SINTON, Texas — The Sinton Pirates football program has now made it to the UIL third round of playoffs in four of the last five seasons. This year a lot of their success starts with their junior duo in the backfield.
"I mean man it feels great. I have a lot of time back there," Triston Handson, Sinton junior quarterback, said. "The o-line doing their best. Derek helps out a lot. Makes me feel calm."
Junior quarterback Triston Handson earned the varsity starting job after sitting out last season with a collarbone injury. He's delivered over 1,300 yards through the air and nearly 600 yards rushing.
"We've been playing since we were little, and he's always been a dual threat quarterback," Derek Garcia, Sinton junior running back, said. "Just me blocking for him and just him finding holes and just leading the way for him, so he can score you know."
Junior running back Derek Garcia has carried the load this season, rushing for 1,553 yards and 19 touchdowns, which has helped Handson get comfortable in the pocket.
"Me and Derek have been playing with each other since Little League," Handson said. "It's been a lot. He's always been there by me. Just always together."
Their connection started when they were about 7-years-old
"We were in PeeWee and we're in the Super Bowl," Garcia said. "He scored the game-winning touchdown, so that was pretty cool."
Now the Pirates battle Navarro in playoffs, the same team Sinton lost to in 2021, falling 29-28 in overtime.
"We have a lot of weapons," Handson said. "We have Jacoby (James) back there. Rhyzaya (Rodriguez), Derek, o-line, we're ready for them."
"I'm just playing for the seniors because they lost to them a couple of years ago," Garcia said. "I just want to beat them so they can overcome that you know."
Sinton will battle Navarro in the third round of playoffs this Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Jourdanton.
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