The Hidalgo Early College Pirates will face off against the Zapata Hawks at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Hidalgo Early College has struggled recently with eight defeats in a row, while Zapata will arrive with four straight victories.
On Friday, Hidalgo Early College was beaten by Tuloso-Midway 55-7. While losing is never fun, the Pirates can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 1174th, while the Warriors & Cherokees are ranked 547th).
The match pitted two dominant backs against one another in Roberto Gallegos and Damian Figueroa. Figueroa had a great game and gained 293 total yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Gallegos was balling out in the loss, rushing for 189 yards and one score.
Meanwhile, Zapata took their game last Friday with ease, bagging a 42-6 win over Pearsall. That looming 42-6 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Hawks yet this season.
Zapata's win came from a few key players Hidalgo Early College will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ryan Solis, who threw for 215 yards and four TDs while completing 81.2% of his passes, and also punched in one touchdown on the ground. Jay Solis was Ryan's top target, picking up 68 receiving yards and one score, while also rushing for 68 yards and one touchdown on only five carries.
Zapata was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 239 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 239 rushing yards in five consecutive contests.
Zapata's victory bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Hidalgo Early College, their loss dropped their record down to 0-7.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Hidalgo Early College has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 185.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Zapata struggles in that department as they've been averaging 260 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Hidalgo Early College was dealt a bruising 59-20 defeat at the hands of Zapata when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Will the Pirates have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.
