By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer
After having not played a football game in 22 days, Hanna is eager to get back in the swing of things tonight when they welcome San Benito to Sams Memorial Stadium.
A weather cancellation and a bye week are responsible for the Golden Eagles’ long absence from the football field. The last time Hanna coach Rene Medrano’s team was in action was Sept. 5 against Mission High, but he is viewing the break less as an inconvenience and more as a chance to be productive.
“We miss not playing, but we can’t control the weather,” he said. “It’s more of a positive than a negative (to have some time off). We had some players that were banged up, but now we’re back to full strength.
“The kids have been upbeat. They’re excited and ready to play.”
It’s difficult to say what the game against the San Benito (1-2) will look like, considering Hanna’s small, two-game sample size. But if anything can be taken away from the early-season contests, the Golden Eagles (1-1) aren’t shy about throwing the football.
Quarterback Andy Lopez, who has completed 52 percent of his passes for 383 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, has Hanna ranked second in passing yards, despite having played one fewer game than its District 32-6A opponents.
The question will be: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? As in San Benito’s passing defense, which has allowed a district-low 56 yards though the air.
During the ’Hounds’ last time out, they were beaten by offensive juggernaut McAllen Memorial 42-28, and, coach Dan Gomez said, the non-district games have shown him his team can remain locked in for four quarters. He expects a competitive, physical game tonight against Hanna.
Offensively, San Benito’s game plan most likely will run through Gabriel Vasquez, who is ranked atop District 32-6A in rushing yards and touchdowns with 355 and five, respectively. Gomez understands his importance but prefers to focus on the concept of teamwork.
“(Vasquez) is just as important as the rest of the team,” he said. “We play the game as a unit.”
The Greyhounds rank second in total yards and are one of only two teams in the district to have eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the season (Brownsville Veterans Memorial).
San Benito will play its first District 32-6A home game against Los Fresnos at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3. Hanna will travel to Harlingen High the same night to face the Cardinals.
Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.