By Adam Kujawski
Staff writer
Friday’s meeting between Lopez and Pace at Sams Memorial Stadium features two Brownsville opponents in search of their first win of the season.
Lopez lost last week’s “Battle of Southmost” 31-7 against a Porter team that had been winless in its previous 25 games. The Lobos put the first touchdown on the board but did not find their way back to the end zone the rest of the night.
Lopez coach Jason Starkey wants to see his team bounce back when faced with a difficult situation on the field.
“We need to be able to overcome adversity,” he said. “(This week) I’d like to see how we react after a turnover. Football is a game that is played between the ears more than between the lines.”
In addition to displaying strong mental fortitude, the Lobos will be tasked with facing a tremendously talented quarterback in Alex Cisneros. Cisneros leads the district in passing yards (413) and touchdowns (four). Both coaches understand the game’s outcome hinges primarily on his performance.
“He’s a big part of our offense,” Pace coach William Deen said. “When he’s playing well, we’ll be successful.”
And what’s the biggest challenge for Lopez on Friday night?
“Stopping their passing game,” Starkey said. “Their quarterback is dynamic and is a good decision-maker. Our defense has its work cut out.
“Free safety Mike Vasquez (needs to play well),” he said. “He’s the quarterback of our defense.”
As for the Vikings, Deen would like to see his squad maintain consistency, citing it as a necessity if Pace is going to defeat Lopez.
“I think it’s a mental challenge for us,” he said. “I’d like to see us eliminate all the mistakes. We can’t turn the ball over like we did last week.”
This is the final game for each team before moving on to district play. Before the ever-important district competition begins, each coach wants to see his team iron out some of the broader problems they’ve seen.
Deen continues to preach the importance of consistency, and Starkey hopes his team can be more cerebral.
“(In the final game before district) we need to cut down on presnap penalties and mental errors,” Starkey said.
The Vikings have a bye week next week before they face District 32-5A opponent Mercedes in Week 5. Lopez will also take Week 4 off, then travel to Los Fresnos the following week. Both games start at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26.