PSJA North looks to emerge from shadows of 2003 team

PHARR — PSJA North quarterback Noe Garcia and several of his teammates were barely beginning their transition into middle school when the 2003 Raiders team made school history for the first time by advancing to the regional semifinals.

Led by senior quarterback Gilbert Zepeda, the Raiders that year finished the regular season 9-1, recorded the school’s first postseason win and finished with the most wins in a single season with 11. North advanced three deep in the playoffs before its dream season was halted by a close 27-21 loss to San Antonio O’ Connor at the Alamodome.

No other team since has ever duplicated what the ‘03 class accomplished, which still leaves them recognized by many as the best team to ever play for PSJA North. Six years later, Garcia and the Raiders are the new crop of players who are dealing with the effects of the program’s most vivid accomplishment.

"Those guys come up all the time at our school," Garcia said. "They always compare us to them. Every day it’s like that ‘03 team. So yeah every day it’s brought up."

Although many on the team use its alumni as a standard of their own, the Raiders too want their opportunity to make a lasting impression. When North travels to Eagle Pass Friday to take on the Eagles in a Class 5A Division II area-round playoff, they will get that chance to emerge from the shadows of their predecessors and tie the ‘03 group as the best team to ever wear the Silver and Black uniform.

A win against Eagle Pass would give the Raiders their 11th win of the season and send them back to the regional semifinals, a round North fell just short of last year after a 41-21 loss to San Antonio Southwest. Raiders coach Bruce Bush said the lesson of last season’s experience taught his team the value of being "overachievers."

"We can do more than we think we can," Bush said. "Where there’s a will there’s a way. Our kids have worked hard and they’re reaping the awards at this time. There’s no challenge we can’t stand up to if they just believe in themselves and know when to turn it on."

After last year’s season-ending loss, Bush took immediate action and adopted the slogan "Unfinished Business" for his team as part of a motivational mechanism to correct all of its shortcomings. They ended last year’s regular season to a disappointing loss to PSJA High and finished their campaign at 9-3.

This year, that axiom helped them avenge its loss to the Bears and has them on the cusp of tying history after last week’s bi-district win against Brownsville Pace.

Middle linebacker Anthony Rodriguez admits the lack of playoff experience one year ago played a major role to the Raiders’ substandard showing against Southwest and hopes his team’s new understandings will help carry them into the next round.

"This year we’re not as young as we were last year," he said. "I think (the experience) will help."

Ramiro Paez covers high school sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4470 or via e-mail at rpaez@themonitor.com.