Rocksprings faces a tougher road

Junior Quarterback Zach Hernandez is more than just a standout signal-caller and defender. He handles the team’s kicking duties as well. (Contributed photo/Rocksprings High School) (click image to enlarge)

Most everyone you will talk to who follows football in Southwest Texas will tell you that District 29-1A is a two-horse race and will come down to a Week 7 match-up between those thoroughbreds: Rocksprings and Brackett.

Robert Hernandez thinks that sort of talk is just flat-out silly.

The Angoras move south to a new district that features a much more physical, smash-mouth style of play – and according to Rocksprings Head Coach Robert Hernandez – the defending district champions of 28-1A aren’t taking anything for granted.

“This is going to be a tough district to play in. We played in more of a finesse district the past few years,” Hernandez said. “We’re going to have to adjust to that style, and I don’t think there are any guarantees.”

The Angoras will play some familiar foes in their new district, including Nueces Canyon who moves into 29-1A with Rocksprings, along with Brackett, Sabinal and La Pryor – non-district opponents from the past few seasons.

The past two years Brackett has dominated Rocksprings, while Sabinal defeated them by narrow margins twice, and La Pryor played tough games against the Angoras falling both times. With every team in the district bringing back 10 or more starters, there’s a lot of talent in this new 1A-Eleven Man league.

Rocksprings is taking a steadfast approach to getting ready for that district race.

“We are going to have a much tougher training camp, and we’re going to do our best to get these kids ready for district play,” Hernandez said. “We open the season playing Sterling City at 1:00, so that will different.”

Different, he means, in regards to giving Rocksprings more toughness, and playing a game in some extreme late-summer afternoon heat. Coach Hernandez wants his team to be ready for a much more challenging district run, and will test his players’ physical nature this pre-season like never before. By design, the Angoras’non-district schedule doesn’t include any cupcakes: District 16-1A frontrunners Sterling City and Christoval, Harper (2nd in 28-1A last year, and took Rocksprings to OT), Medina, and Del Rio’s Junior Varsity squad.

The advantage the Angoras have heading into 2006 is a returning class that most coaches would die for.

The head coach’s son, Zach Hernandez (JR) returns to lead the Rocksprings offense at quarterback, and was the Unanimous 1st Team All District selection at that position his first two years on the varsity squad.

Also, on the offensive side of the ball, seniors Tommy Silva (TB, 1st Team All District, 1500 yards rushing in 2005), Nick Flores (TE, two-time All District selection), Robert Ortiz (LG, three-year starter and three-time All District selection), Jerry Gonzales (LT), and Luke Fry (WB) give the Angoras a formidable offensive attack again this season. Rocksprings returns 8 starters from a 2005 attack that scored just under 40 points a game in district play.

On defense, District Defensive Most Valuable Player Adrian Ramirez (DT, Sr.) should create more havok in the middle and in teams’ backfields, after leading the Angoras in tackling in 2005 with 79 stops.

Also, Flores (MLB), Silva (CB), and Hernandez (FS) turn around to play key roles on both sides of the ball, along with defensive specialists Ryan Shanklin (CB, Sr.) and Cade Cottle (FS, Sr.). The Angora defense gave up an average of a touchdown a game last season.

There’s no doubt that experience and returning talent will be a great assett to the Angoras in 2006 if they are to emmulate their success from the past two seasons in their new rugged district. While Coach Hernandez is apprehensive to pencil his team in as the ‘cream of the crop,’ he is sure that Rocksprings will be an experienced, improved team this season. What the other teams throw out there is out of his control.

“This (new district allignment) is a new deal for all of us,” Hernandez said. “I don’t think anyone really knows how it will play out. We do have some talented, hard-working players, and we wont do anything but get better this year.”