Jerel Beaty
Staff Writer
For the first time in Devine High School football history, the Warhorses make the 5.8 mile trip to Natalia to take on the Mustangs Friday night. In 2022, Natalia made their first trip to Warhorse Stadium as the teams met for the first time in history.
Devine came out on top last season 48-3 boosted by a huge 28-point second quarter scoring burst. Natalia Head Coach Ilyan Martinez knows what it will take for his team to earn a victory in Devine.
“We have to match their physicality and limit their big plays,” Martinez stated. “We must do a good job of getting to the ball in space. We will also have to sustain our own drives because Devine has the potential to eat up the clock by going on long drives.”
Warhorse Head Coach Paul Gomez is not overlooking the Mustangs by any means and knows he is going to get Natalia’s best effort Friday night.
“Natalia played much better against Marion this past Friday,” Gomez stated. “Coach Martinez and his staff do a great job over there and we respect the heck out of those guys. We know they will have them ready to play. I expect Natalia to play their best game to date. They lost a lot of players to graduation but their young guys are getting better every week. Their seniors will keep them moving forward and they will be a formidable opponent.”
Martinez on the matchup, “Coach Gomez and his staff have Devine playing in mid-season form. They are big and physical. As many know, they are a ground-and-pound team with an aggressive offense that gets after other teams.”
It should be a good one Friday night! Kickoff is set for 7:30pm.