After kicking off the 2017 high school football season with a disappointing 31-26 loss to Mission Veterans, the Harlingen Cardinals got back on track this past Friday with an impressive 20-6 road win over Laredo United South.
On Friday, the Cards close out their non-district season with a very tough test as San Antonio Reagan comes to town in the Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week.
The Rattlers enter Friday’s game with a 2-0 record, having beaten SA Brennan 34-27 in Week 1 and Laredo United 21-3 in Week 2.
Harlingen has not had much luck against the Rattlers in the past few years. In 2014, the Cards lost 42-0. In 2015, they played competitively, but still fell 42-28. And last season, Big Red fell 42-7 at San Antonio.
HAWKS LOOK TO REBOUND
Despite a solid performance, Harlingen South dropped its Week 2 non-district contest to PSJA High last Thursday, 31-24. The 1-1 Hawks will look to regroup this Thursday as they host the 0-2 Edinburg North Cougars.
The Coogs dropped their season opener to Brownsville Veterans 39-21 and then fell to Sharyland this past Friday 24-20.
Last season the Hawks beat the Cougars 38-14.
NO. 1 VS. NO. 2: The San Benito Greyhounds improved to 2-0 this past weekend after an impressive 44-18 win at San Antonio East Central. The Valley’s top-ranked team will now travel west on Friday to take on the second-ranked McAllen Memorial Mustangs, who are also 2-0 thanks to a big 28-14 win over Weslaco East.
Against the Hornets, the Hounds were led by quarterback Erick Retta, who threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Mustangs were paced by their QB, Sean Skaugen, who threw for 187 yards and four TDs on just 4 of 5 passing.
Last year at Bobby Morrow Stadium in San Benito, the Hounds routed the Mustangs 35-7.
CATS AND DOGS
The Rio Hondo Bobcats fell short in their season opener against La Joya Juarez-Lincoln last week. They’ll now try to rebound this Friday when they travel to Brownsville to take on the St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds, who are 1-1 on the young season.
This past weekend, the Hounds were led by senior star QB Kai Money, who accounted for more than 400 yards of offense and four touchdowns in a 58-8 win over Lyford.
Last year, St. Joseph beat up on the Cats 48-28 at Rio Hondo.
WARRIORS ON A ROLL: Santa Rosa is 2-0 after impressive wins over Hidalgo and La Villa. The Warriors will look to improve to 3-0 this Friday when they hit the road to take on Progreso, which was open this past week and dropped its season opener to Lyford two weeks ago.
Against La Villa, the Warriors were led by running backs Ryan Mesa, who rushed for 149 yards on 21 carries for two scores, and Christian Castillo, who rushed for 109 yards on seven carries for two more TDs.
Week 3 Games
Edinburg North at Harlingen South
PSJA at Rivera
LJ Palmview at Edinburg
Grulla at PSJA Southwest
Porter at McAllen Rowe
Laredo Martin at Mission Veterans
Valley View at RGC
Roma at Laredo Nixon
Laredo Cigarroa at Sharyland Pioneer
San Benito at McAllen Memorial
SA Reagan at Harlingen
McAllen at Los Fresnos
Weslaco at Mercedes
Rio Hondo at St. Joseph
CC Veterans at La Feria
Raymondville at Lyford
Santa Rosa at Progreso
Santa Gertrudis at La Villa
Port Isabel at Hidalgo
CC London at MMA
Weslaco East at Economedes
Lopez at PSJA Memorial
Edinburg Vela at Bro. Veterans
La Joya at Donna
Donna North at LJ Juarez-Lincoln
Riviera at Monte Alto
CC John Paul at Santa Maria
Agua Dulce at Pharr Oratory
Mission at Hanna
