Week two of high school football features a Game Night South Texas matchup where the Taft Greyhounds (1-0) are looking for revenge, while the Mathis Pirates (0-1) are on the hunt for their first win of the season.
"Been waiting since we lost last year. It was a tough loss," Marcello 'Magic' Nieto, Taft senior center and defensive tackle, said. "We were beating them really good and then they came back and beat us."
Last year, the Mathis Pirates handed the Taft Greyhounds a loss week two, 50-46.
"You know we were down early. I think it was 35-6 at half," Roger Masters, Mathis football head coach, said. "There was no give up in our kids whatsoever. Right down to the last play when we got the interception."
Now the motto is to finish, and it starts with Taft's athletic offense led by senior quarterback J.J. Acosta who threw for 301 yards and 3 touchdowns last week. The Greyhounds also found the endzone with six different athletes.
"We spread the ball around a lot. I mean everybody got a piece of the ball," Enrique Rodriguez, Taft senior receiver and safety, said. "Everybody got some love and J.J. was able to make some plays."
Mathis first-year head coach Roger Masters, who was last year's defensive coordinator, is preparing the Pirates to slow them down.
"Our defensive line they're so physical. They're so coachable," Masters said. "They do all of those little things right. It starts up front with those guys."
They're stronger this season, and that comes from six days of lifting and more.
"Well we've been hitting the weight room more," Ethan Ybarra, Mathis senior running back and linebacker, said. "Doing a little cardio after too."
The Pirates love to run the ball, led by their two senior captains Ybarra and Arik Cuellar.
"I'm more of the power back. He's more the speed. If we need 2 or 3 yards give it to me," Arik Cuellar, Mathis senior running back and middle linebacker, said. "If we just need a first down give it to Ethan and let him run it."
Taft learned from last year's mistakes and first-year head coach Joe Riojas knows a victory comes down to the battle in the trenches.
"I feel like we got a faster line," Nieto said. "Faster linemen to get off the ball, strike first and just to hit them."
"That's something that we stressed this week," Joe Riojas, Taft football head coach, said. "That we got to win up front, and if we win up front then it's going to give us a great chance to be successful at the end of the night."
Our Game Night South Texas live broadcast game features the Mathis Pirates against the Taft Greyhounds. The matchup will air live on our sister station, The C.W., starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are led by a new head coach. Last season Mathis won 50-46.
