HIDALGO — Two-way players are common in sub-5A football, with most starters asked to play offense and defense. The one exception to the rule is normally the quarterback, with most coaches not willing to risk their field general.
Hidalgo’s Anthony Nava, however, isn’t most quarterbacks. The junior athlete does it all for the Pirates, leading their offense and patrolling the skies as their starting safety.
His football ability was on full display Friday, accounting for two offensive touchdowns and adding an interception on defense to help lead the Pirates past the Zapata Hawks 35-0 during their District 16-4A DI opener at Bill Pate Stadium.
Nava finished 4-of-4 for 84 yards and a touchdown, adding 72 yards and a touchdown on nine carries and an interception on defense.
“He’s a good athlete. I told the coaches we’re going to play who we need to play,” Hidalgo head coach Monty Stumbaugh said. “We gave kids a chance the first four weeks. Now, with district, we have to go with our best. I’ve had quarterbacks in the past who have played both ways. Anthony is just a football player. He leads and the other kids follow.”
Nava wasn’t the only Pirate to leave his mark on Friday’s contest, with junior running back Enrique Hernandez complementing him in the backfield.
Hernandez got to work early, opening the scoring for the Pirates on an 8-yard run with 7:07 left in the first. Following Nava’s interception on defense, Hidalgo’s bell cow demonstrated his mix of power and speed, shaking off several Zapata defenders before bursting down the sideline for a 66-yard touchdown run to put Hidalgo up 14-0 during the first.
“In the offseason, I practice on my footwork,” Hernandez said. “I was in the weight room all summer, too. I just think that helped me with my footwork. Then my offensive line did a heck of a job. I couldn’t do this without them. Nobody can do it without a line.”
Hernandez put the final nail in the coffin for the Pirates less than two minutes into the second half, using shifty running to cut back across the field before breaking a 69-yard touchdown run.
The Pirates’ running back finished with 13 carries for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
“The kid has unbelievable vision,” Stumbaugh said. “I didn’t coach it. He just has good vision and doesn’t take a lot of big hits. He’s shifty. I tell the guys they have to stay on their block because he’ll start one way and be gone the other. He just has good vision to see holes and has the patience. It has paid off big for him.”
Hidalgo improves to 1-0 in district play with the win. They’ll continues their district slate at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, taking on the Kingsville King Brahmas (1-5, 0-2) at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville.
