The Herald-Zeitung

CORPUS CHRISTI — Hit by a number of injuries during the course of the season, the Smithson Valley Rangers aren’t using them — or anything else — as an excuse to derail them from their ultimate goal.

“They’ve been pretty bad. It’s hard to overcome them but we’ve been doing what we can,” senior punter-defensive back Ben Woodchick said. “The guys have been trying hard filling in, but we’ve been battling through it.”

As the sixth-ranked Rangers (11-1) take on Harlingen South (12-0) today in a Class 5A-Division II regional playoff at Buccaneer Stadium, they will likely be without their top offensive player, senior running back Trent Rios. And although that loss is great, the players and coaches know that the Ranger tradition is enough to overcome that loss.

“Obviously, we care a great deal about the kids we’ve lost (this season),” Smithson Valley coach Larry Hill said. “It’s not that we’re not being sympathetic towards their plight. But at the same time, we don’t want to spend a lot of time talking about it. If you do, then otherwise you give your kids an out.”

The Rangers can’t afford to look back, as a powerful — and unbeaten — Hawks team awaits. Harlingen South, the District 31-5A champion, took its 12th straight win with a 30-24 overtime decision over McAllen Rowe last Saturday.

The Hawks are led by QB Sean Messick, RB Philip Fruge and WR Joseph Bedford, who star on an offense that’s averaging 400 yards and 36.7 points per game. However, last week they had a hard time against a team they’d beaten 44-14 in the regular season, coming back from a 24-14 halftime deficit to win on Fruge’s 10-yard scoring run.

“In the games they’ve been challenged, they’ve shown a remarkable aptitude for doing what they have to do to win,” Hill said. “They won on the last play of the game in Week Eight. They won in overtime (41-35 against PSJA Memorial) and they won in overtime last week. That shows resilience and a hard-nosed attitude for football.”

The last time the Rangers faced a team from the Rio Grande Valley was in 2004, when they skunked San Benito 51-0 en route to their third state championship game. This Hawks team — known down in the Valley as the Green Birds — won’t be easy to conquer, Hill said.

“From the ability standpoint they have kids who can score,” Hill said. “They have a back that’s a really good pounder and downfield runner. The quarterback is an excellent thrower and does a very good job of being spontaneous in the face of the rush.”

Fruge, who has rushed for 420 yards thus far in the playoffs, will be the man to stop. Through 11 games he had 1,030 yards and 10 scores, with Messick totaling 436 yards and 18 scores. Steven Mata (115-791, 8 TDs) is the second leading rusher.

Messick has passed for 2,032 yards, with most of his throws going to top receivers Bedford (29-468) and Peter Maldonado (39-606), who didn’t play in last week’s win.

“I have not seen a tight end or a second back in the backfield, but they’re not very multiple in their formations,” Hill said. “There’s one set that has two wide outs on each side and a back in the backfield that they run about 95 percent of the time.”

The Hawks run a 3-4 scheme on defense that is led by linebackers Israel Neeley and Rolando Salinas.

“We haven’t seen a whole lot of it,” Hill said, referring to the 3-4. “They run straight up on the tackles, and I think we’ve played one opponent like that all season. So on defense they’re like the offense, we really don’t know a whole lot about them.”

Because the Rangers don’t know how they will stack up against the Hawks and vice versa, Hill reiterated what he said earlier in the week.

“They haven’t seen what we do either. It works both ways, but you’d like to know more,” he said. “But we won’t change what we do. We’ll tweak things, but we’re not putting in new plays or defenses for anybody — and we’re sure not going to do it in the playoffs.”

Smithson Valley enters the game averaging 411.6 yards offense and yielding 278.5 on defense. Rios totaled 30 yards on four carries before exiting in the first quarter of last week’s 49-22 win over East Central, giving him 1,528 yards and 25 touchdowns on the season.

Trey Reinhart totaled 104 yards on 14 carries last week, but the rushing game was bolstered by Cody Renken’s 66 yards and two scores on just four carries. Quarterback David Pawelek completed 14 of 20 passes for 199 yards and two scores, to Renken and Chandler Hill.

The Rangers defense gave up 290 yards last week, most of it after the game had been decided. That total far surpassed the 132.5 yards it averaged in the previous playoff win over Austin High and the final regular-season victory over Churchill. Yet Smithson Valley can still brag a plus-16 turnover margin, which has improved in the latter half of the season.

In addition to Rios, other Rangers are banged up. Hill isn’t commenting on any injury or even if some of his players might be back for tonight’s game. Woodchick, who has 86 tackles from his strong safety spot and is averaging 38.8 yards on 28 punts this season, says the predicament has brought the team together.

“It’s one of the things that kind of helps keep pushing you through all the injuries — knowing that we can get through it each week and hopefully go on to state,” he said. “We’re just trying to do that, and after each win it feels a little bit better.”

SMITHSON VALLEY (11-1) VS. HARLINGEN SOUTH (12-0)

7:30 p.m., Buccaneer Stadium, Corpus Christi

Radio: KGNB-AM 1420

Tickets: $8 at gate

Series: First meeting

Getting there: Take Interstate 35 south to Loop 410 south. Take Interstate 37 south into Corpus Christi. Take Lawrence Drive/Nueces Bay Blvd exit (1E). Take a right onto Nueces Bay, a left onto Antelope Street then a right onto Rose Street. The stadium is at the corner of Rose Street and Leopard Street.

THE RANGERS

District 26-5A runner-up

Coach: Larry Hill (152-42 in 15th season at school; 162-53 in 17th season overall)

Last week: Smithson Valley 49, East Central 22

Top players: QB David Pawelek, RB Trent Rios, WR Cody Renken, LB Dakota Mawyer, LB Zac Russell

Offense: I formation

Defense: 4-3

THE HAWKS

District 31-5A champion

Coach: Alan Cherry (12-0 in first season at school)

Last week: Harlingen South 30, McAllen Rowe 24, OT

Top players: QB Sean Messick, RB Philip Fruge, WR Peter Maldonado, WR Joseph Bedford, C R.J. Arellano, LB-K Rolando Salinas, OL Jorge Mata

Offense: Spread and one-back

Defense: 3-4

OUTLOOK

The winner will play either Madison or Weslaco for the Region IV title next Saturday. Despite their injuries, the Rangers have proven resilient and are gunning for their eighth straight win. They are averaging 411.6 yards on offense and allowing 278.5 on defense. South is 12-0 for the first time in school history and trying to tie a Rio Grande Valley record by winning its 13th. Because of the teams’ unfamiliarity with each other, it’s hard to figure strengths and weaknesses. When in doubt, go with the known commodity — which around these parts means run with the Rangers.