It didn’t take long Friday evening for coach Manuel Flores’ Palmview Lobos to make it known that they were not interested in making the Rio Grande City Rattlers  head football coach Carlos Longoria’s debut  a pleasant one.  On the first play from scrimmage Lobos’ running back Angel Gonzalez took the ball and ran it 31 yards to the Rattlers’ 38 yard line.  On the very next play Lobos’ quarterback, Abel Martinez called his own number and ran 38 yards down the field for the first touchdown of the Lobos’ 2011 season.  Unfortunately for the Rattlers, that was just a preview of what was to come as the Lobos went on to hand the Rattlers their first loss of the season and the first loss of coach Longoria’s tenure, 41-0.

Read more: Palmview Blanks RGC Rattlers, 41-0

Veterans Memorial Head Football Coach David Gilpin can’t say enough nice things about Sonny Detmer. Despite the fact his Patriots will be squaring off against the Texas legend tomorrow, Gilpin looks to Detmer as the greatest example of a good coach and a good man.

Of course, those from around here remember Detmer well. The longtime high school coach helped bring the passing game to Texas in a day when it wasn’t exactly the thing to do. While at Mission High School, Detmer mentored his son Koy and together they made a deep and memorable run in the Texas playoffs.

Read more: Sonny Detmer returns to Mission to face Veterans Saturday

The naysayers say Sharyland football can’t win district again this year. Too young. Too many key players lost. No proven quarterback. The doubters say there will be no three-peat this season with all those things going against the Rattlers.

Yet, there are plenty of reasons to give this year’s Rattlers the benefit of the doubt.

Why?

For one, it starts from the top down. Head Coach Fred Sanchez is a proven winner. Numerous coaches in the Rio Grande Valley have been under his tutelage.

Read more: Sharyland: Champs until further notice

30-5A was a punch in the mouth for Mission High School in 2010. The football team, particularly, had a long season, limping to a 4-6 record overall and 2-5 in District 30-5A. The season was especially disappointing when contrasted with the 2009 team that brought home the District 32-4A championship.

Thus the goal for 2011 is to return to that glory. To produce the defense and the solid running offense that the Eagles have shown they are capable of producing. It won’t be easy and there are plenty of skeptics including Dave Campbell’s Texas Football that has the Eagles finishing one spot from last place in the district standings.

To be sure, there are plenty of questions. First, who will lead the team as signal caller, replacing three-year starter Gilbert Garcia? The answer seems to be junior Juan Rios.

What Rios may lack in experience, he makes up for with a big body that can move surprisingly quickly and an arm that can get the ball where it needs to be. Rios will have a target in Edgar Cardenas. Leading the front line will be center Jose Aldana who will be counted on to ensure each play begins smoothly with an accurate toss to Rios out of the shotgun.

Read more: Mission looking to fly high once again

If you’re a Juarez-Lincoln Husky, patience has probably been engrained into your character. For the past few years the high school has had to feel second class as they have attended school at an undersized school in the shadow of La Joya High School. Finally receiving a brand new building last winter, J-L is starting to find their groove.

The football program has yet to find that groove, but that could all change this season.

Read more: Juarez-Lincoln looking to compete in balanced 32-4A

The point guard for the Texas Titans was feeling it.

In the midst of a seven-game tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the young man wearing jersey number 30 was more than on his game. The hoop was bigger, the ball was light and Jesse Pistokache was on his game like never before. All on the biggest stage in the country: the 2011 National Championships.

Playing point guard for the AAU Club, the Texas Titans, Pistokache is part of an elite basketball squad that took last year’s national championship in Memphis. Seeking to defend their title, Pistokache and the Titans entered the tournament that included 113 teams from all over the country and proceeded to dominate. Jesse had no problem dropping 30 points in back-to-back games. The kid was feeling it. The kid had Jimmer-blood in his veins. It was unbelievable. Then.

Read more: Jesse Pistokache is feeling it