(Photo courtesy/Point Isabel ISD)
By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the NEWS
The high school football season is upon us once again as the 4A Port Isabel Tarpons are set to take the field with much anticipation from the team and fans alike.
The fanatics in attendance at this year’s scrimmages have noticed the team working a lot more out of the shotgun formation—a change the coaches felt would improve their passing game. In return, the team should field a more balanced offensive attack. The Tarpons will play seven non-district games and close out the regular season with three district games.
Although the Tarpons only return four offensive and four defensive starters from last season’s 9-3 team, those returning are key players on the team. Senior quarterback Bryan Martinez will be turned loose after a successful 7-on-7 summer season. Meanwhile, running back Luis Ramos will be spearheading the rushing attack. Ramos returns for his final season and looks even quicker—if that was possible. Defensively, not much has changed for the Tarpons as they “reload” with some new players on the defensive line and in the secondary to go along with a solid linebacking corps.
Week 1 action will see the Tarpons on the road as they take on the 3A Lyford Bulldogs in non-district play on August 29 at 7 p.m.
The Tarpons got a big 30-6 win over the Bulldogs last year, and you can expect a similar result this season. Expect big gains when Port Isabel’s Ramos gets his touches. PI’s new passing game is still a work in progress but should be making strides nonetheless.
In Week 2 action, PI will be on the road again as they take on their old rivals, the 3A Rio Hondo Bobcats, on September 4 at 7 p.m.
Last year’s game was a nail-biter as the Tarpons secured a 27-24 win at home, but the Bobcats will be without their three-year starting QB, Ruben Atkinson, who threw for three touchdowns in last year’s game.
New Bobcats QB Matthew Lopez (Jr.) saw some time at quarterback last season and has big shoes to fill.
Other players to watch include receiver Emmanuel Perez (38 rec, 591 yds) and top running back Mario Lopez (160 car, 1131 yds).
The Port Isabel “Seawall Defense” will be licking their chops as they try to overwhelm the Bobcats’ young QB. Meanwhile, the PI offense should have plenty of opportunities to work on their passing game, considering Rio Hondo graduated three out of their top four tacklers.
In Week 3 action, the Port Isabel Tarpons will be on the road for their third straight game as they travel to Pharr to take on the 5A Valley View Tigers on September 12 at 7 p.m.
Last year’s matchup saw the Tarpons dominate the Tigers to the tune of 48-0. In that game, PI running back Luis Ramos racked up 133 yards on just six carries, with the team totaling 303 rushing yards. Fast forward to 2025, and it could be déjà vu as PI looks to start the season 3-0.
In Week 4 action, the Tarpons finally get to play at home as they host the 4A Hidalgo Pirates on September 19 at 7 p.m. Last year’s game was canceled due to flooding, but the Tarpons were favorites last season and will be again this year. The Pirates, who finished with a 2-9 overall record, graduated their QB, top receiver, and top two running backs.
In Week 5 action, PI will face its toughest competition to date as they take on the 5A Edcouch-Elsa Yellowjackets on September 26 at 7 p.m.
In last year’s matchup, the Tarpons secured a 28-21 win after being down 21-7 at halftime. E-E’s star player, QB Elijah Trevino, was lost to graduation. Look for junior Jason Pena to replace him at the quarterback position. PI had three turnovers in that game, but expect the Tarpons to put on a more solid performance this time around and pull out another win in 2025.
In Week 6 action, the Tarpons will be hosting the 5A Roma Gladiators during Homecoming week on October 3 at 7 p.m. In last season’s game, Roma had a 7-6 edge at halftime, but the Tarpons came out red hot in the second half and outscored the Gladiators 35-7, securing a 41-14 win.
Key returners for Roma will be dual-threat QB Eli Garza (22-53-402 yds) and RB Ruben Garcia Jr. (166 car, 920 yds). Roma will also have an experienced O-line coming back that could make it a closer game, but PI looks to remain undefeated when the game clock reaches zero.
The Tarpons will close out their non-district schedule with a home game against the Brownsville St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds on October 9 at 7 p.m.
Last season’s matchup saw the Hounds secure a big 58-20 win at home. The game featured the teams combining for 808 rushing yards (PI 342 yds, BSJ 465 yds). The star of the night was BSJ’s Claudio Torres, who was virtually unstoppable, rushing for 255 yards by himself with a 15.0 yds/car average. Look for BSJ to lean more on their passing game this time around, but BSJ will lack depth with only 20 players back and will have a hard time containing the Tarpons’ offense.
The Tarpons open district play with a road trip to Kingsville to take on the Brahmas on October 16 at 7 p.m.
In last year’s matchup, the Tarpons beat the Brahmas 48-19 at home. PI QB Martinez went 6-for-6 for 134 yards with one touchdown, while Ramos gained 73 yards on nine carries. Expect their production to increase in this year’s game. Defensively, the Tarpons will put the pressure on new QB Isaac Cason. The game could go either way; a lot will depend on whether PI can wrangle talented RB Damarius Montgomery.
In Week 9 action, the Tarpons will be hosting their old rival, the La Feria Lions, on October 24 at 7 p.m.
In last year’s game, the Lions shocked the Tarpons as they jumped out to a 20-0 lead in the first quarter. The Tarpons fought back but eventually lost the game 32-27. La Feria’s QB Andruw Rivera and WR Austin Vaughn, who played a big role in the Lions’ passing game, have since graduated, so the edge goes to the Tarpons.
Port Isabel will wrap up the regular season with an away game versus the La Grulla Gators on October 31 at 7 p.m.
The Tarpons overwhelmed the Gators in last season’s 54-0 win. The Gators finished last season with a 1-9 record but do have an experienced offensive line returning to protect junior QB Jaythan Salinas. Even with the Tarpons playing several backups, the Gators will still struggle in this game.
In the final week of the regular season, the Tarpons will use their bye week to rest and heal. Last season, the Tarpons ended up sharing the district title with Kingsville and La Feria, but PI is looking to claim the title outright in 2025.
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