McALLEN HIGH SCHOOL

HT: 5’10” WT: 180

Position: Pitcher/ Third Base

Parents Name: Conrado Hinojosa And Teresa Hinojosa

What Are Your Team Goals For This Season?

To Be Playing In The State Championship Game

What Are Your Individual Goals For This Season?

To Be A Leader On And Off The Field Of Play.

Have Any Colleges Contacted You And If So Which Ones?

I’ve Been Contacted By A&M Kingsville And Missouri Crowder Community College

What Has Been Your Most Memorable Game As A Player So Far And Why?

Last Year In The Round Of The Playoffs Against Brownsville Lopez I Got The Win Pitching And I Also Hit A Homerun.

Which Player (pitcher/batter) Do You Recall Has Been The Toughest To Face So Far?

I Remember Facing Lupe Lopez From La Joya When I Was Younger And I Wouldn’t Come Close To Hitting Him.

If You Are A Pitcher, Do You Enjoy Pitching Or Hitting More? Why?

I Love To Do Both.

Who Is your Favorite Baseball Player?

Roy Halladay

Which Is Your Favorite Baseball Movie?

Field Of Dreams

Who Has Had The Biggest Influence On You On The Baseball Field?

My Older Brother Joaquin (Currently Playing At Texas A&M) Has Really Pushed Me To Be The Best I Can Be.

If You Could Look Ahead 10 Years Where Do You See Yourself?

I Could See Myself As A Head Coach Of A High School Team.

What Number So You Use? Why?

I Use Number 1 Because It’s Been My Number My Entire Life.

McALLEN HIGH SCHOOL

HT: 5’10” WT: 175

Position: First Base

Parent Name: Elina Pompa

What Are Your Team Goals For This Season?

To Win District And Make The Playoffs.

What Are Your Individual Goals For This Season?

To Get A Higher Batting Average Than Last Season And Have No Errors On The Field

What Has Been Your Most Memorable Game As A Player So Far And Why?

My Freshmen Year When I Played My First Varsity Game Against Sharyland, We Had Not Beat Them The Past Two Seasons And We Beat Them.

Which Player (pitcher/batter) Do You Recall Has Been The Toughest To Face So Far?

The Toughest Pitcher I Have Faced Has To Be Miguel Peña From La Joya

Who Is your Favorite Baseball Player?

Derek Jeter

Who Has Had The Biggest Influence On You On The Baseball Field? Why?

My Grandfather (Coach Pompa) Because Everything I Do On The Field He Has Taught Me.  Without Him I Would Not Have Been Half The Player I Am Today.

Which Is Your Favorite Baseball Movie?

Sandlot.

If You Could Look Ahead 10 Years Where Do You See Yourself?

Graduating From College And Opening Up A Business.

What Number So You Use? Why?

Number 20 Because Two And Zero Are My Favorite Numbers So I Just Combined Them.

LOSING SUPERSTAR LEADER GUERRERO

BY GREG SELBER

EDINBURG – It was like one of those old detective action movies, with a crazy car chase, a desperate brawl inside a dark, dank waterfront warehouse, and then the villains hurtling off into the misty night. The hero emerges from the warehouse in pursuit, hops into his car, revs it, and…nothing. The ol’ cable or sparkplug or something somewhere (we are never quite sure what or where or how) has been snipped/removed/sabotaged.

End of the action. The hero sits there in his car, slamming both fists against the steering wheel in dramatic frustration. He’ll have to wait another day to eradicate the bad guys.

Luckily for the Edinburg Bobcats, they were able to put together a half of championship caliber football, and it was enough to take out McAllen High here Saturday, 30-16. That was with Stevie “Ol’ Blue Eyes” Guerrero, the senior fire-starter with as much talent and leadership ability as anyone in the Valley. He paced the team to a 21-3 advantage midway through the second after two long and smooth touchdown drives but was knocked from the game after a somewhat late hit near his own sideline created the ultimate EHS nightmare.

The early word was a painful case of turf toe, which is a hyperextension of a digit, in not-so-plainspeak.

Though he would return to toss a 30-yard touchdown pass in the late-going of the quarter, Guerrero was visibly hobbled, and after the last completion, 30 yards to junior Anthony Acosta with 26 seconds left in the half making it 28-3, he hopped off the field on the toes of the good foot, and was soon seen on crutches, done for the evening and for who knows how long.

So with no Stevie G in the driver’s seat, it was not even close to “es-car-go,” for EHS. More like “nova,” to tell the truth. EHS, dominant to that point, gained just 65 yards in the second half, turned the ball over twice, and saw McAllen get into the groove for a couple of scores. The Bobcat defense came up with a pair of interceptions in the last 13 minutes to keep it sane, and Edinburg took its second triumph of the year. However, the ‘Cats were outgained 358 to 273 all told, and without their fearless guide, seemed deerlike in the Friday Night Lights.

This was a game that had been postponed Friday, after a late-summer deluge seemed to focus on Edinburg in general and Cats Stadium in particular. The lightning strikes were too frequent and the impromptu lakes ringing each sideline too deep. So it fell to Saturday, and the rain went away, it was a nice night, and “Blue Eyes” got hurt. What else is there to say from a Bobcat point of view?

Late in the match, after being fussed and fawned over like a rock star, he finally got a moment to himself. And it was odd to see the local folk hero perched on sticks, by himself, at least 15 yards away from the nearest teammate or concerned trainer. Being the type of kid he is, which is a rare bird with maturity beyond his years and a playful zest for life heretofore unrivaled, he was upbeat about the Major Bummer.

“They say it might end up being a pain tolerance thing,” he smiled, pale eyes showing just the slightest hint of worry. Very slight. “Meaning I can play soon if I tough it out…Hey, I always heard about this turf toe thing watching the NFL, so now I know what it’s about. I think I can play next week, if I can stand the pain.”

Guerrero knew that “next week” was materializing as an early Instant Classic for 2010, the battle starring two of the best quarterbacks in South Texas, magnificent lefty Matthew Kaufmann of McAllen Memorial and himself.

“That’s two Top 10 teams in the Valley, what are they, like number two?” he offered cheerily. “That would be awesome…don’t count me out yet.”

He knows that the decision is not his alone, and that the coaching staff is going to look terribly askance at the possibility of losing its vital sparkplug for the season in a non-district game. EHS has worked too hard the past couple of years to be tripped up by something like that; the ‘Cats are looking more and more like the class of the city after North’s steady reign of late is in jeopardy, and some people have tagged them as worthy competitors against everyone’s favorite villain (the best are always hated), the defending 31-5A champ Harlingen Cardinals.

So with all that big medicine coming down the road, one may not see The Duel next week. Or one may. Depends on a number of factors. But be apprised that in the event of any extended grid time without Guerrero – who has a knack for making the game-breaking play when his mates need it most, and is loved and almost deified by everyone in the program and on its periphery – we’re talking about that old detective movie again…end of the action.

It isn’t necessarily in the stats that we can glean the making of a winner, although glittering numbers are certainly one of the metrics used to delineate such. It’s more in how the team responds with a certain kid at the helm, how much said team can grasp beyond its reach to compile acts of glory that might previously have seemed unobtainable. But before we lapse into the dreaded infomercial territory and testimonial overload, let’s talk about the game, shall we?

SETTING THE TABLE, FIRST-HALF FEAST

Edinburg had wasted La Joya last week, 45-0, with Guerrero throwing three TD passes in the first half and piling up 185 yards before leaving the fray at the half. This time, however, he would do the same exit, but not on such happy terms.

The Bobcats have almost always been a grind-it-out ball club through the years, with big linemen and hard-running backs, plus the occasional star QB such as Jimmy Wright in the 1950s and Clarence Cruz at the turn of the century. They have usually been content to pound the ball, batter away at opposing offenses with mean hats on D, and let the chips fall where they may.

In making the playoffs last year for the first time since 2005, they parlayed that usually stiff defense and the solid run game, with an emerging Guerrero working his magic in a number of close games, to punch a postseason dance card. Most prominent of the cardiac cases was the one against P-SJ-A, where he rallied the troops from way behind to nip the Bears by a point in overtime. That thrilling comeback set the beat for the team’s eventual rise to the area round of the postseason, and had the Red and Blue hordes salivating at just what might be in store for the next campaign.

So the next campaign, or this one, began with the rout of La Joya, but that was expected. In McAllen High, the ‘Cats were facing, after the day’s delay, a unit that frankly was mad as hell coming in.

The ‘Dogs had been flat run out of the game by P-SJ-A Memorial last week, and Coach Tony Harris’s smarting bunch knew that four turnovers, 12 dropped passes, and like that and like that, well, this was not what observers had become accustomed to seeing from The Mac. This is a successful program with a proud tradition, and that meant that Saturday, the Purple Gang was out for revenge.

It started not good for McHigh, again, as the offense was jittery and the defense a step slow. Guerrero broke off four sweet double-digit rushing gains after EHS took the opening kickoff, and the 9-play, 69-yard drive ended in a roar of applause from the gallery when “Ol’ Blue Eyes” took off from the 17 on a roll right, saw the scene and jetted left and goalward, racing untouched into the end zone at 8:38.

The kickoff. After a motion penalty and two incompletes by Justin Salinas, forced by great pressure from speedy end Stavern Joseph (a lithe newcomer who can really jam from the edge), EHS had served notice. The ‘Cats had no plans to become the McHigh Mulligan.

When the Bulldogs got the ball again, another offside call stunted their growth, but a nice 23-yard pickup from Trey Dube righted the ship. They drove to the 19 before trouble arose again, this time with Joseph and powerpack tackle Michael Padilla clobbering Salinas for a minus-7 that spelled doom. McHigh had shotgun-snap woes all night, and it kept the offense from finding any sort of workable rhythm until the second half.

After the D forced the turnover on downs, Guerrero and Friends went to work with an 8-play, 74-yard Bobcat Special behind a line paced by senior muscleman Joey Galvan at guard. Squatty horse Aaron Garza busted loose for a 35-yard run to make the highlight reel and eventually Aaron Gonzalez found paydirt from the 7 at 1:21 for a 14-0 lead.

Guerrero started 1 of 6 through the air, though he is much better than that, a solid thrower with impeccable poise whose arm strength is good, not great. But his running and decision-making on the first two scoring drives were perfect; you cannot rattle the kid, he will find a way to figure it out before the defense can corral him, seeing the field like a basketball general, which he has been for two varsity seasons, and using super instincts to pull the ball down and take off at the right time.

Danger Zone for the visitor, but McAllen has been here before, and responded with a clutch effort that produced a field goal of 34 yards from Jose Arzate, one of the Valley’s most dependable kickers.

Dube, who would rumble for 159 yards on 21 carries with his lethal combo of strength and exquisite vision, knocked one for 16 on the march and it took a couple of hard hits from linebacker Adam Alonzo of EHS to make it three markers, not seven. Alonzo’s brother, Tony, was a fine EHS LB a few years back, and the younger fellow is turning into a perfect complement to superstar Ciro Reyna and relentless tackler Roy Ortiz. This linebacking crew is for real.

Feeling better about the course of events, The Mac kicked away, looking for a quick three-and-out and another Dube Trip. However, when ‘Cat Sal Martinez weaved his way here and there on a scintillating 95-yard kickoff return 12 seconds after the field goal of Arzate, one could sense quite a lot of air expiring rapidly and rudely from the Purple balloon. It was 21-3. Simply put, that was the hackneyed and trite but soberly defensible Key Juncture of the Game.

Quietly desperate now, McAllen answered with another solid excursion, as Salinas (22 of 32 for 216 yards but took a series of hard shots from the onrushing EHS D) found his groove with four straight completions. The ‘Dogs reached a first-and-goal at the 5 but Armando Garza netted just two yards in two tries. A defensive encroachment put the ball at the 1 but then a fairly high snap from center splintered through the hands of Salinas and he was deposited on the turf 15 yards in the wrong direction at indubitably the wrong time. When Alonzo hammered in to block Arzate’s three-point attempt and corner Anthony de la Vina tackled some Bulldog who tried to advance the mistake, it was a very bad thing for McAllen at 4:05 of the second. Alonzo later batted away an extra-point try.

Taking over at the 22, EHS benefited from a personal foul call to get to the 37, whereupon Guerrero found tight end David Ramirez for a pair of first downs. But during this drive, Guerrero was knocked out, and a crowd of teammates, trainers, and who knows, maybe even a priest or two in civvies, formed a mushroom cloud of angst around the fallen warrior. Bleeding from the elbow and with the docs working on, no, not a knee…maybe an ankle, it was bedlam. Though he was carted to the training table, Guerrero soon returned, amid loud huzzahs.

He completed a long out to Acosta, who fooled his man with a little dipsy-doo in the right flat and scooted 30 yards to the house in the closing seconds of the half.

Though it was now 28-3, and the band and student section turning into a human cauldron of glee, in the backs of the minds of the wary was the vision of “Blue Eyes” wincing in pain. As stated, he’d hopped off the field like the winner in a One-Legged Potato Sack Race, and as the teams retired to the dressing room, all eyes were on No. 7. What in the world would happen next?

TIDE TURNS, SOMEWHAT

Harris has said that though this year’s edition of The Mac has some work to do – and the season-opening flop against the perennially promising Wolverines showed this to be true – he is certain that in time, it will be in the thick of the 30-5A race. He noted that there are a number of new kids on the roster who have not faced varsity competition, or dealt with testy moments under the unforgiving glare of the Big Time.

So with a leg, or toe, up on the Bobcats despite a 25-point deficit, McAllen wasted no time in taking advantage of the cruel vicissitudes of fate. Not exactly, really.

Their first possession was a dud, as Dube was dropped for minus-2 by Padilla, and Salinas went INC thanks to pressure from Joseph again, and then a nice play in the secondary from Marcos Castillo. The Edinburg DB group was glutted by graduation, losing such long-time luminaries as A.C. Sifuentes and Jeremy Salinas, among others. But in Sal Martinez at strong safety and Teddy Lara at the free, the ‘Cats have plenty of star power back there.

McAllen’s punt was a woeful 12-yard thing, and the Bobcats rolled from the 32 to the 17 behind backup Brandon Perez before missing a field goal. But the first Bulldog snap was way, way too much, sailing into the end zone 20 yards back, where Salinas avoided a ‘Cat TD by falling on the ball. Now, 30-3, and so much for the quick start against a wounded animal.

When Fabian Quintanilla returned the free kick all the way to the Mac 32 (a penalty made it the 42), it looked like curtains. But the ‘Cats went nowhere with Guerrero on the side, and David Ramirez punted, his kick being downed at the 1.

Could it get any worse? No. McAllen bowed up and began to play Bulldog Football, winging 99 yards with a pair of perfect spirals from Salinas, one for 33 yards and the second, carrying 42, to a sprinting Manny Mendoza for a long-awaited touchdown at 5:14 of the third.

Sophomore Alex Cantu then stepped in for Perez at QB for EHS, to the tune of a three-and-out led by DB Phillip Cantu (nine tackles to lead his team) and inspired play from linebacker Stanley Hanvey, the mountain in the middle who made the majority of his eight licks after the half. The Mac D is not very big and still learning the ropes, but in Hanvey it has a veteran pounder, while junior Jake Wiggins at LB and stellar DB David Champion can hang with the best of them.

A hold ruined the next McHigh try, along with the superb tackling of Edinburg’s Reyna, who made 12 stops Saturday, joining corner de la Vina (10), Martinez (10), and the very talented Lara (a dozen corrals) to lead the EHS charge.

The quarter was on the wane, with the ‘Dogs showing signs of life while the ‘Cats were sluggish and still stunned at the injury news. Then Edinburg put it on the ground and McAllen was there, in the person of Hanvey, whose recovery at the 45 gave Salinas 55 yards to go to keep an improbable comeback going.

Despite a sack from the active Padilla, the ‘Dogs rode a 39-yard smash from Dube to the 13 of the Bobcats but the next four plays told the tale. Ortiz and end Jacob Benavidez popped Dube three yards behind the line and then two snaps later it was Joseph (unsung hero of the night, well, not unsung anymore, one guesses) and big Brandon Anzaldua nailing Mendoza for minus-5.

Lara then picked off Salinas, and that is the four plays. And the tale.

Of course, Edinburg did fumble once again soon after, with Russell Parada for McHigh getting the ball. But by now it was the fourth period. At 7:53, Dube sliced in from the 16 to make it 30-16, after Salinas had gone 4 for 4 on the sequence. By the way, Mendoza caught 11 balls for 121 yards Saturday and is very much in the running for high All-District honors so far. The offense came alive late for McHigh.

The ever-expected onside kick was nearly a go for the ‘Dogs, who had first shot at the ball before ‘Cat Mark Solis made the great scoop to avert disaster. Edinburg then ran off two first downs thanks to a 21-yard poke from Garza (90 yards on eight carries) and a 16-yarder from burly Freddy Guajardo. Down to the 14 but from there, nada, as the Bulldog defense held, forcing a turnover on downs.

Down came McAllen again inside of five minutes, probably out of time but with no shortage of guts. This after all was more than just a win or loss situation, according to Harris. Later, the venerable leader said that though his team, of course, always seeks the win, the second half was all about progress. They had to come out and regain their composure.

“Sometimes it’s more about psychology with the kids than just wins,” he commented after the game. “So while we wanted to win, it was important for us to come out and get better, to get ready for district, and I think we accomplished that, though I know some second-teamers were in on defense for them [EHS] in the fourth quarter.”

McAllen advanced with three first downs, Salinas tossing well and overcoming a 12-yard sack by EHS’s Benavidez and Jazziel Trevino. But it ended as it had begun, with a mistake, as Ortiz intercepted a ball near midfield in the final minute.

FINAL MUSINGS

When Guerrero went down near the end of the first half, Edinburg Coach Joey Caceres was more than livid that there was no personal-foul penalty whistled against McAllen. Later, he was more sanguine about the way the night went. Still, he understands quicker than anyone what a Guerrero-less offense will mean to the program’s quest to repeat as a playoff combatant.

“It’s just different with Stevie out there, no doubt,” said the coach who has taken his team from a 0-10 season just three years ago to the brink of The Return as a Valley power. “He is such a great leader who always seems to get the other players to compete and achieve at the highest level.”

Caceres told his team that the injury was a test of its character, exhorting the ‘Cats to step up and be counted in the interim until their senior rudder can make it onto the field.

“You’ve got to tighten up, every one of you,” he barked. “No matter who’s in there, somebody has to take charge! Congratulations on a good win, now I want to make sure everyone is here Monday, no excuses! We’ve got work to do, men.”

Caceres supposes that his QB will be back soon, and so does Guerrero. After an initial period of distinct dread and terror, it appears that if all things go as planned, No. 7 should be OK in a week or two. Certainly for the 31-5A wars. But truly that is just an educated guess based on preliminary data. None may intuit with unerring certainty how the saga will unfold.

“He’s a fighter, always has been,” the coach noted. “He’ll be back.”

MCALLEN – Across the street from Memorial Stadium Monday, the band was wandering into formation on a sweltering afternoon, beginning to work on pounding out the hypnotic drumline call to action that will summon its football team to kick tail in 2010. A few “whoops” moments…not there yet; in early August, nobody is.

But the time is quickly approaching when the Bulldog music group will have to be tight, and its football team will hit the field hoping for the same sweet notes and driving beat.

Coach Tony Harris, the dean of Valley coaches in terms of tenure at one school, enters his 15^th season at the helm of McAllen High with seven playoff trips behind him, including four consecutive as 2010 approaches. He believes the ‘Dogs have what it takes to make it five in a row.

“We lost a lot of quality through graduation, that’s true,” said the cagy Harris, while his troops finished up a workout; they would get an hour break and then be back on the turf at 7 p.m. “But we have a good young group coming up and I think they’ll be able to do just fine.”

The Mac will have to replace some All-Valley stars including Nick Garza and Scott Inskeep, and is also on the market for a new QB as Austin Griffith has moved on. But Harris and staff have one item on board that few other programs have.

In senior Trey Dube (1,122 yards, 20 touchdowns), they have perhaps the best returning running back in the Valley.

“He’s a real tough runner,” said the coach of his strong-legged bruiser. “He would just as soon run over you as around you.”

One look at Dube and the thing that stands out is actually two things; he has enormous, muscular calves, making it easy for him to execute sharp, hard cuts on his way through opposing defenses. They’re college calves, brother.

At 175 pounds, he runs a 4.5 in the 40 and is solid in the weight room. As the Bulldogs seek to fill in on an offensive line that Inskeep once dominated, Dube is the key piece. He lines up in the slot at times and can go all the way in a heartbeat.

If Dube is to repeat his strong 2009 performance, look for tackle Robert Delgado to lead the charge. He’s a mean-looking mauler who can toss folks around like rag dolls. Another lineman of note is Bubba Saenz, an undersized center who is set to explode on the district. The younger brother of former Mac QB stud Josh Saenz, the junior plays “like a pitbull,” according to Harris.

As for the QB slot, look for sophomore Garrett Thomas, an impressive physical specimen at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, to get ample snaps, and junior Justin Salinas has also worked with the first team so far.

“We’ll be good with the quarterbacks we have,” said Harris, whose bunch limped into the playoffs with multiple injuries at season’s end, finishing 7-4 after a bi-district loss. “I was really proud of the way the kids stepped up last year, down the stretch, we had to play some of them at positions they hadn’t lined up in since 9^th grade. That told me a lot about how much desire they had.”

Whoever assumes the starting job can count on smooth receiver Manny Mendoza, who is ready to take the job as the main receiver in the team’s usual Spread Offense. He isn’t that big but can catch and run with the best in 30-5A.

On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs appear to be strongest in the deep backfield, and that’s a good thing in the wide-open league they compete in. Harris says that 30-5A gets a bad rap when it comes to defense.

“The thing is, every one of those teams are innovative, they spread the field, they don’t just line up and run at you,” he said. “The reputation is that 30-5A can’t stop anyone but that’s an unearned deal. There are some great offenses in this district, and the defenses are pretty tough too.”

David Champion, Jonathan Solis, and Rylan Rock are among the returning vets at DB, and Rock, the last of a long line of family stars at the school, could be a game-changer in his senior season.

“We call him ‘The Pebble,’ because he’s the last Rock and the smallest,” Harris laughed. “But he can really play!”

After that, there are some open slots on the rest of the defense, though linebacker Stanley Hanvey has size and aggression as a veteran presence in the middle. The line will be manned by committee, with a number of small but fast kids bringing fresh legs in and out of the game consistently. That is a wise approach to have against the array of high-scoring units in the loop.

“It’s good to have some depth there, something we have not had in the past,” Harris commented about his surplus of trench warriors.

The Bulldogs scrimmage against Hanna at home next Friday before a season-opening match against P-SJ-A Memorial in Zero Week. Harris notes that his team may not be anyone’s preseason pick to win the league (Texas Football Magazine has it third behind Sharyland and Memorial). But he likes his group, and he is known for getting the most out of newcomers on the scene.

Dube, for his part, is excited about the new season. The tow-headed runner looks like he should be roping calves instead of leaping across the goal-line, and he will be difficult to contain in 2010, as was the case during his junior season.

“I think we are a playoff team, for sure,” he said. “We have some people coming back and some new guys who are ready to go, these new O-line guys know what they’re doing out there. The QBs are getting their reps in, and they’ll learn what to do before long.”

When asked to speculate on the other teams in the league, the hard-charging Dube deferred, showing the type of attitude the Bulldogs are taking toward the campaign.

“I just want to focus on what we’re doing, you know what I mean?” he grinned. “We need to do what we have to do, every day, to get there. The rest will take care of itself.”

MCALLEN – They bombard the scales at 616 pounds between them, do Scott Inskeep and Cody Mullvain, but don’t be fooled; these dudes can move. They comprise two-fifths of the offensive line for McAllen High and together with the other 60 percent (784 more total pounds of beef) were the dominant factor in the Bulldogs’ smashing 34-9 win over Donna here Thursday night.

That, and a little ol’ thing called the wind.

McAllen’s Victor Barrera illustrated how strong the wind was midway through this one, as he fielded a speeding hot dog wrapper on a hop, then tossed the debris to the side to prepare to make a play on a man instead of paper.

McHigh forced the Redskins to play a tough first period versus a strong gust and got two scores off short drives as a result. In the third period, the massive offensive was so consistent in crunching downfield over and around the smaller Donna squad that the Redskins could only snap off five plays with the wind advantage in the quarter. It all added up to a very important victory for Coach Tony Harris and the ‘Dogs, putting them at 2-1 in District 30-5A and 4-2 overall. It shoves the powerful Mac back into the race, tied with Donna (also 2-1, 4-2) as the league fight gets really cranking.

After the ‘Dogs took a 14-9 halftime lead and produced three scores after the break, Harris, with a newfound love for the ground attack after having been a Spread True Believer for some time, spoke about the night’s work.

“The offense did a great job in the second half, we were determined to come out and drive the ball, we made that decision after deferring in the first half,” noted the fiery leader who has driven his charges to six playoff trips this decade and four in a row heading into 2009. “We wanted to come out and take it to the house against the wind. The defense stepped up when we needed it, and overall, I think the kids played real well tonight.”

As for the team’s switchover to a run-based attack this season, Harris just smiled.

“The older I get, I’m diggin’ this running thing,” he quipped. “Heck, we can go home early, it’s not even 9:30 yet, none of this 11 p.m. stuff anymore.”

And with sure-fire college prospect Inskeep leading the way up front, McAllen can drive it with precision. He weighs 285, good for just fourth most on a line of gargantuans including the 331-pound Mullvain plus junior Robert Delgado (287), senior Mario Villarreal (287) and center Sam Welch, a hard-hitting shrimp of merely 212 notches on the scale.

Quarterback Austin Griffith was the main workhorse and beneficiary Thursday, running for 143 yards and the first two touchdowns of the night. Though he sustained a knee injury of unknown severity in the fourth period, the lanky 6-foot-5 senior was able to take his time on the zone read, picking holes in the Redskin defense and setting sail for open territory. Donna did not penetrate to reach him and force early decisions, and Griffith surely did reach the secondary frequently.

He also threw effectively, completing 11 of 15 balls for 137 yards with a 13-yard touchdown to Nick Garza in the second-half scoring barrage.

In all, it was an impressive night for the Bulldogs, who punished the Redskins with their size and strength. Donna got the short end of the stick in the field-position battle, and never really got any offensive flow established.

“They were a pretty tough team, and strong, though they didn’t have a lot of size,” commented Inskeep afterward. “It was hard to get a push up front against them because they had some short but strong linemen. But we were able to come out and make the good drive, and that set the tone for the second half.”

Asked if he were going to check out a ballgame Friday, since the ‘Dogs played a night before the usual Friday Night Lights pageant (they will do so five times in all this year), Inskeep delivered the perfect offensive lineman response.

“I don’t know…nah, I think I’ll go bird hunting.”

TOP TEAMS STRAP IT ON

It was a win that The Mac needed, after having already suffered a district loss, against Sharyland. Donna, meanwhile, was riding high at 4-1, its only blemish a narrow defeat at the hands of a Pharr North club that goes into tonight’s action unbeaten at 5-0. The Redskins, like McAllen, have changed their stripes somewhat, as Coach Manny Moreno has aired it out with alacrity in 2009, led by sharp passing quarter Alahn Yanez, who had thrown for 768 yards and a 56-percent completion clip through the campaign’s first half.

Traditionally, Donna has been a smashmouth group with a bunch of mean hitters, but this time around, the squad has been more finesse than brawler. That’s why having to play against a 30 MPH wind in the first period was not what the doctor ordered.

On the second play of the contest, the ‘Skins fumbled the football, with McAllen’s Patrick Snelling, a promising sophomore, coming up with it at the Donna 17.

But the Bulldogs squandered the first opportunity of the night, as Trey Dube carried on 4^th and goal from the 5, only to be cracked hard by senior DB Jose Garcia and senior LB Nelson Umanzor to force a turnover on downs at 8:00 of the first.

That’s when it got dicey for the visiting ‘Skins. They drove out to the 40, converting two third-down tries and getting a couple of flips from Yanez into the breeze. However, a holding penalty gummed up the works and on came senior star Fernando Sanchez, odds-on favorite for All-Valley kicker.

He managed a 21-yard punt into the gale, leaving the Bulldogs at their own 49 for the second possession. On the first play, Griffith went up top and was incomplete, but Donna safety Alex “Peanut” Moreno, who had a great game with 11 licks, popped the receiver a step early, resulting in a Mac first down at the Donna 36. Wasting little time, Griffith fooled everyone except himself on a superb fake inside, keeping around left end and riding a tunnel of open green for a 36-yard TD scoot with 0:48 left in the quarter.

It was 7-0 and Donna then went three and out, the key to the drive besides two tackles from junior secondary man Jon Solis (seven sticks) being Harris’ decision to call two time-outs in the waning seconds of the period.

“That’s what you gotta do,” said Harris of the attempt to make the Redskins try a second punt against the ill wind blowin’ no good. “I don’t have too many jobs around here, but making that call is one of them.”

Sure enough, Donna’s next offering traveled a mere 27 yards, and the Bulldogs set up shop at the enemy 43 as the period turned.

Though they suffered a holding call, Griffith was on the money to Garza for 14 and Adam Ramos for 19 to place the ball 17 yards away from a two-score bulge. The senior passer did the legwork himself with a 15-yard keeper behind the Bigs at 9:36.

Having been stunted thus far, the Redskin offense got it going in the second, as Yanez (13 of 26 for 158 yards) completed passes of 11 yards to tight end Matt Chavez and 24 to senior Estevan Garcia. The latter toss carried to the Bulldog 17, and after quick-footed senior Joey Chapa zig-zagged 10 yards to the 7, it was looking good for Donna.

But Barrera and Ryan Serna combined to throw Gabe Martinez for a 3-yard loss and after two incompletes, Sanchez booted a field goal for a 14-3 count at 6:30. One of the misses had looked like a TD, but Garcia could not hang on to a ball thrown behind him a step past the goal-line.

On the next Mac series, Harris reached into the trick bag again with a quick kick by Griffith that would have made Darrell Royal grin. It went just 34 yards but put the Bulldogs out of immediate danger.

Donna came from the ‘Dog 45 to reach the 24, with a Yanez run and his pass to Garcia the engines. But again McAllen held, with a 7-yard sack by Snelling forcing a 48-yard three-pointer by Sanchez, his second of the game and also second of the year from that extended distance. It was 14-6 at 2:29, though Donna was not finished.

Griffith spurred his club to the Redskin 38 but was picked off by Garcia, and from their own 21, the ‘Skins got a huge 35-yard breakout from Martinez (42 yards in 10 carries, the team gained just 81 on 27 tries) and then a 19-yard pass from Yanez to Erin Perez (three for 49 but a drop on a possible TD) to set up Sanchez’ third FG, from 44 yards, at the second-period gun. After his connection with Perez, Yanez had raced downfield to spike the ball with 0:04 left, setting the scene for the field goal.

They were down 14-9, but the Redskins trotted off the field to the strains of the familiar “Cherokee” chant-song wafting down from the visitors’ stands. With them seemed to go the momentum.

TRIED AND TRUE FORMULA

Long-time McAllen athletic director Poppy Rodriguez commented after the game that the minutes after halftime fashioned the determining fulcrum for The Mac.

“They won it in the third quarter,” said the former All-State running back from the P-SJ-A glory days of the early 1960s. “They got field position on their side.”

Poppy is right, and should know, as he set a Valley record for carries in a season with 351 back in 1962, also breaking the bank with 44 trips in one game and a brutal 13 in a row the same night, against Mercedes. The man knows ball-control football.

The Bulldogs would eventually grind 88 yards in 14 bone-jarring plays for a 20-9 lead, but first they had to overcome the turnover bug. After taking the opening kickoff and marching to the Donna 8 in five plays thanks to 20- and 40-yard runs from Griffith behind his Pachyderm Pals, they lost it on a fumble by Griffith which senior Robert Saenz ended up with to stop the possession.

Though Yanez would then team with Perez on a 27-yard gain, linebacker Sam Mangum, playing valiantly with a broken hand, combined with Barrera for a key stop of Martinez on third down, Donna having to punt thereafter. Sanchez pinned the home side back on its 12 with a 41-yarder, finally enjoying an opportunity to kick with the wind.

At 5:48, the clinching cruncher began, as The Mac moved downfield against a tiring ‘Skin front. Despite some hard sticks by senior linebacker Ernie Sarmiento (11 tackles, he’s an active hitter with range), the Bulldogs were on a roll.

Griffith went for 7 and 8, Dube for 9 and then Garza, who has been running the ball his fair share these days both on the end-around and from the trendy Wildcat, zoomed for 10. It was like that, as the Purple neared the prize. Dube went for 8 off a shuttle pass and later crashed for 11 down to the 25. On his 11-yard scoring jaunt at 11:20 of the fourth, the junior back flat ran over a Donna defender on his way to the end zone and a 20-9 lead.

Donna could not move the ball on its next try, and in fact gained just 239 total yards all night, 107 less than its 346-yard average coming in. Sanchez’ next punt was just 16 yards into the old nemesis, the wind, and McAllen put this one away with a 45-yard drive ended by a nifty 13-yard catch on the sidelines by Garza at 5:12.

The big end would add a 33-yard TD later in the fourth, but on the same drive, Griffith was felled on a keeper, spending the rest of the night on the training table with a knee encased in ice. He’d sat out his sophomore season with a knee injury, and his healthy return to the lineup is a definite must if the Bulldogs are to continue their drive to a fifth postseason venture in as many seasons. McHigh gets a struggling La Joya on the road Thursday and then girds for the supreme test of 2009, against McAllen Memorial Oct. 23.

It was a disappointing night for Donna, on a roll itself lately as far as the playoffs go, with nine trips in the last 11 years. The Redskins will look to rebound next week against league-leading Sharyland, but the matchup with the Rattlers might be more fortuitous for the Indians than the oddsmakers think. In Shary, Moreno’s band will square off with a medium-size bunch, meaning that the huge size discrepancy that spelled doom versus McAllen will not present itself two weeks running.