(San Benito News/Ray Quiroga)
By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
RIO HONDO, TX —The Bobcat Varsity Football Players are expected to continue their dominance in a large district that once again includes eight teams, including formidable opponents like San Diego and Bishop.
The Rio Hondo Bobcats, under longtime Head Coach Rocky James, will count on a bevy of players that includes a who’s who of Lopez athletes commanding the pigskin. It will be a similar scenario as a year that produced a 9-3 record and a Class 3A Division I area appearance in the postseason.
Bobcat junior quarterback Matthew Lopez (217 yards, 4 touchdown passes) had plenty of experience as a backup thanks to several games that had the outcome decided early enough to warrant his playing time.
“We were senior-heavy, but we had a lot of underclassmen who played a big role, and it’s going to help our team to be successful,” Lopez said. “I know I have big shoes to fill as quarterback, and I have big expectations, we all do. We want to continue the tradition we’ve built here at Rio Hondo.”
Junior running back Mario Lopez was a key factor in the Bobcats’ offensive success. He returns as a seasoned starter looking to better his production of 1,131 rushing yards.
Lopez gives credit to the offensive line for his playing prowess, which enabled him to score an incredible 23 touchdowns.
“They did an absolute great job for us, and I think they can do even better because they’re very talented,” Mario Lopez said. “We’re all looking forward to doing it again when the season begins. It’s one of the most powerful groups we have on the team.”
Wide receivers include Michael Lopez and Manny Perez (38 catches, 591 yards, 6 TDs).
“We have some high expectations for this year,” Perez said. “We have a new quarterback, but judging by what he did last season, he’s ready.”
The Bobcats will once again begin their pre-district portion of their season with a road game against Valley View in Pharr. The Bobcats won that match-up, 73-20, last year, and judging by their one-win season a year ago, Valley View could be in for a long night this week.
The Bobcats will then have their home opener against the Port Isabel Tarpons, who narrowly beat them last year, 27-24.
Rio Hondo will begin its district play against San Diego (8-3 record, bi-district finalist), Bishop (6-5 record, bi-district finalist), and Falfurrius (3-7, no playoffs) before closing out against Valley teams Lyford (6-5 record, bi-district finalist), Raymondville (4-6 record, no playoffs) and Progreso (1-9, no playoffs).
Rio Hondo and San Diego have shared district titles two of the past three years.
“Hopefully, we can continue the success we had last year, but we can still get better, and I think we have the returners and other players to do just that,” senior cornerback Eddie Martinez said. “We’d like to win the district again, but do it outright.”
According to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine, with input from the RHHS coaching staff, among the Bobcats defenders to watch are linemen Miguel Lopez and Noe Leos; backs Rolando Pastrana and Miguel Padron; and end Matthew Perez.
On offense, players to watch as receiving threats are Perez once again, Sebastian Gonzalez, and Albert Villalovos.
In two August scrimmages played away against La Villa and at home against the Roma Gladiators, Coach James was pleased with the Bobcats’ play.
“We really haven’t missed a beat, judging by the two scrimmages we were in; we did well against La Villa, and we beat Roma 40-30,” James said. “I think our offense is a bit better than our defense, but we’re going to work on that.”
According to the RHHS coaching staff, the passing and running plays combined to amass more than 400 yards during the scrimmages.
The Bobcats really turned things around after finishing 6-5 in 2023. They lost a bi-district game, 49-10, to the Edna Cowboys, one of the most talented teams in Region IV.
Last season in the Division I playoffs, Rio Hondo defeated London, 52-20, in the bi-district round, but lost in an area game to Universal City Randolph, 46-31.
Edna, which advanced to the state semifinal round, defeated Randolph in the third round, 42-28.
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