Hunting For A Win

Rowe Warriors (2-2) vs. Juarez-Lincoln Huskies (0-4)

The game started with the ball in the hands of the Huskies, but they couldn’t get anything out of that possession. The Warriors were quick to score as they went for a touchdown on their first possession 0-7 Warriors. The Huskies were able to get the ball downfield but couldn’t get it in scoring position, a trend that would linger on for the entirety of the first quarter. Though they couldn’t get it into the end zone, they were bound to punch one in as they showed signs of life on offense.

Huskies Runningback, Pedro Menchaca #24, scores the first and last touchdown for the Huskies in the second quarter. The Huskies lost to Rowe Warriors 7 to 54. Photo by: Mario Magallon

The Warriors were finding success with their ensuing drives in this quarter as they went on to score twice this quarter. 0-20 Warriors. You may notice that the score wasn’t 0-21 and that’s because the Huskies were forcing the Warriors into some bad snaps. One of those snaps happened to be on the extra point attempt. There was life in the defense from this point on. 0-20 Warriors to go into the second quarter.

The second quarter started better than the Huskies could ask for; a 10-yard touchdown from Huskies running back Pedro Menchaca. 7-20 Warriors.

The Huskies started playing with some fire underneath them as they got on the board for the first time this game. The ball exchanged sides and was in the hand of the Warriors, who drove the ball downfield to score their 4th touchdown of the half. 7-27 Warriors. With a couple of minutes left in the second quarter, the Huskies drove the ball downfield.

A couple of long runs from running back Pedro Menchaca put them in a good spot with less than 15 seconds left in the half. We got to highlight a run from Pedro that should’ve only been a 3-yard gain, but with the help of his teammates, they pushed the ball over the 1st down marker. Incredible. The half ended with a pass that was short of the 1st down for the Huskies, who were trying to convert on 4th down. 7-27 Warriors.

Halftime commenced and the ball started in the hands of the Warriors. This quarter was either going to make the Huskies or break the Huskies. The Warriors on their second play from scrimmage house a run for a touchdown. That broke the Huskies. 7-34 Warriors. Penalties, miscommunication, and mistakes were all piling up for the Huskies this quarter. Whatever it was, they couldn’t shake it off. It seemed like nothing could go that way. It was so bad that the referees even called one of the most rare penalties in the book. The disconcerting signals penalty was called, a penalty that is one of the rarest penalties to ever be called. This penalty is called once every few seasons. SEASONS. The Huskies couldn’t catch a break this quarter and while all this was happening, the Warriors put up 3 touchdowns. No matter the situation they never gave up. 7-48 Warriors.

Huskies Quarterback, #5 Pedro Menchaca, hands off to his brother, Pedro Menchaca, Huskies Runningback #24 for a short gain against Nikki Rowe Warriors. The Huskies lost to Rowe 7 to 54. Photo by: Mario Magallon

With everything against them, the Huskies never stopped playing like they wanted to win. This is something that Head Coach Mark Gonzalez has been instilling in his team since day one. Since the third quarter, the Huskies were playing all four downs on offense. With every down that passed, the Huskies continued to play hard. They played harder with every second that came off that clock in the fourth quarter. All until it ended. 7-54 Warriors. The Huskies are now going into next week with a (0-4) record.

There was not a play that the Huskies didn’t earn. For every yard they gained, they earned it. For every yard they stopped, they earned it. This is the mentality of the Huskies since the beginning and even with it all stacked against them, they still are able to go out there and give it all they got. Though the Huskies weren’t able to get their first win of the season, as long as this team doesn’t lose their grit, I’m confident that it’s going to come sooner rather than later. Good luck to the Huskies as they face up against the Bulldogs of McAllen after this bye week!

After the game, I got the chance to speak to a couple of Huskies. I spoke to quarterback John Menchaca about what they have going on next week, “We’re going to look to prepare for the next game, we’re definitely going to be at practice and we’re definitely going to be working on the passing.” Wide receiver AJ Borrego talked to me a little more about this upcoming week, “We’re going to be working on our craft both for me and my team.” The Huskies are going to be on a bye week, a week where they don’t have a game of football scheduled. An extra week of practice will help the Huskies whenever they go out and face the Bulldogs of McAllen in two weeks.

That game is going to be played at home so I asked him to talk to me about the home-field advantage and the community that embodies it, “They support us all we can, of course, we aren’t as privileged as a team like McAllen, but what we get from our community is amazing, they support us a lot.” This was seconded by John Menchaca, “Our community is great, there’s a lot of people that come and support us so it feels good.”

This community has stood by their boys through it all. For better and for worse, the people stand behind their team, and to those people, I say: The best is yet to come.