Falcons, 'Hounds battle at new Morrow Stadium

Oscar Gonzalez Jr. 
Monitor Sports Editor

SAN BENITO — Tonight’s game is billed as the Game of the Week, but many are referring to this matchup as the Game of the Year.

The Monitor’s second-ranked Los Fresnos Falcons take their high-powered offense into Bobby Morrow Stadium to take on the third-ranked San Benito Greyhounds and their vaunted defense in a District 32-5A battle of giants.

The Falcons (5-0, 2-0) enter the game averaging a Rio Grande Valley-best 468.2 yards per game, and averaging 42.4 points per contest. By contrast, the Greyhounds (4-1, 2-0) give up just 166.4 points per game, and allow a paltry 11.4 points per game.

Subtract the 21 points the state-ranked Calallen Wildcats put up on offense in Week 0 against the ’Hounds, and San Benito is surrendering 9.0 points per contest.

But tonight’s game is surely a different one for both teams, especially for the San Benito demolition crew. While Calallen is a bruising club, Los Fresnos poses a more balanced attack.

"Coach (Scott) Ford has a good crop," San Benito coach Mario Peña said. "They can make some big plays. They have that capability. Their line has done an outstanding job."

The Falcons’ offensive trenches will have to be at their best tonight, especially tackle Mario Benavides (6-3, 250), who will be charged with handling 2005 first-team all-state defensive lineman Joey Nuñez (6-1, 230). That task may prove to be a little tougher than expected, since Benavides went down with a leg injury last week in their win against Hanna. He was expected to play opposite of Nuñez, but game-time will tell how well Benavides has healed.

"They’re very well-balanced," Los Fresnos coach Scott Ford said of the Greyhounds defense. "Having a player like Joey Nuñez causes a lot of problems (for an offense)."

The Falcons are coming off a week where their offense hit on all cylinders, piling up 608 yards of offense in a 45-7 romp over Brownsville Hanna.

The Greyhounds found new offensive strategy a week ago in a 33-7 win over Brownsville Lopez, keeping the ball on the ground for their highest output rushing this season with 259 yards. But that was last week, and San Benito hasn’t normally stuck with the ground game this season.

They’re led by senior quarterback Raymond De Los Santos, who has passed for 949 yards and 11 touchdowns on 71-of-174 passing with six interceptions. De Los Santos also has rushed for 262 yards on 61 carries (4.3 yards per carry) and a score.

"He improvises a lot and makes a lot of plays," Ford said of De Los Santos.

The Falcons defense, which is vastly improved from a year ago, will also have to account for Greg Castillo. Castillo is a dual threat on offense and defense, but has made much damage on offense, catching 17 passes for 314 yards and six touchdowns in just three games.

The Los Fresnos offensive machine is driven by quarterback Jeremy Springer (6-4, 190), who has passed for 1,359 yards with 94 completions on 162 attempts, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Running back Luis Campos is another key cog, rushing for 550 yards on 87 carries (6.3 ypc) and seven TDs. Esia Rivera has hauled in 24 catches for 374 yards and two scores, while teammate Daniel Gonzalez has 21 catches for 234 yards and two touchdowns.

Tonight also will mark the opening of Morrow Stadium, named after San Benito’s own Olympic medalist Bobby Morrow. Morrow, who is expected to be in attendance Friday, won three gold medals at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the 400 relay.

Tonight’s game should prove to be a battle of wits, as Los Fresnos’s offense is big in the trenches, while San Benito doesn’t boast a lot of size defensively. When the table is turned, Los Fresnos will put several players on the field that have very little experience against San Benito’s offense.

Los Fresnos is expecting to play six sophomores tonight against San Benito.

But despite the bumps and bruises, both teams expect a good turnout tonight.

"It’s going to be a tough game," Nuñez said. "It’s going to prove a lot of things. It’s going to prove we have a great defense, or it’s going to prove they have a great offense."

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Oscar Gonzalez Jr. covers District 32-5A for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4443. For this and more local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.