STAFF REPORT
La Feria’s 49-28 win against Rio Hondo came at a cost Friday night, as senior quarterback Dorian Hernandez suffered a broken radius bone on his left forearm.
Hernandez is expected to miss three weeks.
The Lions are 6-0 on the year and begin district play this week at Kingsville King. The Lions then face Zapata and Grulla. Hernandez is hopeful to return during the final week of the regular season, when La Feria takes on Hidalgo.
La Feria will hand the keys of the offense to junior quarterback Dario Sanchez. In the win over Rio Hondo, Sanchez tossed a pair of touchdowns.
While all eyes were on Hernandez, the Lions snapped a seven-year losing streak to Rio Hondo. The last time La Feria beat Rio Hondo was in 2012, and ironically enough that game also was played in Rio Hondo.
NOTED RIVALRY
The Battle of the Arroyo between then San Benito Greyhounds and Harlingen High Cardinals again will be highlighted as part of the Great American Rivalry Series.
The series, now in its 16th year, “celebrates the passion of high school football,” according to a press release, which also stated that the series has covered 859 rivalry games across 44 states since 2004.
The series awards the winner a trophy and recognizes a most valuable player after the game. A senior scholar-athlete from each team will receive a college scholarship based on academic and athletic performance, the release noted.
ROUGH RIDING
The Porter Cowboys dropped their second straight game and dropped to 1-4 in District 16-5A Division I after losing to Brownsville Veterans Memorial 34-17.
The Cowboys have faced district undefeated Mission Veterans Memorial (5-0) and Brownsville Veterans (3-2) in consecutive weeks, and will take on Rio Grande City (4-1) after this week’s bye to end a grueling three-game stretch.
Cowboys coach Carlos Uresti is hoping this stretch will build character and spark some momentum, as his team hasn’t mathematically been eliminated with four games to go.
“I think this (stretch) is just building character,” Uresti said. “We had a very rough game against Mission Veterans to start off, but we have to correct mistakes and just get better. We will face Rio Grande City next and then three teams after that who are going to be fighting for the playoffs themselves.”
After playing host to Ro Grande City, Porter will be at PSJA Memorial, at Donna High and then close out the season at home against PSJA Southwest.
GROUND GAINER
Port Isabel senior running back Brayan Medina has rushed for more than 100 yards in four of his five games this season, including 156 yards on 28 carries and three touchdowns during the Tarpons’ 35-34 loss Friday at Grulla.
He recorded 100 yards on the ground for the second time in as many weeks, and it was his third multi-touchdown game of the season.
Medina has rushed for 791 yards on 128 carries and eight touchdowns in 2019 for an average of 6.2 yards per rush. His 10 total touchdowns are good for second-best in District 16-4A Division II behind quarterback Joey Krieghbaum’s 11 touchdowns.
Medina is also Port Isabel’s leading receiver, with 236 yards and two touchdowns on 15 catches.
STAYING HOT
Santa Maria won its fourth straight game Friday night. The Cougars took down Progreso 21-7 and head into district play this week, when they take on Three Rivers at home.
The Cougars’ offense racked up 264 yards. Nathaniel Rodriguez ran for 60 yards on 11 attempts and one score. Rodriguez threw for 108 yards and one touchdown on 4-of-10 passing.
Bernie Castellanos led the receiving corps with four catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
BREAKTHROUGH
Lyford snapped a four game losing streak, picking up its first win of the season by a score of 20-14 on Friday night at Falfurrias.
The Bulldogs entered the fourth quarter trailing 7-6 and outscored Falfurrias 14-7 in the fourth quarter. Lyford’s rushing attack helped seal the win, gaining 199 yards.
The Bulldogs are 1-1 in district play and travel to Aransas Pass next week.
Kevin Narro, Mark Molina and Stefan Modrich contributed to this report.