The Lobos and Huskies face-off
Tonight at La Joya ISD Stadium, the (2-2, 5-2) Palmview Lobos will face off against the (0-4, 1-6) Juarez-Lincoln Huskies in a District 16-5A game with some big implications. This rivalry between sister schools is sure to be intense, as both teams want to walk off the field with a win. For the Lobos, a win would help them get closer to making the playoffs, which has been their goal since the start of the season. For the Huskies, winning would be huge. After not winning for 30 games in a row, the Huskies finally got their first non-district win this season and are now chasing for their first district win.
The Lobos have gone 2-2 in their last four games. They are coming off a close 28-27 win over the 1-3 McAllen Bulldogs, a team that has made the playoffs in four of the last six seasons and have included some deep playoff runs. This impressive win helped the Lobos move up to the fifth place spot in District 16-5A. Since only four teams make the playoffs in the district, winning tonight could be the difference between playing in the postseason or not.
Progress Times spoke to Lobos head coach Margarito Requenez about their main goal, “Our number one goal is to put ourselves in the spot to make the playoffs.” Requenez mentioned, “If we win, we put ourselves in a playoff contention spot where we have to win one of the last two games to see if we’re in or not.”
The Huskies are looking to build on the momentum from their first win in 30 games. They have been fighting hard in this tough district. In their last game, they suffered a heavy 45-7 loss to the 4-0 Memorial Mustangs, the top team in the district. The week before that, they lost 44-3 to the 4-0 Vela Sabercats, and before that, they lost 54-14 to the 3-1 Rowe Warriors. It’s been a tough time for the Huskies, but winning tonight would mean a lot. If they win, it would be their first district win since the 2019-20 season.
Progress Times got to talk to Huskies head coach Danny Cortez about this matchup, “Coach Requenez runs a great program. Those kids are well coached and they’re going to be prepared for the game.”
For the Lobos to win, they’ll need to stick to the script. The Lobos are known for their run-first offense, which relies on many runners. This season, they have also opened up the passing game with the quarterback and receiver duo of Josue and Joe Esparza. These brothers have allowed the Lobos’ offense to do more than just run. Joseph Martinez, another quarterback, is also a big part of their offense as a passer and rusher while Esparza isn’t on the field. Kyle Bazan, the leading rusher for the Lobos, has been the standout among their many capable running backs.
The Lobos’ defense has improved a lot compared to last year. Last season, they gave up over 31 points per game. This season, they are allowing only 20 points per game. The Huskies don’t pose as a threatening offense, but Requenez reminded us, “It’s a rivalry game. It’s a big game and the Huskies always find a way to match up well against us so it’s going to be a battle.”
Furthermore, Requenez added, “Coach Cortez has done a great job over there with the kids and even though their record doesn’t show it, they’ve played well. We have to stay focused as a team and make sure that we do what we need to do. It’s a big week for us and it’s a very important game.”
For the Huskies, stopping the run will be key. In their last game against the Bulldogs, 250 of the 300 yards they gained came from the running game. Controlling the line of scrimmage will be crucial for the Huskies to gain any advantage. One way the Huskies can win is to keep up with the Lobos. Their rushing game is the heart of the team. It’s more likely that you will see a bee sting someone tonight than the Huskies passing the ball. On the ground for the Huskies is a mixture of their two biggest weapons on offense, quarterback John Menchaca and running back Ramiro Olivarez.
Cortez spoke about the challenge ahead, saying, “I know it’s going to be a tough game and I know that they have a great team but we’re going to focus on what we can control and what we can decide. We’ll let the cards fall as they may. We’re going to do it right, with discipline, good sportsmanship, and we’re going to fight hard in this game.”
Kickoff for tonight’s game is at 7:30 PM at La Joya ISD Stadium, and it should be a good one. Progress Times wishes the best of luck to both teams and the rest of the Big 7 teams as their seasons begin to wind down.