Football Recap: Rivera Comes Up Short on the Road Against La Joya

Rivera kicked off their season on the road on Friday and hit a couple of potholes. The contest between the Raiders and the La Joya Coyotes didn't end well, with the Raiders falling 45-28. The Raiders were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Coyotes apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in August of 2024.

Rivera's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Gabriel Gonzalez, who rushed for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only ten carries, and also picked up 38 receiving yards and one score. Another signal caller making a difference was Ivan Rodriguez, who threw for 118 yards and a pair of TDs.

La Joya can attribute much of their success to Owen Benoit, who threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns on only ten passes, and also punched in one score on the ground. The Coyotes also got a significant boost from Mauricio Mendoza, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 105 yards.

Rivera didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next game, a 45-44 victory against Edinburg North on the 4th. As for La Joya, they also wasted no time getting back out on the field and have already played their next matchup, a 48-21 win against Lopez on the 5th.