DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — PSJA North first-year coach Jorge Peña says simply having a refurbished George Olivarez under center gives his team a chance. The junior quarterback has grown by leaps and bounds this season, and the Raiders have surfed that wave.
Against an Edinburg North team without star running back Matt Whitesides, sitting out recovering from a sprained ankle suffered last week against Weslaco East, Olivarez showed again why he’s the Raiders’ man, compiling 185 total yards and two touchdowns in leading PSJA North to a 42-0 win Thursday at PSJA Stadium.
“Coach Peña has made it clear,” Olivarez said. “This is what’s expected of me. He knows the talent I have. He knows what we’re capable of. Games like this should be what’s given from me.”
PSJA North stands as one of only two teams undefeated in District 31-6A play at 2-0, 3-3 overall. Edinburg North fell to 3-3, 1-1.
Olivarez breezed by the Edinburg North front seven effortlessly all night. He burst inside, sped around outside, anything and everything in helping the Raiders jump out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter.
If it wasn’t Olivarez, it was sophomore Rene Ramirez as the pair zipped and zagged as if Cougar defenders were orange traffic cones.
“Their defensive backs played way back so we took advantage of it,” Olivarez said. “It was simple, just executing based on the way the defense lined up.”
Not having Whitesides, coming off a 203-yard game against Weslaco East, was a killer for Edinburg North’s offense. The Cougars managed just 142 total yards, including 2.2 yards per play.
“We just had too many mistakes,” Edinburg North coach Rene Saenz said. “We didn’t show up on either side ready to play. It’s a sign of a young ballclub.
“You’d think six games in we’d find a consistency, but it’s just not happening right now.”
While much of the Cougars’ poor offensive showing is because of what Whitesides means to the offense, it’s also a credit to a staunch defensive front for the Raiders led by defensive linemen Joziah Treviño, Matt Garza and Dylan Montemayor.
PSJA North held Edinburg North to 107 rushing yards on 49 carries, and with a listless run game the Cougars got just as little in the passing attack.
“They play like their coach played,” Peña said of his defensive line in regard to his defensive coordinator.
“Cruz Gaitan Jr. was a heck of a player, an MVP at 178 pounds, and he brings that energy and fire. The kids feed off that, and they’re starting to play like that.”
Whitesides is expected to be back for next week’s game against Edinburg High. But on this night, his absence was painfully obvious for Cougar supporters, while PSJA North continued its impressive rebound from a 1-9 2013 season.
“It’s surprising, sure, but I knew we had it,” Ramirez said. “We had the talent, we were just young. Now we’re growing up.”
THE TOTAL TORRES
PSJA North’s Joey Torres made his impact felt in a lot of ways on Thursday.
Torres, a senior running back/strong safety, had a 52-yard TD run to the outside late in the first quarter. In the fourth, he picked up a fumble off a bad snap and raced 70 yards for the game’s final score.
“He had a lot of issues at the beginning with attitude, and then all of a sudden he matured,” Peña said. “Now he’s the most humble, most grateful kid. He’s always had the talent, but he had to put his ego aside. Once he did that, these are the results.”
UNSPECIAL TEAMS
Either because of precarious situations offensively or simply bad punting, the Cougars allowed the Raiders strong field position most of the night.
In building a 28-0 lead by halftime, PSJA North had seven possessions. The worst starting point came on its second series on its own 20. Otherwise, the Raiders started from their 25, 48, 39, 38, and Edinburg North’s 29 and 42.
UP NEXT
PSJA North plays PSJA Memorial next Friday at PSJA Stadium. PSJA Memorial is at Weslaco East tonight after winning its district opener in a rout of Edinburg Economedes last week.
Edinburg North plays Edinburg High next Friday at Cats Stadium. The Bobcats lost to Weslaco High 46-0 on Thursday in their district opener.