By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
The top defense meets the top offense in District 32-6A.
As if the matchup between Rivera and San Benito needed any more hype, the squads are also playing with at least a share of the district title on the line when they meet tonight at Bobby Morrow Stadium in San Benito.
The Raiders (4-5, 4-2) lead the district in defense, allowing 232 yards and 21 points per game. Rivera has been especially impressive during its four-game win streak, allowing 161 yards and 9 points per game.
The Greyhounds (6-3, 5-1) boast the top offense in 32-6A. San Benito averages 437 yards and 35 points per game.
“Our defense is playing really well, and their offense is, too,” Rivera coach Tom Chavez said. “It’s like they are complementing each other. San Benito isn’t 5-1 (in district) for nothing, they have a real good football team. We’ve been gradually getting better every week, so it should be an interesting game.”
If Rivera can get the road victory, it earns a share of the district title. But if San Benito wins, it claims the district title outright.
The Raiders had winning a district title as a goal, as did every other team in the district. But it was never the focus, Chavez said.
“You always have those goals, but you don’t know if you’re going to get to them, but you have those thoughts,” he said. “The kids have the thoughts, and you think about being in that position (at the end of the season). I really don’t try to look ahead, we just look at one game at a time.”
San Benito coach Dan Gomez expected a very tough, low-scoring game with Chavez on the opposing sideline.
“We expect a very physical, a very competitive ballgame,” he said. “That’s what we’re preparing for. Coach Chavez is a legendary coach who has done things in other programs and has done things at Rivera that are outstanding. We definitely know what type of team is coming into our house.”
While the main attraction may be the top offensive and defensive units in district, the opposite side of the ball for each squad is pretty decent, too.
Rivera is fifth in offense averaging 292 yards and 23 points per game, while the San Benito defense is fifth, allowing 328 yards and 26 points per game.
If the top offense and top defense somehow cancel each other out, the game could be decided by whichever team’s unit on the other side of the ball makes plays at crucial times.
The coaches for each squad have taken a different approach to their preparation for tonight. The Raiders stuck to the same routine they have used the past month.
“We’ve been practicing as usual, just trying to clean up our mistakes,” Chavez said. “(We’ve) kept it at the same rhythm, (we’re) not changing anything on offense or defense.”
The Greyhounds’ coach went in a slightly different direction.
“We’re preparing harder, each and every week. We’ve pushed the envelope with these kids to push themselves even harder every day,” Gomez said. “We’re going to get every ounce of talent and energy that they have, and when we have it all we’ll look for some more somewhere and pull it out of them.
“We’re going to grind it out and prepare ourselves for one hell of a team that’s coming into our house.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.