Cardinals' secondary an aggressive one

HARLINGEN — A couple of years ago, Tyler Armstrong was the skinny kid playing football.

Armstrong was a sophomore defensive end on Harlingen's J.V. squad. He didn't have the size but he was fast.
A move to varsity as a junior led to change in position.

Armstrong became a safety for the Cardinals. And now in his second season at that position, Armstrong is one of the hardest hitting safeties around.

"It's been really fun this season," Armstrong said. "I enjoy laying out receivers."

He's not the only one.

Harlingen's secondary is one of the hardest hitting and fastest groups around.

CB Erwin Oliva joins Armstrong with the most varsity experience in the defensive backfield.

The shaggy-haired Cesar Martinez is the other corner with Mike Gonzalez seeing a lot of time at corner too.

Edward Martinez and Trevor Lyzak are the other safeties.

Ask Cards' passing game coordinator Bobby Lucio and he'll tell you they're the best set of defensive backs Harlingen's offense has faced all year.

And while the group only has a handful of interceptions to its name, they'd rather knock someone out of their shoes.

Oliva leads the unit with two picks. He had both a couple of weeks ago against Harlingen South.

Cesar Martinez also has one interception and Lyzak picked off SB quarterback Brandon Marquez last week stopping a key drive for the Greyhounds.

"We're more headhunters," said Oliva, one of the Valley's to quarter-milers during track season. "We got for the hit. Yes we try for the pick and go for six, but sometimes it's not there. I got lucky last week and got two."

Armstrong leads the team with over 60 tackles on the season.

And Oliva is one of the best shutdown corners in the business right now.

He's speed alone is the above most of his counterparts in this part of the state.

"Tyler's like a different person out here this season," Oliva said. "And Trevor's worked really hard. Everyone has. We're like a family out there."

It's not secret that Harlingen's defense is designed around stopping the run. Especially in District 31-5A, slowing down the run game is very important.

"They're our downhill players," Cards head coach Manny Gomez said. "We use our safeties but our cornerbacks get in there and want to be part of it too. To be successful at any level, you have to be able to stop the run. And this guys take pride in that too."

Eladio Jaimez covers District 31-5A for Valley Freedom Newspapers.