After a Week Four bye, both the Harlingen Cardinals and Harlingen South Hawks return to action and open up District 32-6A play by facing one another on Friday in Bird Bowl XXV, which is the Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week.
The Cardinals (2-1) and Hawks (1-2) enter this week’s rivalry game on opposite ends of the momentum spectrum. In the Cards’ last game, Big Red walked away with an impressive 22-20 upset win over San Antonio Reagan. Meanwhile, the last time the Hawks played they were shut out by Edinburg North 18-0.
Last season the Cards captured their ninth consecutive Bird Bowl victory by holding off the Hawks 23-16. Harlingen leads the series 20-4 and the last time the Hawks beat the Cardinals was in 2007.
HOT VS. HOTTER
After dropping their first game of the season, the Los Fresnos Falcons (2-1) have since won back-to-back games against McAllen High and McAllen Memorial. Meanwhile, the San Benito Greyhounds (3-0) have rolled to wins over Laredo United, San Antonio East Central and McAllen Memorial. The two will now clash on Friday at San Benito. Last season the Hounds roared into Los Fresnos and walked away with a 34-26 win.
BATTLE OF FM 506
One of the Valley’s most heated, yet often overlooked rivalries takes center stage Friday when Santa Rosa travels six miles south to take on La Feria in the Battle of FM 506. The host Lions (2-2) are coming off an impressive 45-13 win at Port Isabel while the Warriors (3-1) enter the contest fresh off a tough 34-20 loss to Aransas Pass. Last season the Lions won the game 28-16. The last time the Warriors beat the Lions was in 2012 and that win marked Santa Rosa’s first victory over La Feria in 20 years.
THE DRIVE FOR FIVE
The Raymondville Bearkats (5-0) look to stay undefeated when they travel north to take on Kingsville King (2-2) on Friday. The Bearkats are coming off a strong 17-12 win over Brownsville St. Joseph while the Brahmas are coming off a 27-6 victory over Robstown. Last season the Kats won the game 43-14 for their first win of the 2016 campaign.
