MARK MOLINA | STAFF WRITER
Just one week after squandering their chances at a 2-0 start to District 32-6A play following two misses at potential game-winning field goals in a 21-20 loss at Rivera, the Los Fresnos Falcons will try to rebound when they host first-place Harlingen High tonight.
The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium in Los Fresnos.
Despite the loss, the Falcons (2-5, 1-1) and coach Patrick Brown feel like their young team is starting to come around.
“We dropped that game last week in what was a very, very tough loss for us,” Brown said. “We really feel good about where we’re headed as a program and we realize as a staff that we’re very young…we’re still growing up and we’ve had growing pains. I like where we’re at and our kids are battling and believing in what we’re doing. For me, there is a lot more positive than there are negatives.”
The Cardinals (6-1, 2-0) have now strung together four straight wins after dismissing Hanna last week 42-8 and are continuing to peak as they have become matchup nightmares for opponents on offense and have flexed their muscles on defense.
It’s something Harlingen High head coach Manny Gomez and the rest of the program envisioned from the start of the season’s process.
“Every coach in America wants to see their team rise up and take in everything that can make (their team goals) all come to fruition,” Gomez said. “That’s something that requires a lot of grit and perseverance. The kids start becoming believers and then you have a full team doing great things. We’ve take steps back in years past, but we’re starting to see things coming to fruition from this new process. It’s starting to show and we’re not a team that’s there yet, but we’ve definitely go the ball rolling and rolling hard. There are definitely a lot of great things happening here in Cardinal Land.”
The 32-6A race for the playoffs below the Cardinals is a tight one with Los Fresnos, San Benito, Hanna and Rivera all sitting at 1-1.
With three games left and the stakes rising each week, the Cardinals have kept their minds off the standings and on the task at hand, which happens to be the Falcons’ flexbone offense this week.
“We don’t pay attention to the district race; we know we want to become an undefeated district champion,” Gomez said. “Right now, the road to that is through Los Fresnos. We’re just focused on them and taking it a game. It happens to be Los Fresnos this week, which runs a unique offense and we know it’ll be a challenge to not get drawn off sides. That’s a unique challenge for our defense. Our defense has grown and every week it’s a new guy who steps in and makes things happen.”
Harlingen’s defense is allowing 246.4 yards to opponents this season, including 124.1 yards on the ground, where Los Fresnos focuses its attack.
The Falcons are last in the district when it comes to total offense (278.4 ypg), but has come on strong in the last two games, due in large part to Chris Resendiz (109-681, 6 TDs), who has rushed for 249 yards and four touchdowns.
Still, the Falcons have been without starting sophomore quarterback Mathew Padilla since he was hurt in Week 5 at Odessa Permian, giving way to backup Adrian Longoria.
Padilla is expected back this week, giving Los Fresnos some more options.
“When you lose your quarterback right before district, that ends up being tough,” Brown said. “I think the reason we went to this offense is so we wouldn’t miss a beat. I think Adrian Longoria has done a great job and we just got Matthew Padilla back. So I’m excited to have both those guys back there to run the offense.”
The Falcons’ defense, which is second in the district (323.7 ypg) will have its handful against a red-hot Cardinal squad, posting more than 400 yards per game — a district best.
Harlingen’s quarterback-receiver and brother duo of Jaime and Justin Galvan are coming off one of their best games of the season.
Jaime Galvan (1,114 yards passing, 801 rushing, 22 total TDs) passed for three touchdowns, rushing for one more and caught another on a throwback pass from brother Justin (35-415, 4 TDs), who also caught two touchdown passes himself.
Add in the running threat of Rayden Berry (139-681, 6 TDs) and that creates what Brown said is the Falcons’ tallest task all season.
“I think Harlingen is the best team we’ve faced this year and it’s not even close,” Brown said. “I think they’re better than Permian and I think they’re better than LBJ. They probably have the single best player in our district. Their quarterback is such a tough, competitive, field general type kid. We definitely have our hands full and without question, they’re the favorite to win our district.”