Last Playoff Appearance: 1999
(Lost,
area round D II playoffs)
2001 Record: 3-7 (2-3 district)
Returning Letterman: 16
Offensive/Defensive Starters:
7/6
Key Game: Nov. 1 vs. Orange
Grove
Offensive Backfield: QB Austin
Schonofeld
has graduated, taking
away
a lethal run-pass threat, and
three
players are battling to run the
offense.
Senior Adrian Cruz is
going
up against juniors Michael
Esparza
and Dariel Rios for signalcalling
honors.
Cruz saw extremely
limited
time last season, but could
play
a key role in stimulating the
Badgers’
attack. “We’re looking for
the
same type of person (as
Schonofeld),”
Wolf said. “Someone
that
can run the option, someone
who
can throw.” There will be experienced
help
for the quarterback of
choice,
as backs Nathan Jimenez,
the
leading returning rusher with
235
yards last year in just four
games,
and Adam Cruz, who
totaled
184, return, along with
Miguel
Garza, who rushed for 132
yards
in six games.
Receivers: Another spot where
the
Badgers took a hit. Leading
receiver
Bryan Schroeder took his
29
receptions and left, as did
Manuel
Ruiz, who leaves with his
13
catches. But Wolf likes the
speed
spread throughout this position,
as
Ivan Salinas and Leo
Gonzalez
are slated to take over.
Offensive Line: This is the area
where
much of the Badgers’ offensive
experience
resides. Four
returning
starters, and a fifth player
with
letter-winning experience, will
pave
the way for the backs. While
the
line isn’t large in terms of
weight
— only G Noe Barrera (265)
and
C Joey Guajardo (228) are listed
as
being above 200 pounds —
the
experience could pay off with
time
for the new quarterback to
pass
or holes through which he
and
the backs can run.
Defensive Line: The defensive
side
of the line is another veteran
unit
for the Badgers. All four linemen
were
starters for the team last
year,
with Salinas and Brandon
Limas
serving as bookend defensive
ends.
Salinas leads the returning
linemen
with 46 tackles last
season.
The tackles will have to
compensate
for the loss of B.J.
Beltran.
Linebackers: Bishop isn’t reeling
from
the loss of Philip Davila, only
because
this is a corps where the
Badgers
are loaded. Wolf is counting
on
senior Raymond Ortega, second
on
the team with 72 tackles last
season,
to fill the void. Wolf also
praises
Garza and Matt Rudel as
being
reliable players that can be
game-changers
for the Badgers.
Secondary: Bishop will be
breaking
in a new pair of corners,
but
Wolf is optimistic. Rene Garcia
and
Tommy Ramirez are promising
players.
But one of Bishop’s best
defenders
returns at safety.
Esparza
was the team’s lead tackler
last
year (87) and also rang up
an
interception. He will be counted
on
to hold the last line while the
corners
get accustomed.
BISHOP SCHEDULE
Aug.
30 ....George West 7:30
Sept.
6 ....Odem 7:30
Sept.
13 ..at Riviera 7:30
Sept.
20 ..at Lyford 7:30
Sept.
27 ..at Freer 7:30
Oct.
11 ....x-Hebbronville 7:30
Oct.
18 ....x-at Falfurrias 7:30
Oct.
25 ....x-Zapata 7:30
Nov.
1 ......x-Orange Grove 7:30
Nov.
8 ......x-at San Diego 7:30
Falfurrias Jerseys
Head Coach: David C. Salinas
Career Record: 36-28
Years at School: 7th
Record at School: 36-28
Enrollment: 513
Last District Title: 2000
Last Playoff Appearance: 2001
(Lost,
area round D II playoffs)
2001 Record: 10-2 (4-1 district)
Returning Letterman: 22
Offensive/Defensive Starters:
7/6
Key Game: Oct. 11 at Zapata
Offensive Backfield: For the
second
consecutive season, the
Jerseys
must replace a major
ground-gainer.
After losing Mark
Cates
and 2,000 yards from a year
ago,
Fal must now replace Jaime
Ruelas
and his 1,600-plus yards of
rushing.
Fear not for Salinas,
though,
as he describes his latest
corps
as “rabbits.” Gumaro Mejia,
Joseph
Garza and Javier Ramirez
will
all battle for carries and the
right
to replace Ruelas as the featured
back.
The Jerseys are in
good
hands at QB, as Trey Garcia
returns
to lead the offense. Garcia
is
a strong runner who has proven
(see
his 230 yards passing vs.
Riviera
last season) he can beat a
team
with his arm.
Receivers: Another positive
point
for the Jerseys is Ruben
Cantu,
Fal’s main deep target,
returns.
Cantu rolled up 213 of
Garcia’s
passing yards against
Riviera.
Jesse Ramirez, the district’s
Newcomer
of the Year last
season
for his work at defensive
end,
will provide an Albert
Martinez-like
tight end target.
Offensive Line: Mammoth tackles
Joey
Crosson (6-4, 315) and
Ricky
Martinez (6-0, 280) can overpower
opponents,
while center
Homer
Villarreal is a vital cog in the
offense.
The key, as Salinas sees
it,
is replacing guards Alan Lemus
and
Daniel Sanchez, a tandem
which
had seen action since the
two
were freshmen.
Defensive Line: Albert Martinez
has
bolted for the University of
Houston,
taking his Class 3A
Defensive
Player of the Year honors
with
him. But junior Jesse Ramirez
(6-3,
220), who earned All-South
Texas
superlatives, returns after a
14-sack,
77-tackle campaign. Tackle
Clayton
Boerjan (6-0, 220) provides
a
strong presence on the inside of
the
line.
Linebackers: David E. Salinas
returns
for another season as Fal’s
defensive
plug at LB. Salinas will
be
joined by Tommy Villarreal,
another
starter returning from last
season’s
5.5 points allowed per
game
defense, giving the Jerseys
another
strength.
Secondary: The Jerseys will
miss
ball-hawking safety Mike
Alvarado,
an honorable mention allstate
selection,
but have three
experienced
players in the secondary,
including
Freddy Trevino, a
returning
starter.
FALFURRIAS SCHEDULE
Aug.
30 ....at La Villa 7:30
Sept.
6 ....West Oso 7:30
Sept.
13 ..at Port Isabel 7:30
Sept.
20 ..at Ingleside 7:30
Sept.
27 ..Monterrey Tech 7:30
Oct.
11 ....x-at Zapata 7:30
Oct.
18 ....x-Bishop 7:30
Oct.
25 ....x-at San Diego 7:30
Nov.
1 ......x-Hebbronville 7:30
Nov.
8 ......x-at Orange Grove 7:30
Hebbronville
Longhorns
Head Coach: Robert Gomez
Career Record: 48-53-1
Years at School: 3rd
Record at School: 7-13
Enrollment: 352
Last District Title: 1992
Last Playoff Appearance: 1992
(Lost,
bi-district)
2001 Record: 2-8 (0-5 district)
Returning Letterman: 15
Offensive/Defensive Starters:
3/4
Key Game: Oct. 11 at Bishop
Offensive Backfield: The
Longhorns
are lacking experience
on
both sides of the ball, but this
area
isn’t much of a concern.
Robert
Gomez lends a veteran
presence,
as he will man the quarterback
position
this season.
Hebbronville
can also rely on RB
Hector
Garcia (391 yards), a second-
team
all-district selection last
year,
to chew up yards on the
ground.
Receivers: Gomez will have to
find
a target, and it is here that
members
from the 9-1 junior varsity
team
could contribute. Among the
targets
Gomez will have are TE
Javi
Solis, Roli Gonzalez and
Raymond
Montelongo.
Offensive Line: The line has a
slight
veteran feel with A.C.
Carpentier
(6-2, 228) leading the
team
from his tackle spot. Coach
Gomez
finally believes his team
has
caught up in the strength
department,
and likes the aggressive
attitude
shown by his linemen.
Depth
is a concern.
Defensive Line: The defense yielded
more
than 21 points per game last year,
but Gomez doesn’t believe his defensive
line
will get pushed around much.
Carpentier
will man a tackle spot, while Javier Guardian will be counted on at
one
end spot.
Linebackers: Adolfo Salazar is one
of
the best players on this side of the
ball
for Hebbronville, earning all-district
second-team
accolades last year.
Marcos
Gonzalez, Mark Saenz and
Steven
Gonzalez are pencilled in to
join
him.
Secondary: Oscar Gonzalez, one
of
the area’s better defensive backs,
has
departed, and Salazar could be a
factor
in helping the secondary. Along
with
the possibility of Salazar lining up
in
the deep defense, Wayo Montalvo
and
Roli Gonzalez are projected as
starters.
HEBBRONVILLE SCHEDULE
Aug.
30 Premont 7:30
Sept.
6 at Freer 7:30
Sept.
13 Odem 7:30
Sept.
20 Riviera 7:30
Sept.
27 at Mathis 7:30
Oct.
11 x-at Bishop 7:30
Oct.
18 x-San Diego 7:30
Oct.
25 x-at Orange Grove 7:30
Nov.
1 x-at Falfurrias 7:30
Nov.
8 x-Zapata 7:30
Orange Grove
Bulldogs
Head Coach: Don Long
Career Record: 125-71-2
Years at School: 5th
Record at School: 22-21
Enrollment: 442
Last District Title: 1998
Last Playoff Appearance: 2000
(Lost,
area round D II playoffs)
2001 Record: 2-7 (1-4 district)
Returning Letterman: 13
Offensive/Defensive Starters:
4/2
Key Game: Nov. 1 at Bishop
Offensive Backfield: While
injuries
and graduation combined
to
sabotage the Bulldogs’ 2001
season,
Percy Akins will likely take
over
the team’s hopes at quarterback.
Akins
helped the JV to a 7-2
record
last season. Adrian Mesa,
one
of those that had an injuryabbreviated
2001,
will line up at fulllback
for
Orange Grove. Anthony
Alaniz
is projected to join him in the
backfield.
Receivers: Tight end Kyle
Herschap
has departed, but another
one
of the Bulldogs’ standouts,
Chad
De Laune, will probably take
over
there. Joseph Briones is slated
for
split end.
Offensive Line: Literally and figuratively
the
strength of the team.
Long
is touting tackle Travis
Whitehead
(6-1, 265), a three-year
starter,
as a all-state caliber player.
Whitehead
is one of five letter-winners
that
will man the line.
Defensive Line: Whitehead will
also
factor in here as a defensive
tackle.
He will be joined by ends
Adrian
Mesa and Justin Doss.
Defense,
as a whole, was not a big
problem
for the Bulldogs, who surrendered
17
points per game, but
the
team did give up more than
230
rushing yards per game.
Linebackers: Carlos Ochoa, a
returning
letterman, will provide
experience
in this unit. Brandon
Henderson
will probably hold down
the
other position.
Secondary: One of last year’s
standouts,
Noe Alaniz, is gone, and
the
unit will have a youthful look.
One
senior, a pair of juniors and a
sophomore
are the likely starters,
with
none of the four having a letter
between
them.
Last Playoff Appearance: 2001
(Lost,
D II bi-district)
2001 Record: 6-4 (3-2 district)
Returning Letterman: 6
Offensive/Defensive Starters:
3/3
Key Game: Oct. 11 at Orange
Grove
Offensive Backfield: There is
barely
any experience returning
from
last year’s playoff team,
though
the backfield at least has
some.
Adolfo Quintanilla, who
gained
230 rushing yards, is back,
along
with Robby Casas, who saw
some
reps at quarterback.
Quintanilla
may be a workhorse for
a
team that split the carries among
five
different players last year.
“We’re
expecting big things from
him,”
Soza said. “He’s fast, and he
runs
strong.” If Casas and
Quintanilla
can’t produce points,
Erasmo
Luera, one of the area’s
better
kickers, can with his leg.
Receivers: It’s open competition,
though
Robert Garza and Ricky
Perales
are projected as starters.
Offensive Line: The line has no
mammoths,
but does boast four
likely
starters that are 200 poundsplus.
C
Ruben Sanchez is singled
out
by Soza as a good athlete.
Defensive Line: Sanchez and
Eric
Garcia are the only letterman
that
will likely start. While there is a
dearth
of lettermen, all positions
will
likely be staffed by seniors.
Linebackers: Again, no experience
to
speak of, though
Quintanilla
may hold down one
position.
It looks bleak for the
Vaqueros
chances of matching
their
defensive stats of last season
—
yielding only 103 rushing yards
per
game.
Secondary: In a role reversal
from
last year, the secondary likely
won’t
be picked on as much. While
the
Vaqueros mauled runners,
opponents
were forced to go airborne,
where
San Diego gave up
more
than 80 passing yards per
game.
But two starters — Luera
and
Casas — will again hold down
starting
jobs. Luera, though a
diminutive
defender at 5-5, can hassle
receivers.
SAN DIEGO SCHEDULE
Aug.
30 ....West Oso 7:30
Sept.
6 ....S.A. Memorial 8
Sept.
13 ..at Freer 7:30
Sept.
20 ..at Odem 7:30
Sept.
27 ..Premont 7:30
Oct.
11 ....x-at Orange Grove 7:30
Oct.
18 ....x-at Hebbronville 7:30
Oct.
25 ....x-Falfurrias 7:30
Nov.
1 ......x-at Zapata 7:30
Nov.
8 ......x-Bishop 7:30
Zapata Hawks
Head Coach: Mario Arce
Career Record: 0-0
Years at School: 1st
Record at School: 0-0
Enrollment: 824
Last District Title: 2001
Last Playoff Appearance: 2001
(Lost,
D I bi-district)
2001 Record: 10-1 (5-0 district)
Returning Letterman: 13
Offensive/Defensive Starters:
6/5
Key Game: Oct. 11 vs. Falfurrias
Offensive Backfield: In defending
its
first district title in 34 years,
Zapata
will look to its former offensive
coordinator.
Arce takes over for
Pepe
Saenz and, naturally, the
offense
looks strong. QB Remi
Guerra
(1,229 passing yards) will
lead
the aerial portion of the Hawks
attack,
while RB Joseph Morace
(646
rushing yards) will provide the
balance.
Heriberto Dominguez and
Luis
Guerra will take over open slots
in
the backfield.
Receivers: Ricky Del Bosque
(18
catches, 9 TDs) was Guerra’s
main
target last season, and
should
be again this season. Joey
Solis
will try to take some of the
coverage
off Del Bosque.
Offensive Line: Three starters
return
to a line that has all five
starters
over 200 pounds and features
a
pair of 250-pound tackles in
Jody
Linville and Oscar Martinez.
Defensive Line: The defense
line
isn’t as hefty as its offensive
counterpart,
but Linville will add
some
size to the unit. Marcos
Gonzalez
returns at end, though a
200-pound
defensive tackle could
be
exploited.
Linebackers: The Hawks are
loaded
up with experience at this
corps
with seven experienced players
returning.
Carlos Briseno will lead the
corps,
which Arce believes is one of
the fastest linebacking units in the area.
Secondary: Joey Morales will patrol
the
secondary, though the Hawks are
somewhat
small in the last line. Morales
(5-7,
150) is slated to be joined by
Jesue
Luera (5-7, 145) and Juan Guerra
(5-9,
150).
