. It was a war,” Espinoza said. “We were fighting in the trenches. We just had to play it safe and keep pounding the ball until we won the game.”
As usual, Joel Piña was the primary beneficiary of the Lobos’ work up front, picking up 283 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries.
Both marked career bests for Piña, a first-year starter who ranks second in District 30-6A with 1,119 yards and 18 touchdowns for the year.
“The O-line was executing really good,” Piña said. “They opened up the holes. Once I saw them, I just blasted them.”
As Piña battled cramps during the second half, Palmview’s other backfield options stepped forward. Abel Torres finished with eight carries for 88 yards, Misal Guerra ran seven times for 57 yards and quarterback Andrew Puente had seven rushes for 29 yards.
The Lobos attempted just two passes for the game and none in the second half, instead battering the Eagles up front again and again.
“They’re good running backs, there’s no doubt, but what makes them as good as they are is their offensive line,” Mission High coach Mario Peña said. “There’s no doubt they won the battle of the trenches. I have to say this is the best offensive line we’ve gone up against.”
The Lobos boast an experienced group up front that towered over the Mission defense. The six primary cogs are all seniors: Espinoza, Arturo Gutierrez, Mario Hinojosa, Jorge Moreno, Alther Valdivia and Michael Rodriguez.
Coming into the night, Mission’s defense had allowed just 198.8 yards per game, the best mark in the district. Through five games, the Eagles had yielded just 390 total yards on the ground — a mark the Lobos eclipsed in one night.
Coach Margarito Requenez suspected Palmview would have an advantage up front, but he didn’t think it would be quite so pronounced.
“We kind of knew that was going to happen, but we didn’t know it would be this way,” Requenez said. “We just showed up tonight a tad bit better than they did.”
In doing so, the Lobos start District 30-6A play with a win, snapping a two game losing skid.
“It’s a big step and building block towards our goal of making the playoffs again,” Requenez said.
CHIPPY PLAY
Both sides seemed to get into it with one another repeatedly on Friday, leading to multiple personal foul penalties on each team.
Palmview’s Gutierrez was ejected from the game after he appeared to be yelling at an official following a holding call.
“They have to learn how to play with more emotion and control that emotion,” Requenez said. “They can’t let little things get to them. That’s one thing that we’re going to have to correct this week.”
PALMVIEW DEFENSE
The Lobos held Mission High to 261 yards of total offense, limiting a strong option running attack that had averaged 312.8 yards per game coming into the night.
Robert Martinez scored twice for the Eagles, and Eugenio Rosales scored once.
“We just played Lobo defense,” linebacker Luis Sanchez said. “That’s all we did, and that’s all we’re going to keep on doing.”
QB SHUFFLE
Just as William Arias looked to have locked down Mission’s starting quarterback job, Rudy Treviño got back in the mix on Friday. After Arias completed just 2 of 6 passes for 2 yards, Treviño entered during the second half and completed 5 of 8 attempts for 87 yards. The game marked Treviño’s first substantial action since Week 3.
“Rudy coming off the bench really showed me some composure and led us to 14 points,” Peña said. “Those are the things we have to evaluate and decide who you’re going to go with.”