Hermleigh and Ira set to clash on Friday, each with different motives

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  • Hermleigh junior Payton Rivera looks for an open receiver during practice at Cardinal Stadium Wednesday.
    Hermleigh junior Payton Rivera looks for an open receiver during practice at Cardinal Stadium Wednesday.
  • Ira senior Karson Valentine worked on his blocking during practice at Bulldog Stadium Tuesday. The Bulldogs head into Friday’s game against Hermleigh looking to finish the season undefeated for the second straight season.
    Ira senior Karson Valentine worked on his blocking during practice at Bulldog Stadium Tuesday. The Bulldogs head into Friday’s game against Hermleigh looking to finish the season undefeated for the second straight season.
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When the Hermleigh Cardinals take the field at Bulldog Stadium to face on the No. 4 Ira Bulldogs Friday at 7:30 p.m., it will be a battle of programs facing completely different situations.
Friday’s game could be a sneak peek into the future of what could be for a Hermleigh program that missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
The Cardinals start four sophomores and several other underclassmen on a weekly basis.
On the other sideline, the core of the Bulldogs’ success this season comes from a group of seniors who all started as underclassmen just a few seasons ago and have developed into one of the state’s best football teams.
“There is still so much good that can come from this season,” Hermleigh head coach Sam Winters said. “We have guys that are playing way better than we ever expected. We are young and growing and this is a lot of our guys’ first full year on varsity. Obviously not making the playoffs is a sore, but seeing these kids grow and seeing how much better they have become has been a bright spot.”
Friday’s game has the potential to be a special one for Ira. With a win, the Bulldogs would finish the regular season undefeated for the second year in a row.
It would also be head coach Toby Goodwins’ 200th career win, all earned at Ira.
“We obviously want to finish the year undefeated and continue that confidence heading into the playoffs,” he said. “I didn’t get this far myself. It took a whole lot of boys to go through a lot of grit and grind, but it’s special to me. It’s real special to have done them all here at Ira. What we have gone through to get here has been fun and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
In order to earn that win, however, the Bulldogs need to take down a Cardinals team looking to play the spoilers.
“I’ve told the guys, we have nothing to lose,” Winters said. “Let’s put everything we’ve got on the field, because we are not going to get to do it for nine more months. Let’s play for pride and the name on your jersey.”
Goodwin and the Bulldogs know a major key to winning the game will be containing Hermleigh tailback Payton Rivera.
Rivera, the Cardinals’ leading rusher and passer, is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and Goodwin acknowledged his talent.
“You have to know where Payton is at, on both sides of the ball,” he said. “Payton is not only good, but he makes the players around him better. With that said, you cannot just focus on Payton, because he makes his teammates play harder.”