Despite being a young team in 2022, the Harlingen South Hawks were still able to capture a share of the District 16-5A DI title.
The Hawks are all grown up in 2023 and are ranked the No. 8-team in the RGVSports top 10 poll.
Harlingen South has plenty to look forward to in 2023. The Hawks return 30 lettermen, 13 starters and plenty of players in key positions.
Harlingen South third-year head coach Israel Gonzalez said the program’s expectations are set high, but it will always remain that way.
“I think when you coach football, no one is a bigger critic than yourself,” he said. “Our coaching staff, we set a very high bar and our expectations are to go out and win day-by-day.”
That should help prepare the Hawks to win on Friday nights, Gonzalez added. The Hawks won seven times in 2022 after only retiring a few starters from a 10-1 team in 2022.
“Last year we only graduated 13 guys,” Gonzalez said. “We played a lot of sophomores and those guys got some valuable game experience. There is no substitute for being under the Friday night lights.”
Gonzalez is hoping the experienced gained last year will pay dividends in the long run.
Junior quarterback Dylan Anaya split time in 2022, but he received most of the playing as the season progressed. Anaya had some struggles passing, expected as a sophomore, but on the ground Anaya excelled.
Anaya ran for 500 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season.
“I think he has come along way,” Gonzalez said. “He’s always had a strong arm, but it’s learning how to read coverages, learning when to throw the ball and when to tuck it and run. He’s a great athlete and continues to get better with every rep that he gets.”
Senior running back David Sanchez could take pressure off of Anaya like he and Carlos Mossboss did in 2022. Both ran for 500 yards in 2022, but it is Sanchez that returns and is hoping for a big year as the lead back.
“It’s not me that is going to be doing it,” Sanchez said. “It all begins with our O-line, so as long as they open up holes, I could have a 1,000 yards easily.”
Receivers Jacob Cano and Luis Orozco are two key pass catchers. Cano burned the McHi defense in last year’s bi-district 24-15 loss for a 53-yard touchdown. Cano has 30 career catches for the Hawks.
The defense returns seven starters. The Hawks graduated linebackers, but return a mean front and some ball hawks in the back end.
“There is not doubt the strength of our football team is our defensive line,” Gonzalez said before rattling off his starting defensive line of Gilbert Lerma, Reno Villanueva Jr., Tyson Tatum and Max Palacio — all returning starters.
“If you can put pressure on the quarterback that makes the secondary’s job a lot easier,” Gonzalez said.
Defensive backs Mikey Gonzalez and Joaquin Romero racked up picks in 2022. Gonzalez had four and Romero finished with three.
“We have a lot of returners on this team and we expect to do good this season,” Romero said.
By EDWARD SEVERN
STAFF WRITER
