SINTON, Texas — The opening round of the high school football playoffs get underway tomorrow night with six games and many more on Friday.
One of the really feel-good stories from this football season has been the Sinton Pirates who will host Port Isabel in our Fever Marquee matchup.
As a former Sinton player himself, Michael Troutman is not just the head coach, but he’s their biggest fan.
Incredibly passionate, Troutman desperately wants to see his team win.
And yes, these are exciting times for the Pirates as they are back in the playoffs.
Despite a very slow start, the Pirates stayed the course and have now caught fire. They have won four in a row to help them finish second in District 15-5A Division II.
It’s been a total team effort.
They have done it with a very good running game. And when they pass, they usually score.
The Sinton defense has been lights out with the secondary pilfering 19 interceptions including four returned for touchdowns. They have also forced 10 fumbles.
These Pirates are red hot and are not the team opponents want to play right now.
“It took awhile to jell,” Troutman said. “A new coaching staff, kids being moved around in different positions and all of a sudden, it just started jelling.
“The kids started trusting the coaching staff. The kids began to trust the system that was being put in place here. And they began to realize it's not about me, it's about us.”
A bruising rushing attack has enabled the Pirates to develop a tough-minded mentality, according to guard Donovan Castro.
“We established a run game here later in the season and we have been doing good on the run game,” Castro said. “We are a big powerhouse coming into the playoffs so I think we will do good and open up the passing game,too.”
The late surge has fed the team’s unity, linebacker Evander Gamez said.
“I feel like we are playing great as a team,” Gamez said. “Everyone is playing for each other, no one is playing for themselves.”
The wind chill factor was 33 degrees at practice today. It’s contributed for a tough week of practice for all the area schools who have made the playoffs.
