Football Recap: Hidalgo Early College Comes Up Short

Hidalgo Early College extended their losing streak (dating back to last season) to nine on Friday, dropping them down to 0-8. They took a blow against the Zapata Hawks, falling 48-21. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Pirates of the 59-20 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in October of 2024.

Even if they lost, Hidalgo Early College's defensive line still kept up the pressure with four sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. Caleb Cisneros was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making eight total tackles (2.0 for loss).

As for Zapata, the victory was the fifth in a row for them, bringing their record up to 6-1. Those wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 13.8 points on average over those games.

It was another big night for Jay Solis, who rushed for 160 yards and two TDs on only five carries, and also picked up 122 receiving yards and one score. His longest rush was for an impressive 64 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Ryan Solis was another key player, throwing for 124 yards and three touchdowns while completing 85.7% of his passes.

Coincidentally, Hidalgo Early College and Zapata will both be playing Calallen the next time they take the field. The Hawks will host the Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, while the Pirates will head out to face them at 7:00 p.m. on the 31st.