The Moody Trojans are looking to end their playoff drought this season. They face Corpus Christi Independent School District schools and two Victoria teams in District 14 5A-Division I.
"We've been working hard. We've been putting work in all summer and we're just ready to play some football," Benjamin Ibarra, Moody senior linebacker and tight end said.
Moody returns six starters on offense, including senior quarterback Jon-Michael Ortega.
"The experienced line makes me way more comfortable and our (running) backs, you know they're young," said Ortega. "I'm the older one now, so they're looking up to me. Asking me questions, and I just tell them what to do and they execute."
Moody graduated their three-man running back corps, but the Trojans are filling the gaps.
"This year we're bringing in three new faces back there. We've got a senior Hezekiah Johnson," said Michael Cantu, Moody football head coach. "We're going to distribute the football to him. He's going to be a player for us."
The Trojans are tough in the trenches, but on defense, their secondary is a strong test for their quarterback.
"Oh yeah, it gives me a good look because I feel like we have a pretty solid defense," said Ortega.
Last season, Moody won five games and lost five to finish sixth in the district.
"We know we're 10 times more competitive than we've ever been, so we're just excited to be able to come out and show that we've built the culture. We've got a program installed so we're excited about the season," said Cantu.
The Trojans start their season on the road against Tuloso-Midway on Friday, Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
