By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
The 2021 PI Tarpons finished with an overall 8-4 record, but the team went 4-3 during the district games as they struggled with the top teams in the district. Come playoff time the Tarpons made headlines by beating previously undefeated (10-0) Carrizo Springs in the Bi-District round, 23-8. Unfortunately, the Tarpons playoff run finished abruptly at the hands of a stout Geronimo Navarro team the following week. For the upcoming 2022 football season the coaching staff wants to build on last year’s success and it starts Thursday night when they go up against the visiting Lyford Bulldogs.
The 3A Lyford Bulldogs will rely heavily on their QB, Osmar Martinez. Martinez is a dual-threat quarterback that passed and ran for over 1,000+ yards. Look for PI’s defensive front seven to try and corral the Bulldogs QB. Offensively, the Tarpons will do what they do best and that is run the ball. They might not have the top speed as they’ve had in prior years, but they have a solid group of running backs that will wear down the Bulldogs defense.
Week two will feature the Tarpons going up against their longtime rival, the Rio Hondo Bobcats. The new UIL alignment moved the Bobcats down in classification as they joined Lyford and Progreso in district 16-3A (division 1). The Bobcats will be led by sophomore QB, Ruben Atkinson. Look for the Tarpons defense to overwhelm the young QB. Even though Rio Hondo finished last year with an 4-6 record, they still put up a good fight against the Tarpons in a close, 27-24 game. The Tarpons 2021 win over Rio Hondo snapped the Bobcats 6-game win streak over the Tarpons. Look for the Tarpons to go 2-0 as they start to build their own win streak over the Bobcats.
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