footballgal
11-14-2008, 12:42 PM
Lions ready for upstart Cotton Pickers
By ELADIO JAIMEZ
RGVSports.com 956-430-6285
ROBSTOWN — The La Feria Lions are just ready to play some football.
The Lions got off to inauspicious start in 2008 with a demoralizing 1-4 record the first half of the season.
Included in that skid were two District 32-3A losses.
But La Feria and head coach Elifonso Esquivel weathered the storm and the rainbow at the end was well worth it.
The Lions won four straight at one time to earn a playoff berth.
And despite ending the regular season with a loss to league champion Rio Hondo, Esquivel said the team feels good about being back in the playoffs after an uncharacteristic one-year off.
“The kids finished off strong and are peeking at the right time,” Esquivel said. “We had a new offensive
coordinator and some new faces on defense. So it took a little longer to get that chemistry down. But we’re confident now and we expect t compete and win like anyone else would.”
La Feria (5-5) takes on the Robstown Cotton Pickers tonight at Cotton Picker Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
For Robstown (5-5), this is the first playoff appearance since 1966. It’s also the first year the Cottonpickers were in Class 3A.
But despite being newcomers to the postseason party, Esquivel expects a tough contest tonight in Robstown.
“No one was going to make the playoffs when you’re playing in the same district as Calallen or
Gregory-Portland,” Esquivel said. “They were in a tough district. But they’re a good team. They could have easily been 8-2 or 9-1 this season.”
Robstown lost a onepoint game to Ingleside last week and Ingleside is a perennial playoff team as well.
So Esquivel knows the task at hand tonight.
But the Lions are prepared and ready to move on to the second round of the postseason again.
Under new OC Pete Martinez, La Feria switched to a one-back spread offense this season.
It took a while but the Lions starting flying later in the season.
Raul Bowman was the district’s fifth-leading passer with 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Aaron Villalon led the Lions with 34 catches for 740 yards and 10 TDs.
“We just need to execute on offense and stay focused on our game plan,” Esquivel said. “The seniors have always believed we have a good team and we feel we can move to the next round.”
http://epaper.valleystar.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=VMS/2008/11/14/18/Img/Pc0180200.jpg
Lynn Hermosa / Valley Morning Star
La Feria wide receiver Alfredo Gonzalez looks for running room against Santa Rosa earlier this season. The Lions will travel to Robstown tonight to take on the Cotton Pickers.
By ELADIO JAIMEZ
RGVSports.com 956-430-6285
ROBSTOWN — The La Feria Lions are just ready to play some football.
The Lions got off to inauspicious start in 2008 with a demoralizing 1-4 record the first half of the season.
Included in that skid were two District 32-3A losses.
But La Feria and head coach Elifonso Esquivel weathered the storm and the rainbow at the end was well worth it.
The Lions won four straight at one time to earn a playoff berth.
And despite ending the regular season with a loss to league champion Rio Hondo, Esquivel said the team feels good about being back in the playoffs after an uncharacteristic one-year off.
“The kids finished off strong and are peeking at the right time,” Esquivel said. “We had a new offensive
coordinator and some new faces on defense. So it took a little longer to get that chemistry down. But we’re confident now and we expect t compete and win like anyone else would.”
La Feria (5-5) takes on the Robstown Cotton Pickers tonight at Cotton Picker Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
For Robstown (5-5), this is the first playoff appearance since 1966. It’s also the first year the Cottonpickers were in Class 3A.
But despite being newcomers to the postseason party, Esquivel expects a tough contest tonight in Robstown.
“No one was going to make the playoffs when you’re playing in the same district as Calallen or
Gregory-Portland,” Esquivel said. “They were in a tough district. But they’re a good team. They could have easily been 8-2 or 9-1 this season.”
Robstown lost a onepoint game to Ingleside last week and Ingleside is a perennial playoff team as well.
So Esquivel knows the task at hand tonight.
But the Lions are prepared and ready to move on to the second round of the postseason again.
Under new OC Pete Martinez, La Feria switched to a one-back spread offense this season.
It took a while but the Lions starting flying later in the season.
Raul Bowman was the district’s fifth-leading passer with 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Aaron Villalon led the Lions with 34 catches for 740 yards and 10 TDs.
“We just need to execute on offense and stay focused on our game plan,” Esquivel said. “The seniors have always believed we have a good team and we feel we can move to the next round.”
http://epaper.valleystar.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=VMS/2008/11/14/18/Img/Pc0180200.jpg
Lynn Hermosa / Valley Morning Star
La Feria wide receiver Alfredo Gonzalez looks for running room against Santa Rosa earlier this season. The Lions will travel to Robstown tonight to take on the Cotton Pickers.