BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA — After three playoff seasons under the direction of Margarito Requenez, La Joya Palmview missed out on the playoffs last year. Not only did they miss out on the postseason, the Lobos finished last in District 30-6A after a winless district season.
The Lobos hit rock bottom and now go from a seven-team district to a 10-team district. They have nowhere else to go but up.
“What happened last year is we lost four starters,” Requenez said. “It’s kind of hard to get back on track when you’re relying on two running backs that were there at the beginning of the season only to go down in the middle of the season.
“Last year was a tough season. What I told the kids after the season was that we had to work hard and make sure that we’re mentally tough. We have to keep them motivated. If we work hard, we’ll get back to the promised land. That’s what we’re working on.”
The first scrimmage can be a jumpy experience for a football team, marking the first time all year that players don’t have to block their teammates. The games always have a level of newness to them.
La Joya Palmview’s Friday scrimmage against Hidalgo at La Joya ISD Stadium did not start how the Lobos would have liked. An issue Palmview could not shake during the 2017 season was fumbling, and the young Lobos coughed up the ball several times during the scrimmage.
“I was proud that our little ones didn’t give up,” Requenez said. “They played hard. There were a couple of mistakes there with our turnovers, which can cost us a game, but I liked what I saw. My young group is ready to go.”
Down 2-1 late in the second 12-minute quarter of the scrimmage’s live period, Lobos senior quarterback David Flores threw an interception that appeared to seal the game for the Pirates.
Hidalgo subsequently threw a pick of its own with 51.7 seconds remaining, giving the Lobos tremendous field position. Flores then found running back Mario Chapa out of the backfield, and Chapa did the rest.
“You can’t break under pressure. That’s what we’re taught in practice,” Flores said. “We kept moving the ball up the field, and then we scored. We had mistakes in the beginning, but we came back and fixed them.”
“That’s where (Flores’) experience comes in,” Requenez said. “He has the understanding that if he messes up one time, then he can come back and do better the next time.”
Chapa, another senior, scampered into the left corner of the end zone to knot the scrimmage at 2 with 20.8 seconds remaining. The scrimmage ended in a 2-2 tie.
“It’s all about teamwork,” Chapa said. “If everyone works together, a positive is going to come out in the end. That teamwork and attitude of never giving up really helped us out in the end.”
FINDING AN OFFENSIVE “FLO”
Flores was an instrumental part of the Lobos offense, throwing for 526 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in 2017, but Palmview was still the lowest-scoring team in District 30-6A (17.6 points).
“I’ve had to work on everything this offseason, from leadership to getting the ball out quicker to receivers,” Flores said. “I didn’t have much experience as a leader since last year was my first as the starter. The quarterback is the most important job on the offense, and I have to put in the effort to make sure the team has the best chance to win.”
OUT FOR NOW
Senior defensive back Freddy Flores returns to the Lobos defense as a first-team all-district performer, but he was not able to suit up in Friday’s scrimmage.
“I’ve dealt with a left ankle injury for about two weeks now, but I’ve had a history of ankle injuries,” Freddy Flores said. “They’ve always been a little weaker, but the rehab has really helped out a lot.”
When Flores gets healthier, he is expected to be the quarterback of the Lobos’ defense.
“We’ve got a lot of raw talent,” Freddy Flores said. “We just need to get over the hump of being young. Once we all get used to playing at the varsity level, we’ll get rolling.”
LA JOYA PALMVIEW’S KEYS TO THE SEASON
The Lobos will be young at many of their key positions, save for the offensive side of the ball. Expect them to be a run-heavy offense once again with David Flores and Mario Chapa leading the charge.
2017 record: 2-8
Returning starters (O/D): 4/4
COACH’S TENURE
Coach: Margarito Requenez
Year at school: 5th
Record at school: 18-25-1