DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
Donna High coach Ramiro Leal gathered his junior varsity and varsity players and went to Brownsville on Friday to attend the funeral of former outside linebackers coach Jason Garcia. Garcia, a Brownsville native praised for his “energy” and “positivity” during his first year as a coach with the Redskins, passed away last Monday in a car accident in San Benito.
The Redskins’ coaches and players were in Brownsville from 9:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., getting back to Donna just five hours before kicking off against Brownsville Porter.
“I didn’t even know how they were going to play, but they played very inspired football,” Leal said of Donna High’s 42-12 win over Porter. “They played the game like they’ve never played it. They overachieved because of the inspiration for the coach. I can’t even put it into words.”
It’s been a trying year for Donna High (2-5, 1-3 District 32-5A). Friday’s win was just the Redskins’ second of the season. The varsity roster consists of only 32 players. Many kids are playing both ways; the starting tailback is also the starting safety and the backup tailback is the starting cornerback.
But things are moving forward. Leal said Friday, he saw his team execute better than it has all season, coming off the emotional morning and a week that included no practice on Tuesday after the team learned of Garcia’s passing.
“We’re running the same plays as last year, but the execution was so much better,” Leal said. “A lot of times this season, we’re running a play and a guy or two misses a block or we can’t get to the edge. This time, these kids got to that edge. They played above and beyond.”
Leal said players are finally in shape to play both ways. For the first time this season, the team left the field after a game injury-free on Friday.
Also, for the first time, the Redskins will have the same starters on the field for the second straight game this Friday against rival Donna North.
“We’ll take one game at a time,” Leal said. “We have to play every game like we played Friday. We showed what we’re capable of. We just want to see everything continued on a consistent basis.”
TIGERS MAKING STRIDES
Valley View is getting more comfortable in offensive coordinator Rick Valdez’s new spread offense. It showed last week.
The Tigers put up 34 points on a program-best 528 yards during last week’s win over Laredo Cigarroa.
“The kids are believing in our program,” interim coach Eli Esquivel said. “The spread takes time to develop and now they’re comfortable with what we’re doing. They used to run, run, run. Now we’re throwing all the time. So the timing, the throwing, the catching … it all takes time. These kids are working hard, and we’ve won more games this year than the two previous years.”
Indeed, the Tigers (2-5) have improved upon 2015’s 0-10 mark and 2014’s 1-9 standing. And they have a lot to build on with a young roster.
Valley View started five sophomores on Friday night. Dual-threat quarterback Adam Solis is a senior, but key playmakers like Richie Sanchez and Jesus Acosta are juniors.
It’s been a process. The Tigers ran the slot-T under previous coach Ubaldo Peña. Passing was a foreign concept. Now Valley View is playing an entirely different style of football and seeing all the hard work pay off.
“All we’re asking is for them to work hard, play basic defense and execute on offense,” Esquivel said. “Let’s get better every week. We’re very young, but if we play hard good things will happen. Sure enough, that’s what’s happening right now.”
BIG GAME LOOMS FOR UNDERMANNED VETS
Mission Veterans Memorial likely won’t be at full health for this week’s big game against Rio Grande City.
Receiver Buda Gonzalez is out and will be re-evaluated Monday. No. 1 receiver Jacob Guerrero is a game-time decision, but has not practiced in pads yet. Running back Johnny Martinez is also a game-time decision, but hasn’t participated in contact practices.
As coach David Gilpin said, “It is what it is.” But “it” is dire, particularly going into a game that will have significant bearing upon Mission Vets’ and Rio Grande City’s playoff fates.
Mission Vets is 3-2 in District 31-5A. Rio Grande City is 4-2.
“When you’ve got your back to the wall and you’re basically sitting in a playoff game in Week 9, it’s time to go,” Gilpin said. “There’s no waiting. It’s next man up and it’s time to play. If we win this Friday night, it puts us in pretty good position to make the playoffs.”
Gilpin said whoever loses Friday night cannot afford to finish in a tie with the other because the latter would have the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Right now, Laredo Nixon (4-1), Sharyland High (4-1) and Sharyland Pioneer (4-1) are good bets for the top three spots.
“It would be nice to be locked and loaded this week, but reality is it comes down to execution and winning the turnover battle in a game of this magnitude,” Gilpin said.