BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR
The scenario that puts PSJA North (2-7, 2-4) into the playoffs is not that likely, but it’s not impossible, and the Raiders are only worried about what they can do to extend their season.
“They took last week’s loss pretty bad,” North coach Marcus Kaufmann said. “We were talking to them about ‘win 2,’ last week, and that was the one game where the kids were really, really bummed. They were hurting after every loss, but that one was pretty bad, because they thought that what we were working toward was gone. We had to get them in here Friday and Saturday and get them back up again, talk about how we still have a chance.”
In Week 10, North faced Edinburg Economedes (4-5, 2-4). The game was within one point when PSJA North had a first-and-goal from the 3, but penalties backed them up, stalled the drive and robbed the Raiders of the chance to put points on the board. Economedes grabbed the momentum and pulled away for a 28-14 win.
Had the Raiders won, their road to the playoffs would have been very clear. As it stands, North needs every game in District 31-6A to go its way this week.
The Raiders face the Edinburg High Bobcats at 7 p.m. Thursday at PSJA Stadium in Pharr. They need to win to keep the playoff hopes alive. They also need Edinburg North to lose to PSJA High on Thursday. Then on Friday, they need Edinburg Vela to beat Edinburg Economedes, and they need winless PSJA Southwest to beat PSJA Memorial.
“We can only worry about our game,” Kaufmann said. “We are playing like it’s a playoff game. Our few seniors that we do have, we are talking to them like, ‘You have to earn it. Don’t go out without a fight. You have to earn your next snaps. Push that end of the season a little bit farther down.’ That’s what they are showing us in practice. These kids are great kids. They continue to work and give it their all. We just need to get a break here or there. And then hope that Southwest can help us out, our sister school.”
PSJA North is very young. The Raiders start six or seven sophomores on each side of the ball. They only have three seniors starting. They have had freshman playing regularly. So a playoff berth could be the beginning of something special for PSJA North.
“It would be a great stepping stone for going into next year and the year after that,” Kaufmann said. “If they were able to do it, being this young, we would be able to get on a huge roll. We feel like we already have something to build on, because we have played people so close. Every ball game has been going into the fourth quarter with one score, other than Vela.”