Porter and Rivera are both coming off tough seasons in 2016.
The Cowboys were winless and the Raiders only won once, a 14-7 defeat of Porter in Week 1. Both would like to erase those memories with a victory to start the new year.
Porter faces Rivera to open the 2017 season in The Brownsville Herald’s Game of the Week tonight at 7 p.m. at Sams Memorial Stadium.
Each team has improved from last year’s campaign with another year of experience on their young squads. The only difference is the Cowboys didn’t get to play in a scrimmage — it was canceled due to the inclement weather concerns because of Hurricane Harvey — and the Raiders did, getting a last-minute scrimmage scheduled with Pace after Rivera’s initial scrimmage was canceled for the same reason.
“We don’t know how much we’ve grown,” Porter coach Carlos Uresti said. “You can only get some much out of practice going against each other. We’ve implemented game time situations, but it’s still practice.”
Raiders coach Tom Chavez was happy for the extra work.
“We needed that help,” he said. “We needed it big time.”
But he didn’t feel his team has an advantage going into Week 1, after all, Uresti and Porter were watching from the stands. But Chavez did look forward to the matchup with his former player, now a head coach for the first time.
“You always want to beat the old coach,” Chavez said. “I’m sure they’re fired up about that.”
Uresti knows his team will be ready, but his concern is with special teams. He said that the Cowboys had practiced those situations this week.
While hoping to get the special teams ready for the game against Rivera, Uresti thinks the key to success for Porter starts with his offensive line.
“I’m hoping that some experience on the offensive shows,” he said. “Three starters are coming back and we’re plugging in two new offensive linemen … we’re hoping they jell together.
“The offensive line is going to set the tone for what we do.”
The Cowboys will try and use the clock to their advantage. Uresti expects a tight game and clock management could be a factor.
“We have to control the clock, that’s not a secret,” he said. “Everybody knows we’re going to run the ball. If we can control the ball, control the clock … we should be ok.”
For the Raiders, Chavez said his team must score points because Porter’s offense is capable of getting to the end zone over and over.
“I know their offense will come right at us,” he said. “We have to make some stops on defense and score some points on offense.”
Both coaches are ready for their first game going head-to-head.
“Going up against Coach Chavez … he always has his kids ready to go,” Uresti said. “We have to come out focused and ready to play.”
The Rivera coach knows his team will have its hands full.
“I don’t think it’s going to be easy,” Chavez said. “We have our work cut out for us. I’m not taking this game lightly for sure. We’ll see (today) how good we are. Hopefully it will turn out alright, but we’ll take it one game at a time.”
Carlos Uresti, a former player of Tom Chavez, faces his old coach for the first time as a head coach when Porter and Rivera face off tonight. Both teams have been down the last couple years because of inexperience, but each is looking to improve with another year of experience under their belt. Offensively and defensively, the teams are pretty even on paper, but Chavez will get the upper hand this time around.
PREDICTION: Rivera 24, Porter 21
FRIDAY’S GAMES
NON-DISTRICT
LOPEZ AT PORT ISABEL
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Tarpon Stadium
RECORDS: Lopez (0-0); Port Isabel (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Lopez is coming off a 7-win season and a postseason berth. … The Lobos return nine starters on offense, including a pair of seniors, quarterback Alex Ramirez and receiver Jose Echavarria. … The Lopez defense, the best unit in District 32-5A last season, returns five starters and look for a trio of seniors on the defensive line, Juan Rodriguez, Josue Lucio and Pedro Garcia to be a headache for opposing quarterbacks. … Port Isabel earned a share of the 16-4A, Division II title last season, but it has gone through some changes in the offseason. The Tarpons lost their top running back, Omar Silva, to graduation and coach Monty Stumbaugh is now at Hidalgo. Former Lyford coach Jaime Infante is now at the helm and brings a new offensive look to the mix. … Port Isabel returns quarterback Cesar Aguilera and running back Travis Camacho and each should be piling up the yardage. … Defensively, the Tarpons have pair of seniors, defensive back Jeremy Martinez, and linebacker Brian Chavez that will be leading the way among six returning starters. … It will be the Lopez defense vs. the Port Isabel (work in progress) offense and each should test the other.
PREDICTION: Lopez 21, Port Isabel 14
— Andrew Crum
GRULLA AT ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Canales Field
RECORDS: La Grulla (0-0); St. Joseph (0-0)
GAME NOTES: St. Joseph is looking to continue its run of success this season after coming going 9-3 and making the second round of the TAPPS playoffs. … The Bloodhounds won last year’s meeting with the Gators 64-35. … St. Joseph lost 18 players to graduation but return 10 starters from last season, including starting quarterback Kai Money, who rushed for 1,348 yards and threw for 1,275 yard. The offense averaged 486 yards and more than 40 points per game. … The Bloodhounds lost some key defensive pieces, but are confident in their 4-2-5 defense led by safety Carlos Esteve, DT Harrison Justis and safety David Rodriguez. … Grulla won its first district title and advanced to the area round last season. … The Gators return seven starters on offense and will go with junior Dillen Salinas at quarterback. … The offense will go as its offensive line goes as it it made up of four seniors and a junior that started the final five games last season. … Defensive tackle Derek Solis leads the Grulla defense that has five returning starters. … Grulla is expected to make another run at its district crown, but Week 1 on the road at St. Joseph is a tough draw.
PREDICTION: St. Joseph 42, Grulla 28
— Mark Molina
EDINBURG ECONOMEDES AT HANNA
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: Hanna (0-0); Economedes (0-0)
GAME NOTES: This marks the fourth straight year for the Golden Eagles and Jaguars to open the season against one another. A year ago, the two teams played in Edinburg and Economedes won 41-10. Prior to that, Hanna won 21-14 in 2015 and Economedes triumphed 35-13 in 2014 … Gabe Pena begins his seventh season as the Jaguars’ head coach, while this is the second year for Mark Guess to be at the helm for Hanna. Guess was the Eagles’ interim head coach last season … Economedes is coming off a 7-4 season in which the Jaguars made the playoffs and lost to Harlingen High 43-28 in the first round in Class 6A Division I. Hanna finished 3-7 in 2016, although the Eagles were still nurturing a shot at the playoffs going into their final regular-season game against Weslaco East last season, but they came up just short 35-28 … The Jaguars look like they have the makings of another playoff team. They are expected to be especially strong on offense with an experienced QB in Albert Guerra and a go-to receiver in Pete Segura. They have capable RBs in Gabriel Ornelas and Sonny Castillo, who will run behind an experienced offensive line. MLB Nick Villanueva leads the defense … The Eagles will be led this season by Joe Cavazos III at QB. He played wide receiver last year and is considered the team’s best athlete. Hanna has an all-district returnee in Cesar Mancias to run the ball along with another experienced rusher in Aaron Frausto. Cavazos will be throwing to veteran WRs Rolando Martinez and Chris Cardenas. Leading the way on the defensive line for the Eagles are DT Luis Ortiz and DE Sebastian Diaz, both returnees … Hanna will return to Sams Stadium on Sept. 8 to play its second game against Porter. Economedes also plays its second game Sept. 8 when the Jaguars play host to La Joya Palmview.
PREDICTION: Economedes 21-14
— Roy Hess
LOS FRESNOS AT EDCOUCH-ELSA
WHERE: Benny Layton Memorial Stadium, Elsa
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
RECORDS: Los Fresnos (0-0); Edcouch-Elsa (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Los Fresnos has more than its fair share of new offensive pieces to break in, as the Falcons return only two starters on that side of the ball. … Senior Charles Chapa will get the nod at quarterback after spending the bulk of his time as a wide receiver last season (six receptions, 84 yards). … Edcouch-Elsa coach Joe Marichalar will have his own restocking to do, with only seven starters returning from last year’s team. … Marichalar tabbed junior Albert Trevino to lead the program at quarterback, replacing Marco Aguinaga (30 touchdown passes, three interceptions in 2016). … Trevino threw for two touchdown passes in the Yellow Jackets’ scrimmage against Rio Hondo on Aug. 18. … Senior cornerback John Michael Gonzalez is one of two returners to E-E’s secondary. The likely No. 1 cover corner, Gonzalez, known for his physical play, led his team with four pass deflections
last season.
PREDICTION: Los Fresnos, 17-10
— Nate Kotisso
BROWNSVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL
AT EDINBURG NORTH
WHERE: Richard Flores Stadium, Edinburg
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
RECORDS: Brownsville Veterans (0-0); Edinburg North (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Last year’s game came down to the wire, as Veterans QB Gustavo Vasquez led the Chargers on a late comeback, including two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. … North lost QB Espinoza to graduation, but his replacement, Francisco Zuniga, got a bit of game action last year and is poised to lead the offense this year. … The Cougars got a big addition over the summer when RB Cristian Flores transferred from Edinburg Vela. Last year, as a sophomore, Flores amassed 984 yards and 11 TDs in 9 games, while sharing the backfield with two other runners who went over 800 yards. … The aforementioned Vasquez returns for his senior season and should again be a factor for the Chargers. Last year, he ran for 1,328 yards and 19 TDs.
PREDICTION: Edinburg North, 20-18
— Saul Berrios-Thomas
SATURDAY’S GAME
NON-DISTRICT
PSJA SOUTHWEST AT PACE
WHEN: 7 p.m., Saturday
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: PSJA Southwest (0-0); Pace (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Both Pace and PSJA Southwest have new head coaches and believe they have the tools to make a run at the postseason in 2017. … Pace and first-year head coach Danny Pardo were 3-7 last season and were just outside the playoff picture by season’s end. … Pace will look to senior quarterback Randy Aguilar (1,786 yards passing, 9 TDs in 2016) to run an experienced offense behind a line with four returning starters. … The Pace defense returns seniors Hector Salazar (DB), Robert Bermudez (DL), and Alimelek Acuna (DL) and will look to them to lead a unit that is still learning. … The Javelinas went 4-6 last season, but are hoping to thrive under new coach Michael Evans. … Evans is bringing in a the spread offense to Southwest and wil go with Greg Bostic as his quarterback. The offense returns just four starters. … The Javelna defense also returns four starters this season. The Javelinas won last year’s game with Pace 41-21 at home. … Look for a confident Pace offense to start the season with a strong showing.
PREDICTION: Pace 35, PSJA Southwest 31
— Mark Molina