LA FERIA — The road to a district title has run through La Feria the past five years, with the Lions capturing at least a share of the district crown every year since 2017.
The 2021 campaign proved no different, with La Feria roaring past the competition en route to their fifth straight district championship.
They’ll look to make it six straight, opening the season as the No. 3 team in the RGVSports.com sub-5A top 4 poll.
“We feel we’re still pretty up there and in the running for another district championship,” La Feria linebacker Noah Vento said. “It’s a completely new district but we have to stay confident. We’re hungry, always hungry. We keep wanting more district championships and make a run in the playoffs. It doesn’t change.”
The Lions’ biggest question going into the year is at quarterback, with last year’s dual-threat signal caller Aaron Treviño gone to graduation. Senior Joshua Gonzalez is penciled to replace Treviño, serving as his understudy last season.
Gonzalez takes over an offense with weapons across the board, with the Lions returning six starters on that side of the ball. Speedy wideouts Justin Rodriguez and Joaquin Treviño return to give Gonzalez a pair of weapons on the outside, combining for 855 yards and 10 touchdowns last year.
Junior running back Zion Dickerson adds another dimension to the Lions’ offense, returning after a 1,000-yard sophomore campaign. He finished with 1,040 yards and 13 touchdowns on 132 carries.
“I’m just doing the best that I can do and lead this team,” Gonzalez said. “I learned a lot from Aaron (Treviño). I learned how to lead this offense and be a leader. You can expect to see an explosive offense with no-huddle. It’ll be fast and quick paced.”
Linebackers Andruw Rivera and Noah Vento anchor the Lions’ defense, serving as two of the team’s five returners on that side of the ball. Rivera, a sophomore, recorded 41 tackles and five tackles for loss in six appearances as a freshman. Vento added 35 tackles, three tackles for loss and one fumble recovery in eight games.
The road to a sixth straight district title will look different for La Feria this season, with District 16-4A DI receiving a major face lift during realignment. The district grows from a five-team district to seven, with the reshuffling loading it with Coastal Bend teams. La Feria and Hidalgo are the only RGV teams in the district.
“It’s truly going to be a big test,” Vento said. “Traveling will be a big thing because we’ll be going far away from home. It’ll be harder for fans to get out there. At the end of the day, every game is a battle. Every game is a war. We just have to go out there and play every game like it’s our home.”
La Feria kicks off the year with three straight non-district road contests against Donna High, PSJA Southwest and Brownsville Pace. They close out non-district play against Mercedes on Sept. 16, beginning their district slate against Alice on Sept. 23 at Lions Stadium in La Feria.
