By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
The hot summer months are the calm before the storm as the San Benito Greyhound Varsity Football Team prepares for the upcoming season, which begins in late August against a host of non-district opponents.
Their District 32-6A has been revamped but remains small, leaving San Benito CISD Athletic Department administrators scrambling to schedule opponents in August and September. This is the result of the University Interscholastic League’s (UIL) biennial realignment, which occurred in February.
San Benito’s five non-district opponents enter with a combined record of 25-28. Three of those opponents, all Rio Grande Valley teams, advanced to the postseason with winning records.
The other two, the Laredo Alexander Bulldogs and Odessa Bronchos, will face a Greyhounds team that will travel outside the Valley to inflict more misery.
The Bulldogs (4-6 last year) are scheduled for Sept. 11, and the Bronchos on Sept. 25, both at a neutral site in San Marcos.
All non-district games are on Friday and start at 7 p.m.
The ‘Hounds open their season at Bobby Morrow Stadium on Aug. 28 against the Edcouch-Elsa Yellowjackets (6-5), followed by a road game on Sept. 4 against the Edinburg Vela Sabercats (8-3).
San Benito hosts the Harlingen South Hawks (6-5) on Sept. 18.
Since June 8, San Benito Head Football Coach Dan Gomez said his athletes have been using the SBHS facilities to participate in the summer strength and conditioning program.
He said the summer heat is nothing to take lightly, so the football players have been hydrating regularly.
The district portion of the ‘Hounds’ schedule is as follows: Oct. 9 at home vs. Brownsville Veterans Memorial; Oct. 16 at Los Fresnos; Oct. 23 at home vs. PSJA North; Oct. 30 at home vs. Harlingen; and Nov. 5 at PSJA.
Four of SBHS’s district foes advanced to the postseason, except for the PSJA Bears, who went 1-9.
The ‘Hounds look to improve on their 2-9 overall record from a year ago. They were 2-2 in district play, which placed them third and earned them a playoff berth.
All district games are being played on Friday, starting at 7:30 p.m.