Port Isabel Tarpons vs La Feria Lions

[footballgal]

District Opener----Tarpons vs Lions, who have long history of tough rival games, played between the two. This year will be no exception. The battle will be again be with the Lions traditionally strong D, against PI explosive offense, who will win the battle? Can the Lions stop the Nolan Express?

My pick is Tarpons over the Lions, in Lion Country.

[footballgal]

Now they count
La Feria-Port Isabel headlines 3A district slate
By ARMANDO GARZA
http://admin.onset.freedom.com/pictures/rgvsports/1192162447-laferia1copy.jpg
La Feria running back Randy Rodriguez runs against Santa Rosa earlier this season.
Theresa Najera/Valley Morning Star

Oct 11, 2007 10:45 pm

LA FERIA — If past meetings are any indication, tonight’s game between La Feria and Port Isabel is sure to be an exciting one.

The two teams start District 32-3A play tonight at Lion Stadium.

The Lions (4-1) were off last week and have played some inspired ball their last three games, victories over Weslaco East, Santa Rosa and Lyford.
Port Isabel (3-2) is coming off arguably its best outing of the season, a 36-7 drubbing of Zapata.

Nonetheless, new La Feria coach Elifonso Esquivel said his team is primed and ready for the Tarpons.

“The kids are fired up. It doesn’t take much for them to realize how important this game is,” Esquivel said. “We’ve been having a pretty good year, and they’re talking about bringing the (district) title back to La Feria.”

Port Isabel coach Monty Stumbaugh knows that 32-3A is going to be tougher than it was last season and that means defending the title the Tarpons won last season will be tougher, too.

“La Feria has a good defense. It’s always been a tough game for us. It’s going to be a four-quarter battle,” Stumbaugh said. “The district is going to be a tough four weeks, everybody is playing better. It’s a tough district, nobody wants to start out 0-1.”

And while the Lions have shaken things up a bit under Esquivel, Stumbaugh expects the same effective results of past Lion teams.

“La Feria is just going to do what they always try to do on defense, just make you go three and out,” he said. “But they are doing some different things on offense.”

PI has once again shown a knack for running the ball successfully.

Against the Hawks last week, the Tarpons racked up 302 yards on the ground, led by VMS Player of the Week Nolan Nuñez, who dashed for 275 yards and five touchdowns on only 11 carries. Nuñez is third in 32-3A in rushing, totaling 826 yards and 11 touchdowns.

“It’s basically the same thing again, they’re balanced all the way across,” Esquivel said of PI’s offense. “And No. 2 (Nuñez ) is a standout. They do a great job with him.”

But La Feria also has a stellar ground-gainer in Randy Rodriguez, who’s rushed for 664 yards and nine TDs. Also, quarterback Eleazar Esquivel has returned from an injury and has played well.

Defensively, the Lions have given up an average of 212.4 yards per game. PI is at 204.

Last season, Port Isabel pulled out a hard-fought 21-12 win over La Feria en route to the district title. The Tarpons hold a 31-15-2 series edge, all-time.

“Since I’ve been here, it’s always a big, intense game,” said Esquivel, the defensive coordinator at La Feria the past seven seasons before becoming head coach. “It comes down to whoever comes out and makes the big play. Last year, they made two big plays and they beat us.”


http://www.rgvsports.com/articles/game_691___article.xml/last_yards.html

[footballgal]

I am taking the Tarpons in a close one. +7

Lions have an improved team from a year ago. The Lions have a much better offense to compliment their always tough D. This same Lion team lost a close one to Ingleside last year, in the playoffs. This will be the first of some very tough district games to be played. No one team can afford to loose more than one game, being that there is only 4 teams in the district.

[redant1]

Originally posted by footballgal
I am taking the Tarpons in a close one. +7

Lions have an improved team from a year ago. The Lions have a much better offense to compliment their always tough D. This same Lion team lost a close one to Ingleside last year, in the playoffs. This will be the first of some very tough district games to be played. No one team can afford to loose more than one game, being that there is only 4 teams in the district.

I think you meant to say 5 teams in district making only 4 district games.

[footballgal]

Originally posted by redant1
I think you meant to say 5 teams in district making only 4 district games.

yes thank you Redant1, I counted the other teams but didn't count PI lol

[pirate4state]

Good Luck to the Tarpons!

[footballgal]

Best Wishes to your Pirates too Rita, as always keep me update! :)

[footballgal]

That was an UGLY win, buy Hey it's a W. I felt like I was watching the Cowboy Game all over again,lol

Tarpons finally got to playing in the 4th qtr. Right away I noticed that they looked out of sink, unprepared. Then they would have little spurts of life here and there, for first 3 qtrs, but then get a penalty, turnover or just 3 and out.

La Feria came out ready to play( as they always do) they played HARD, all of them! Props to them, RB and QB had extra yards on every play after the intial hit. They wanted it ... bad and almost got it. But Tarpons finally got going in the 4th qtr. Got give major props to the DEFENSE, La Feria O line was over powering the PI O line, that it made it seem as they weren't blocking. Then we had some mishaps right off the bat, QB trips on his own and then some DROPPED passes ( which was un like the recieving corp) oh, back to the defense, they were out there a LOONG time for almost 3 qtrs offense must have been in like 3-5 min total. ( yeah you can't score if you are on the sidelines) Then they re-grouped and played like the PI D I am used to despite being tired THEN they had to take it to overtime, and did a great job in stopping the LIONS something they didn't do for almost 3 qtrs.


POSITVE of the game is that the Tarpons showed character, when they were down and their backs were against the wall, they fought their way back and won the game, after digging themselves out of a big hole. I was surprised at half time because despite the bad showing they were still in the game, I think at that point it was 7-10 LF.

Congrats Tarpons, next week Progreso.