The Return of Friday Night Lights

(This article was written by Roel Rodriguez and was featured in the August 2025 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)

It’s August and you know what that means: it’s Friday Night Lights time, baby! Are you ready for some football? 

In Harlingen, just like the entire state of Texas, football players, coaches, referees, bands, cheerleaders, dance teams, and booster clubs are all gearing up for another exciting year of Texas high school football. 

I have no doubt that the 2025 season will provide yet another year of thrilling games, lasting memories, and accomplishments. 

Locally, we have the luxury of following and supporting two highly respected and successful high school football programs that are rich in tradition and culture.

Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Harlingen

Two Talented Coaches

Our Harlingen high school football programs are led by two amazing individuals serving as head coaches: Manny Gomez for the Harlingen Cardinals and Israel Gonzalez for the Harlingen South Hawks. Both are local talents with deep Harlingen Cardinal football roots.

Although they lead rival programs, these two individuals are good friends who have mutual respect and admiration and genuinely care about each other’s individual and team’s success. They truly live by a “Two Teams, One City” mindset, which is win-win for all of us.

Well, except during Bird Bowl! All kidding aside, I asked them once if they approached Bird Bowl week any differently compared to other weeks, and both indicated that they don’t. They expressed how much they really relish the fun and excitement of that game and described it as a “blessing” to be able to have the opportunity to play and coach against each other and for their players and staff to participate in this rivalry game which, at the end of the day, brings the entire community and student bodies together.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of interacting a bit with these two coaches who have clearly displayed their genuine and sincere commitment to their faith along with a commitment to mentoring and developing their players to become good, productive members of our community and workforce so they can succeed in life. Their “beyond the gridiron” approach with their players is above reproach and truly commendable.

Don’t get me wrong! They are both highly competitive with a deep love and respect for the game. They are both fully committed to producing high caliber teams that win district championships and make deep runs in the Texas UIL football playoffs every year with a dream of winning a state championship. 

However, I have come to realize that Manny Gomez, and Israel Gonzalez are focused on using their coaching positions as a platform for creating impactful opportunities for their players to succeed once their high school football career concludes.

On one occasion, Coach Gomez credited football and sports, in general, for creating his career opportunity. Coach Gomez, along with Coach Gonzalez, truly cares for their players and both work collaboratively to enhance their player’s opportunities in life. The impact they have made with the hundreds of players that have come through their programs is immeasurable. We are fortunate to have these two individuals leading our high school programs. 

Let’s take a glimpse into the Harlingen High Cardinals and the Harlingen South Hawks football teams for the 2025 school year.

Harlingen Cardinals Football Preview

We will start with the Harlingen Cardinal football team where, as you know, “Cardinal Spirit Never Dies” and “It Is What It Is.” Coach Gomez continues to lead a Cardinal team that respects the tradition of excellence and winning. Coach Gomez is highly respected and has continued the Harlingen Cardinal football legacy. He routinely develops hard-nosed football teams with players who are fulfilling their lifelong dreams of playing Cardinal football.

Coach Manny Gomez has 30 players returning from last year’s squad, which finished the 2024 32-6A campaign with a 5-6 overall record and made it to a bi-district playoff game.  

The 2025 Cardinal football team returns seven (7) starters on offense and six (6) starters on defense.

Offensive players to watch this season are running back (RB) Noah Huerta, quarterback (QB) Hassan Woolery, wide receiver (WR) Aiden Flores, WR Aiden Cervantes, WR Dayton Mireles, RB Luis Gonzalez, WR Bubba Medrano, QB Gavin Cisneros, RB Nathaniel Gonzales, and WR Maddox Hernandez.

The Cardinal offense has the potential to be an extremely explosive offense based on two key returning starters. QB Hassan Woolery showed great talent in an injury-shortened 2024 season coupled with standout, three (3) year varsity starter, and prolific RB Noah Huerta. Huerta is hands down one of the best RBs in south Texas and will, most likely, take his talents to the collegiate level. Expectations are high for a great senior year, so take advantage of watching Noah compete in Harlingen before he leaves to compete at the next level.

Additionally, an exceptional WR Corp led by Hernandez and Flores will help bolster the Cardinals offensively in 2025, especially with Woolery being at full strength.

Defensive players to watch are linebacker (LB) Davian Renteria, LB/defensive line (DL) Saul Cerda, defensive back (DB) Dayton Mireles, LB Luis Gonzalez, DB Bubba Medrano, LB Nathaniel Gonzales, DB Arturo Torres, DB Noah Gutierrez, DL Jayden Martinez, and DL Jayden Secrest. 

The Big Red Machine will be led by LB Renteria and LB/DL Cerda who have one job: to stop the other teams, which will be no easy feat. 

The 2025 Harlingen Cardinal Football season begins Friday, August 15 to Friday, November 7, with five (5) home games played at Boggus Stadium. The Cardinal football schedule is full of stiff competition starting with scrimmages against McAllen High (McHi) and Sharyland, followed by non-district foes Weslaco, Edinburg Vela, Laredo United South, Mission Veterans, and perennial powerhouse, Cuero High, before competing in their 32-6A District games. The Cuero game will be played at Boggus Stadium on Friday, October 3.

Five teams are competing in District 32-6A, but based on the strength of schedule, I am sure that Coach Gomez, his staff, and his players are poised and ready to showcase their team’s ability this season and to make a solid run for the district crown and a deep playoff run. 

Harlingen South Hawks Football Preview

On the Harlingen South Hawks side, Coach Gonzalez has created a great culture in the locker room and their program motto is “No Fear All Faith.” Hawks players have been “all in” with this mantra since Coach Gonzalez’s arrival.

Coach Gonzalez has 35 players returning from the 2024 team. Last season, the Hawks had an overall record of 6-5 and a district record of 5-3 competing in District 16-5A, making it a bi-district playoff game.

The Hawks have five (5) offensive starters and seven (7) defensive starters returning to lead their team. 

Offensive players to watch this season are QB Austin Shroyer, WR Yariel Cabrera, WR Jaziel Ovalle, WR Gavin Ramirez, tight end (TE) Matthew Alvear, TE/QB Frank Puente, RB Gian Harvey, Offensive Line (OL) Ryan Luna, and OL Christian Chino.

The offense will be led by QB Shroyer and will be an “all hands-on deck” approach among WRs Cabrera, Ovalle, Ramirez, and RB Harvey and TE Alvear to power them this season. Of course, the Hawks will have quality OL Luna and Chino battling in the trenches. 

The Hawk defense is stout and is expected to be a major strength of their team assuming all players stay healthy so they can continue to build from last year.

Defensive players to watch are LB Marcus Garza, LB Olek Lerma, LB Jackson Fernandez, DL Cash Harrell, DL Anthony Lerma, DL Joe Carter Nunez, DB Julian De Leon, DB Jacob Garza, DB Yariel Cabrera, and DB Gian Harvey. This unit is talented and may be able to provide shut-down potential, adding a great tool for the Hawks game plan this season. Several players will play on both sides of the ball, helping the Hawks with keeping the tradition of making it to the playoffs every year since Coach Gonzalez’s arrival at Harlingen South.

The Hawks Football season begins on Friday, August 14 until Friday, November 7, with five (5) home games played at Boggus Stadium. The Hawks start with scrimmages against Sharyland, Edinburg Vela, and Weslaco followed with non-district games versus Nikki Rowe and Harlingen, then proceeding to their eight (8) district contests. Notable district games include Flour Bluff and Corpus Christi Veterans, which will be played at home. 

An Anticipated Season Ahead

Of course, the most notable game of the 2025 football season is “Bird Bowl.” This year’s rivalry game will be held on Friday, September 5. As always, school and team pride and city bragging rights are at stake.

I am really looking forward to the sights and sounds and pageantry of Harlingen high school football games and seeing the incredible athletic talent we have in our city. 

I commend the players who have been training and working hard since the conclusion of last season to prepare for the 2025 season. The strength and conditioning, the reps, learning new playbook to enhance their craft. Their dedication, discipline and drive to do what it takes to represent their team, their school and their city is truly admirable. 

I wish the Harlingen Cardinals and Harlingen South Hawks football players and coaches a safe and healthy and successful 2025 season and hope they win it all. Hey, why not? As they say in the 956, “Si Se Puede!”