WESLACO — Jacob Cavazos tossed the ball in the air to himself inside the end zone as he waited for the Weslaco High Panthers to join him on the field Tuesday morning.
The Panthers quarterback was alone in Bobby Lackey Stadium hours before dawn.
It was early in the morning and the stadium looked like it was open for a Friday night game as the cars zoomed past on Expressway 83.
Cavazos was first on the field for morning practice as he and the Panthers (4-1, 1-0) prepared to take on the Edinburg Vela SaberCats (5-1, 2-0) on Thursday night.
Panthers head coach Roy Stroman pulled into the stadium driving a purple golf cart carrying the football field markers.
Stroman got off the cart and began talking to his quarterback who he describes as leader by example.
“You can’t teach that,” Stroman said of Cavazos’ dedication to the team.
And then, one by one, the Panthers players began to enter the stadium, and by 6 a.m. the team was on the field.
“We try to make it as realistic as possible,” Stroman said about the practice. “This is their classroom, and we practice like it were game day.”
Stroman said he’s a morning person and the team has bought into practicing early, so after school they have time for home work and to be with family.
“The receivers get to catch the ball under the lights like its game day,” Stroman said with a smile. “And I receive texts from parents on how well their child is doing because of early practice.”
TURNING THE CORNER
Heading into Week 7 of District 31-6A, Donna North has 20 straight losses, including six in a row to start the season. And it’s not sitting well with the team.
Donna North head coach Joe Marichalar believes his team is ready to turn the corner, though.
The team came into the season with high hopes, and despite the unwanted results, they continue to fight, Marichalar said.
The Chiefs are coming off their best performance of the season in their 41-24 loss against Edinburg North, which snapped a five-game skid.
Donna North quarterback Brandon Escobar passed for 198 yards and two touchdown passes. Donna North receiver Rigo Rodriguez scored twice, once on a touchdown pass and another on a rushing touchdown.
Wesalco East head coach Mike Burget said Marichalar has the team playing much better.
“He’s made a commitment to turn that program around and I see it at every level,” Burget said. “It’s hard to get a program going. Joe has a big challenge, and I really believe he can.”
Marichalar is not the only coach to go through back-to-back losing season.
The program with the current longest losing streak is the Hidalgo Pirates. They went on a 23-game losing streak between their 2016-2019 seasons. They ended that drought this season and are currently 5-1.
Prior to that, the Valley View Tigers held the second-longest losing streak at 17 games until they defeated the Mercedes Tigers 7-6 on the road in 2007.
Meanwhile, Marichalar said he’s sticking with his game plan and keeping the team focused.
“There is no quitting here,” Marichalar said. “We’re a unified brotherhood.”
Donna North will play Edinburg Economedes (1-5, 0-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bennie La Prade Stadium in Donna.