McAllen Memorial opened the season rolling through defenses on the ground, passing for only 48 yards through the first three weeks, while rushing for 1,130.
After an injury to starting quarterback Derek Silva, junior JP Cortez was thrust into the starting lineup. With Cortez at the helm, the Mustangs have deployed a more balanced offensive attack, rushing for 580 yards while passing for 419 during their last three contests.
“It was getting to the point where teams were putting eight to nine people in the box trying to force us to do other things,” McAllen Memorial head coach Moses Patterson said. “We knew coming into this year if we wanted to be successful and do other things, we would have to work on our passing game some. So, we changed that up quite a bit. When JP came in due to injury, he kind of rose to the occasion with the next man up mentality.”
Cortez has played a key role in the Mustangs’ improved passing game, throwing for 417 yards and five touchdowns during his three starts, more than doubling the Mustangs’ season total from a year ago.
The junior signal-caller has taken care of the football as well, throwing zero interceptions, helping his team improve to 5-0 in district play.
“I think he’s come out and matured and grown as a player,” Patterson said. “He’s starting to see some things. Not to take away by any means from Derek, our other quarterback. They’re both doing a good job, but he (Cortez) is getting some playing time right now and he’s starting to evolve and see some things. We still have a ways to go and we’re looking for both to get better as we continue on.”
Cortez and the Mustangs (5-1, 5-0) look to take the next step in their district title quest Friday, traveling to Bennie La Prade Stadium to take on the Donna High Redskins.
RUNNING QUARTERBACKS
Donna High’s Jake Garcia and Roma’s RJ Morales start at quarterback for their respective teams, but the duo has done most of their damage on the ground this season.
Garcia is coming off his third straight 100-yard rushing performance, bringing his season total to 655 yards, ranking No. 2 in District 16-5A DI despite the Redskins playing one less game than the rest of the district.
Meanwhile, Morales delivered his third three-touchdown performance of the year, bringing his season total to a district-leading 11 scores. Morales has scored two or more on the ground in four of the team’s seven contests, while ranking third in District 16-5A DII in rushing with 584 yards.
DISTRICT RACE
With four weeks left in the regular season, district title races are starting to heat up in Class 5A, with no clear-cut winner in sights.
In District 16-5A DI, McAllen Memorial controls its destiny, holding the top spot with a 5-0 mark. Right behind the Mustangs are the Brownsville Veterans Chargers, McAllen High Bulldogs and McAllen Rowe Warriors, each holding a 4-1 district record.
Meanwhile, the Mission Veterans Patriots took sole possession of first place in District 16-5A DII following a loss by the Mercedes Tigers to the Sharyland High Rattlers during Week 7. The Patriots (5-2, 5-0), like the Mustangs, control their fate going forward.
Still, Mercedes, Sharyland High and Sharyland Pioneer all remain in the hunt, with only one loss in district play each. The Diamondbacks and Rattlers face off Friday in the Snakeskin Classic, while the Patriots and Tigers clash next week in a pivotal district matchup.