BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
The Hidalgo Pirates knew the type of opponent they’d face during their first trip to the state 7-on-7 tournament in College Station: bigger, faster, stronger.
It’s what the Pirates wanted, a chance to test themselves against talent outside the Valley. Their wish proved to be too much as the team lost all three of their games Friday — first to Levelland by a score of 40-25, followed by a 40-12 loss to China Spring and a 32-8 defeat at the hands of Crocker.
But while Hidalgo didn’t meet expectations in terms of winning, players still found a way to maximize their time on the field.
“We knew it was going to be tough, coming up here,” senior receiver Eliud Castillo said. “But it was a good experience to play against some of these guys. We learned a lot. It was a lot faster pace than a lot of our guys are used to. A lot of Valley teams don’t play this fast.”
The Pirates will continue to compete in the tournament’s consolation bracket, beginning at 8 a.m. today when they take on Clyde.
In addition to his duties on the offensive side of the ball, Castillo look to see an increased roll on defense as a safety, a position he says he played sparingly a season ago.
“Today helped me work on reading my offensive schemes,” Castillo said. “It helps being able to play both offense and defense. When I’m a receiver, I already know where the defender is going to be in a certain situation.”
While Castillo spent Friday focusing on his abilities as a dual threat, junior receiver Julio Ramos impressed his teammates with his level of play.
“He was quick in adjusting to the speeds of defensive players on the opposite side of the ball,” 7-on-7 coach David Navarro said. “He was able to keep up with their safeties and corners and help create space for Eliud on the other side of the field.”
Ramos moved up from the JV squad during the latter part of last season, joining older brother Jesus, an offensive lineman.
“He’s adjusted to the varsity level pretty well,” Castillo said. “He was a guy we knew we weren’t going to have to worry about. We knew his brother would help keep him in line.”