NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
McAllen Memorial is an unusual spot. The Mustangs are 2-2 in district and fighting for their playoff lives. Their final three games, against La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, PSJA North and McAllen Rowe, will decide if Bill Littleton’s team can reach the playoffs for the ninth straight season.
Memorial won the last four district championships but the Mustangs coach of 17 years is no stranger to a battle to keep the season going past the regular season.
“I think it’s a test of your character, a test of your manhood,” Littleton said. “When you have a little adversity and when things don’t go the way you want to, I think you see what your team is made out of. So far, our kids have come out and fought hard, played hard. We’ve pretty much been in every district ball game. We feel like we let a couple slip away from us that we should have won.”
Following a dramatic win over Mission High, Memorial lost back-to-back games against La Joya High then PSJA High. Both games were one-possession losses and the game against the Bears was the first time the offense had to operate without injured senior quarterback Sean Skaugen.
“We’re going to take things one game at a time,” Littleton said. “We can’t look ahead, we can’t look behind. Just have to go out every week and try to get a win.”
Junior Joseph Lara has taken over quarterback duties for Skaugen.
Lara is taking over the role in the same situation Skaugen did a year prior when then-senior Angel Almaguer went down with an injury.
It’s still the Campbell Speights show on offense for Memorial. The junior running back is up to 1,017 yards on the season with 16 rushing touchdowns.
He is the district leader in points scored thanks to his one reception for a score, one kick-return touchdown plus four converted two-point conversions.
Even with gaudy numbers, Littleton said Speights focus is the collective unit.
“First and foremost he’s a tremendous athlete, he has a great heart,” Littleton said. “He’s very coachable, he has a great attitude day in, day out. When games are over he’s not worried about what happened if we win, he’s happy. If we lose, he’s ready to come back next week and get back to winning ways. That’s what a true all-around player does. He doesn’t worry about his stats. He doesn’t worry about anything else; he’s always worried about the team.”
The Mustangs continue with their district slate on the road against winless La Joya Juarez-Lincoln (0-7, 0-4). This will be the last time Memorial plays outside of McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium. In Week 10 they face the Raiders at home before ending the season with another cross-town rivalry against McAllen Rowe.