By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA — For as well as PSJA North has performed defensively this year, surrendering a Valley-best 163.5 yards per game heading into Week 4, coach Marcus Kaufmann had heard some friendly criticism about how his team still lacked a shutout victory.
In each of their first two games, the Raiders allowed at least one touchdown. But that changed Friday when they turned in a 31-0 win over La Joya High at La Joya ISD Stadium in both teams’ non-district finale.
PSJA North allowed just 88 yards while forcing six short drives, including four three-and-outs, along with two fumbles as it improved to 3-0 on the season.
“They played lights-out,” Kaufmann said. “They finally got their shutout.”
Bo Adams ran 23 times for 127 yards, scoring twice on the ground, and Rene Ramirez (75 yards on 14 carries) added another TD. The Raiders attempted only three throws all night, and they were successful each time to Sammy Badillo.
The senior wide receiver hauled in a 46-yard score on his first catch from Darren Fuentes, and then Badillo caught two more passes for 39 and 11 yards, respectively, from Randy Reyna.
PSJA North totaled 306 yards of offense — down from its 387 yards per game average — as it went up against La Joya (1-3), owners of the best defense in 30-6A in terms of yards allowed (201.7), along with La Joya Juarez-Lincoln.
“We feel pretty good about it,” said senior nose tackle Vicente Palacios, who forced and recovered a fumble Friday. “We just tell each other to focus. Don’t jack around. Stay on the go, and just make sure it’s a (shutout). We feel pretty confident, but we don’t want to boast too much. We’re going to go into (next week) humble. Hopefully everyone does their job and we go for a district title.”
The Raiders certainly remain in the conversation, along with unbeaten Edinburg Economedes and 2-1 Edinburg Vela, after posting a 3-0 record heading into their 31-6A opener.
North opened a 15-0 lead in the first quarter. Adams scored on 12-yard run to cap a six-play, 52-yard sequence. The senior back has been the Raiders’ primary weapon on offense this year, and it showed Friday as he carried the ball five times for 47 yards on that opening drive.
After forcing La Joya to punt, PSJA North scored four plays later on Ramirez’s 1-yard dive up the middle.
By halftime, the Raiders led 25-0 following a 35-yard field goal and a 46-yard TD pass from Fuentes to Badillo.
“I was actually worried about them because (La Joya was) getting better and better every week,” Kaufmann said. “I was worried about this being a ball game where we were looking ahead to district and they were just beginning to put it together. I wasn’t really trying to experiment. Just trying to win a ball game.”
ELIMINATING LAPSES
Despite a 3-0 record and convincing wins, Kaufmann said he was hoping his team would clean up its second-half lapses, a trend that has developed early in the year.
On Friday, the Raiders didn’t record a second-half touchdown until the 26-second mark of the fourth period. It came on a 16-play, 87-yard drive, which chewed up nearly seven minutes, when Adams punched in a 6-yard score.
“The first half was a great half of football,” Kaufmann said. “But it was like the last two games. Second half, kind of lost focus again. Started playing around. We still haven’t grown up. We have to hurry up. District starts next week, so we have to get going.”
UNDER CENTER
After four games of alternating between quarterbacks, La Joya High coach Reuben Farias said he still hasn’t decided whether he will switch between two signal callers going into next week’s district opener.
On Friday, the Coyotes threw the ball 14 times, with Irving Garcia finding the most success, completing 5 of 10 attempts for 48 yards. Jose Delgado connected on 1 of 5 tries for a loss of one yard.
“We’re still trying to find to see who’s going to be the one to take the lead,” Farias said. “They both bring two different things to the table. Right now, there’s certain things we’re going to try to do that one does better than the other. Whoever had a better game, that’s the one we’ll stick with.”
UP NEXT
PSJA North was the only District 31-6A team to play Friday, with every other team on a bye. The Raiders will take on PSJA Memorial at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 in both teams’ 31-6A opener.
La Joya plays its third straight game at home next week when it faces Mission High in both teams’ 30-6A opener.