BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
La Villa is coming off of a bye week, and into the Cardinals’ District 16-2A DII season.
Prior to the bye, the Cardinals (3-3) won back-to-back games over Monte Alto and Santa Maria.
“Those wins and then the week off, it gave us time to heal,” La Villa coach Daniel Perez said. “The kids are confident. We are playing a team our size. The kids are working hard.”
The Cardinals begin their district season against Agua Dulce (6-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Bud Bailey Stadium in Agua Dulce.
The Cardinal’s offense brings a variety of weapons, but the centerpiece is senior quarterback Rey Felix, who has 826 passing yards and seven touchdowns.
“We limit his play on defense because we want him to be there on offense,” Perez said of Felix. “He’s been doing really good for us. … He’s also a former running back, so he can run those RPOs and he is a threat to tuck it or to chuck it.”
Felix has 275 rush yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Rey’s brother Damien Felix has been the lead back for the Cardinals this season with 123 rushing yards.
“(Damien) has a lot of speed,” Perez said. “He returned a kickoff 80-something yards in our last game against Santa Maria.
“We also have Alexis Gonzalez. He is a linebacker, stronger guy, senior. And then we have a freshman there, Christian Ortiz. He’s really small and quick.
“Our running game is doing good. We have more guys learning the offense who are able to carry the ball at the running back position.”
The offense hits another level because of the smarts of Rey Felix.
“He has the freedom to make checks on the line,” Perez said. “He is very good at getting us out of the run, if we should be passing. Or if we are passing and he sees the run, he can switch to that.”