By KEVIN NARRO
Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Last season’s loss to the San Benito Greyhounds left a bad taste in the mouths of the Harlingen High Cardinals players, and it was also their final game of the season.
After the loss, Cardinals coach Manny Gomez posted the final score (52-0) high in the weight room to serve as motivation for their next meeting.
“It lit a fire under us and motivated us for sure,” senior linebacker Marcos San Miguel said. “Right after the game, Coach Gomez put it up and it was there all summer and offseason, and it was motivation for sure.”
Like a majority of the program, San Miguel grew up a Cardinals fan and has known about the Battle of the Arroyo his whole life. His father and family members also have been a part of the rivalry as Cardinals.
“We always talk about it as a family; we just want to beat San Benito. It is fun, brutal and intense. Those are a few words I would use to describe the rivalry,” San Miguel said.
Junior linebacker Gabriel Martinez received his first taste of the rivalry last season and was able to get some snaps against the ’Hounds.
This year, Martinez feels he is fully ready to contribute and will get his first complete shot at the ’Hounds.
“Last year, I came in towards the end of the game and got some playing time,” Martinez said. “We don’t need any type of speech or motivation. This is a game where we know what we need to do and we will be ready for. Seeing the score up in our weight room made me want to get back to work.”
Martinez, who was born and raised in Harlingen, attended his first Battle when he was just 6 years old.
“I remember seeing the lights and everyone screaming,” Martinez said. “It is all a blur now, but I remember then I wanted to be a part of the Harlingen Cardinal Football program.”
This will be the 89th installment of the Battle of the Arroyo. While the matchup is the district opener for both teams, the game will give the winner the momentum it will need heading into the rugged District 32-6A schedule.
“It feels great to be a part of a rivalry like this, it is a Cardinal tradition to be a part of this,” San Miguel said. “We have been working and, over our bye week, we didn’t stop, we kept working. We are ready to show people we are ready.”