1. Del Valle QB Ray Montez is coming to his own.
Head coach Jesse Perales noted after the scrimmage that Montez looks strong heading into the season and with limited reps on Friday, he showed off why. He showed accuracy, mobility and a comfort within the offense that has grown quite a bit. The junior signal caller should be in line for a big season with the Conquistadores.
Here's what @CoachPofod had to say about tonight's scrimmage. @texashsfootball @DVFootballOFOD #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/EUFcPR9jEG
— Tony Venegas (@OA_TVenegas) August 26, 2017
2. The quarterback battle for Eastwood appears to be nearing its conclusion.
With Seth Ochoa out of the picture, both sophomore Chris Castaneda and junior Darius De Anda each had their opportunity to make an impression with head coach Julio Lopez. Lopez wouldn’t say who would start Week 1 at Midland Christian, but he did say that a decision is close. No matter who starts, the Troopers should have plenty of weapons to lean on.
Scrimmage wrapped up for tonight: Here is part of what @EHSCoachLopez on what he saw tonight from the Troopers. @texashsfootball #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/moXQpU9jFM
— Tony Venegas (@OA_TVenegas) August 26, 2017
3. Karch Gardiner is in line for a big season for Del Valle.
The junior receiver was a favorite target of Montez during his time on the field and he made a great diving catch on the first play of scrimmage for a 40-plus yard catch. He also will be leaned on as a top cornerback for the Conquistadores. Montez and running back Adrian Vasquez will be big playmakers as well, but Gardiner could be a breakout player in El Paso by season’s end.
4. Del Valle’s defense looks fast.
Under Jesse Perales, the Del Valle defense has always been known for its physicality and aggressiveness. This year, they look to be faster than they’ve been in years past and that could help carry them a long way after the regular season. The aforementioned Gardiner will be a big playmaker on defense, but the whole unit will be a handful for District 2-5A this season.
5. There is still plenty to clean up on both sides of the ball.
One common theme of this scrimmage were the amount of flags on the field. It’s to be expected for a setting like that where teams are a getting of feel of what they have. That said, both coaches said that there is plenty of room for improvement as they both start their seasons out of town next week.
For a full look at some of the best photos from the scrimmage, click here.
Brought to you by:
