By MARK MOLINA
Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Here we are once again this season as two traditional Valley powerhouse teams Harlingen and Weslaco set to meet while on similar paths.
Only this time a spot in the Area round of the Texas 6A playoffs are on the line when the Harlingen Cardinals host the Weslaco Panthers tonight at Boggus Stadium in bi-district play.
Both teams met back in week 4 when the then 0-2 Cardinals upended the then 1-2 Panthers 30-29 after a late turnover by Weslaco gave the Cards the ball 16 yards from the end zone, leading to the winning score two plays later.
Now, both teams are 6-4 and are riding waves of momentum into the post season.
Weslaco started the year 1-4, but ended with five-straight district wins and took the District 31-6A crown with a 28-21 week 11 victory over rival Weslaco East.
Harlingen, meanwhile, earned one of four shares of the 326A title and has won three straight games.
For the Cardinals, it’s a whole new ball game.
“Both teams are different at this point and have gotten a whole lot better, so it should be a great matchup,” Harlingen head coach many Gomez said Thursday. “We’ve gotten healthier and they (Weslaco) have gotten a whole lot better.”
The Cards have found their stride the last three weeks of the season as the defense has looked sharp thanks to solid offensive production
On the other side, Weslaco has been fueled by their defense as well, allowing just 12.4 points per game in their last five wins.
On the year, they’ve given up just 227 yards per contest to opposing offenses.
Weslaco head coach Tony Villarreal is excited about the matchup and the opportunity to face a familiar team.
“That’s kind of been the model for the whole playoff season,” Villarreal told the Monitor this week. “Everybody has a second chance against everybody.”
The matchup should be a classic grind-it-out match up as the Cards have allowed just over eight points per game in the last three weeks.
Both are also packing ground games.
Weslaco running back Eric Gonzalez leads the team in rushing with 1, 028 yards and 13 touchdowns on the year.
Running back Leo Tienda, meanwhile has been big for the Cards along with solid play from quarterback Jesse Castro.
Both combined for three touchdowns and 235 yards rushing in their 21-3 season finale win over Harlingen South.
The Cards expect a physical game, but Gomez’s squad is ready.
“It’s like the start of the third season of the year when you get to the playoffs. This is what you prepare yourself for— there’s no tomorrow or second-guessing or going back to the drawing board,” Gomez said. “We ironed out the wrinkles and we got healthy here and there. You have to be in control the entire game and we prepare ourselves for five quarters.”
Kickoff will be tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen.