94 Tarpons: Tough to beat

Gonzalez top rusher on memorable PI team that eliminated No. 1 Cuero

By ROY HESS

The Brownsville Herald

The seniors on the 1994 Port Isabel football team never got used to losing because it rarely ever happened.

"As seventh-graders and then as eighth-graders, we went undefeated and unscored upon," said Jimmy Gonzalez, a senior 1,203-yard rusher and first-team all-state defensive back for the 94 Tarpons. "Our freshman year was the same thing. Then they started moving some of us to the junior varsity and the varsity level. We all got back together (on the varsity) our junior and senior years.

"It was kind of funny because back when we were seventh- and eighth-graders, we would joke around and kid each other that we were going to win state," he added. "It ended up that we worked hard and got to a pretty good level."

The 94 Tarpons set a school record by going 13-1-1. They reached the Class 3A state semifinals, duplicating the feat of the 1981 PI squad. Along the way, the Tarpons recorded one of the most impressive accomplishments ever by a Valley football team in the state playoffs when they rallied to tie No. 1 state-ranked Cuero 20-20 and advance on a 5-3 edge in penetrations. Overtimes were not played at that time.

The Tarpons that season averaged more than 400 yards and 40 points per game. They outscored opponents 554-203 and played their final three playoff games that season at Texas A&M-Kingsvilles Javelina Stadium.

After getting past Cuero in the third round, PI downed Bandera 24-11 before committing several turnovers and falling in the state semifinals 34-13 to Sealy and running back Fred Smith, the states 3A offensive player of the year with 2,836 yards and 46 TDs. Sealy defeated Atlanta 36-15 for the state title the following week.

A big incentive for the Tarpons to do well in 94 came a year earlier in the third round of the playoffs when they lost to Cuero 63-8 at Memorial Stadium on the University of Texas-Austin campus.

"You could tell we were just happy to be there (in 93), playing on the turf and staying at the Hyatt," said Gonzalez, now 26, who works days at Southpoint Marina and evenings at United Parcel Service in Port Isabel. "We lost focus of that game, but we learned a lesson and it was a good one to learn."

PLANNING A REMATCH

Gonzalez, who wore No. 3 and played at 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, said while the players were dejected and quiet on the bus ride home after the 63-8 defeat, the PI coaches were busy plotting strategies for a rematch with Cuero.

"I remember Coach (Eliseo) Villarreal (defensive coordinator) calling me up to the front of the bus and showing me a defense he had picked out," Gonzalez said. "He said, When we play Cuero again, this is the defense were going to use. Were going to perfect it all next season.

"I said that sounded all right and went back and sat down, but I was thinking the chances were pretty slim that we would meet up with them again," he added. "I didnt expect the coaches to start thinking about it (rematch) on the bus just an hour or so after the (63-8) game. But sure enough, they called it right."

PIs head coach in 94 was Tony Villarreal and his assistants were Eliseo Villarreal, Richard Rodriguez, Orlando Garcia, Victor Barrera, Robert Holland, Jessie Villarreal and Gabe Pena.

They scouted Cuero several times during the regular season, practiced plays designed specifically for the anticipated rematch and even subscribed to the Cuero newspaper to pick up whatever bits of information or tendencies they could find.

A years worth of preparations paid off when the Tarpons and Gobblers collided again on Nov. 26, 1994 just as the PI coaches had predicted. After leading 6-0 early, the Tarpons fell behind 20-12 and needed to drive 55 yards in seven plays to tally a touchdown on a 10-yard run by sophomore Jim Leo Ochoa to pull within 20-18 with 1:45 remaining. Earlier, Ochoa had blocked a punt.

"Nobody had ever given them a game all season," Tony Villarreal said. "Theyd taken care of their opponents by halftime. We were hoping we could wear them down and be close in the fourth quarter, and thats what happened."

The ball went to fullback Jesus "Beta" Ramirez up the middle for the two-point conversion. He followed the blocks of running back Ed Francois, guard Edward Hernandez and first-team all-state tackle Roger Delgadillo, plunging into the end zone for the 20-20 tie.

On the conversion, Gonzalez said, the Tarpons hiked the ball on the second hut of the count, catching the Gobblers settling back after they had lunged slightly forward on the first hut.

An interception by PIs Gilbert Verduzco with 1:20 left sealed the tie that enabled PI to advance on penetrations.

NO GOBBLERS AT HOME

Tony Villarreal said he received a call from a USA Today sports writer a day or two later. The writer said USA Today had planned to rank Cuero at No. 8 in its national Top 10 high school poll and wanted to know if the Gobblers had indeed lost.

"Apparently they werent answering their phones over there in Cuero," said Villarreal, now the head coach at Hanna.

Besides Gonzalez and Delgadillo earning first-team all-state, quarterback-outside linebacker Gabe Villarreal was all-state second team at linebacker and Verduzco was an all-state honorable mention at wide receiver along with Francois, who was all-state honorable mention at linebacker. Gabe Villarreal, son of the late PI defensive coordinator, went on to play college ball at Tennessee Tech. As a quarterback in 94, Villarreal passed for 1,200-plus yards and 20 TDs. On defense, he averaged 12 tackles a gamhe and finished with 13 sacks.

The five players also received all-district honors. Other PI players earning all-district that season were David Garza III, Mathew Martinez, J.C. Zamora, Eddie Stamps, Victor Aguillon, Aaron Byrne, Noel Garza, Alex Galvan, Andrew Lopez, Raul Montalvo, Lupe Valdez and Frank Niles.

Gonzalez, whose father Tony was a standout two-way starter for PI in the late 1960s, started three years in the defensive secondary and finished with 20 career interceptions, including six his senior season with two returned for TDs. Gonzalez started one season at running back in PIs misdirection slot-T offense.

"Jimmy was a well-rounded running back because he could block, pass receive and definitely run with the ball," Tony Villarreal said. "Hed stop on a dime, put on a move, cut back and accelerate."

Gonzalez said hes fortunate to have grown up in PI and played football for the Tarpons.

"The way this community is and the way the fans back you up is great," he said. "Being in a small town like this gave us a lot of opportunities, a lot of open doors. Its nice."