NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA —To say La Joya High quarterback J.R. Rodriguez is confident in his offense would be an understatement. He thinks his team isn’t getting the respect it deserves, so the Coyotes set out to earn it each week.
It makes sense that he would enjoy running the newly implemented triple option. When he was a freshman, he convinced the coaching staff to employ that style, and he ran it as the quarterback of his freshman and JV units.
So far, the offense has translated to varsity yardage. The Coyotes have beaten up on lesser opponents twice this season. First, La Joya toppled La Joya Palmview by 20 in the opener, then followed that with a 49-0 shutout of Roma in Week 2.
“I’m playing with a chip on my shoulder. I don’t like people doubting us,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t like people doubting me. I want to go out there and show everybody they shouldn’t doubt a team because of the way they’ve been playing or their past years. Last year, (against) San Antonio Southwest, we lost by a touchdown in the fourth quarter. We want to get back in the playoffs and go deep.”
La Joya was a surprise playoff finisher that beat McAllen Rowe, Juarez-Lincoln and Palmview in 2017 while also giving the McAllen Memorial Mustangs perhaps their toughest district test. Still, the Coyotes’ critics want to see them play stiffer competition. La Joya High should get that chance this week, traveling to take on Sharyland High.
“I’m excited to go into the Sharyland game,” Rodriguez said. “That game, we could set the tone for district, going in 3-0. We could really send a message to Memorial and Bears and PSJA North and the rest of the schools in our 30-6A district. Set a tone that we’re not messing around. We’re for real.”
The senior quarterback said he tries to model his game after former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. That includes not being shy about taking a hit on the option pitch. His time as a wide receiver last season helped with that.
Rodriguez has accounted for 175 of the team’s 651 rushing yards through two games. Junior Eddie Villarreal leads the team with 235 yards and six touchdowns, but the distribution of carries is more balanced compared to last season. Villarreal has 35 carries, his backup Anselmo Davila has 15, Rodriguez has 12 and several other players have been utilized running the ball.
Both of Rodriguez’s completed passes have gone for touchdowns.
Senior center Damian Tanguma said he is happy to see the carries being spread around. A season ago, Villarreal had 261 rushes for more than 1,300 yards. The next most frequently used Coyotes runner had 60 carries.
“It’s good, because Eddie gets to rest, and everyone gets to share the ball,” Tanguma said. “We get to keep on pounding the ball without anyone getting tired.”
He said the offensive line has only gotten better from a season ago, when the team rushed for 1,940 yards.
“It changed a little, but we have more chemistry. We’ve been together since middle school, so we just know each other,” Tanguma said. “We’ve been executing all over the place.”
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE DEFENSE
The keys to La Joya’s success stay on the belt of the defense.
The Coyotes have recorded five sacks and three fumble recoveries in non-district play. Two-way player Irvin Zamora scored on a 25-yard fumble recovery last week against Roma.
Coach Reuben Farias said the group is easily motivated to play a strong game.
“Each week, we try to challenge our guys to put points on the board,” Farias said. “If it comes on special teams on a punt return, or if it comes on a pick six or a safety. They take pride and they work hard and try to be aggressive every single time. They play fast, hard, fearless Coyotes football.”