By Ramiro Paez

Special to 956sports.com

HARLINGEN – It’s a position both teams hoped it wouldn’t have to be in come Week 10, but it’s a position it’ll both just have to deal with and settle on the field.

Edinburg High and Harlingen South clash at Boggus Stadium tonight in a game that will decide District 31-5A’s final playoff spot.

Simply winning, however, might not even be that easy for one team. That’s because PSJA High and Edinburg North could have a say as to who advances to the postseason next week.

The Bobcats (5-4, 3-3) have the simplest road to the playoffs. A win and Edinburg High will be a Division I representative and face San Benito. A loss and the Bobcats could still get in, but other scenarios would have to factor in.

After tonight’s game, there could be a three- or four-way tie for fourth place. Positive points would then decide both teams’ fate.

Here are the scenarios:

• · If the Bears defeat PSJA North tonight and the Cougars fall to Edinburg Economedes, that would make the Bobcats-Hawks matchup a winner-take-all game.

• · If Edinburg North defeats the Jaguars and PSJA High falls to the Raiders, the Hawks (2-7, 2-4) would have to beat the Bobcats by six points or more to advance. It would leave Harlingen South at +5 points and Edinburg High at +4. Anything less, and the Bobcats get in.

• · If the Bobcats, Hawks, Bears and Cougars end up in a four-way tie, Harlingen South would have to defeat Edinburg High by four points or more to move on.

Edinburg High coach Joey Caceres knows this all could have been avoided if his team had taken care of business during last week’s double overtime loss to PSJA Memorial. But he wouldn’t want to be in any other kind of position to make the playoffs, other than the one his team sits in heading into their pivotal game at Boggus.

“We control our own destiny,” Bobcats coach Joey Caceres said. “I wish we would have controlled that last week.

“The kids are ready to play ball and they know what’s at stake. We’ve been preparing, had a great week of practice and we’re good to go.”

To advance, the Bobcats must first get by the Hawks, whose two-win season doesn’t justify how competitive they’ve played this season. South has lost its last three district games by a combined 10 points and two non-district games by a touchdown in each.

That’s been enough of a drastic improvement for the Hawks, who’ve only posted three wins in the last three years and are only two years removed from a winless season.

Forget the fact it’s come down to one game for both teams. It is for those reasons why Caceres is not overlooking the Hawks’ deceiving record.

“It’s going to be a good game being that the winner keeps going and loser stays home,” Caceres said. “Harlingen South is playing some good, inspired football this year. They’ve lost their last three games by a total of 10 points, so they’ve been in every ballgame. We’re expecting a good football game (tonight).”

Tags: edinburg, harlingen south