By Omar Ureña

Chicago, IL. April 3, 2023.

It was an infamous afternoon in Zapopan in which the once powerful Reyes de Jalisco tried to defend their castle against the Caudillos de Chihuahua who showed up like Pancho Villa’s Dorados de Chihuahua, with their purple and gold flags galloping at full speed in Guadalajara. This army shows that the teams of the extinct FAM, the second pro football league created by Juan Carlos Vázquez, are -after week 5-, the monarchs of the LFA.

That’s right, the Chihuahua Caudillos with a 5-0 record, are the only unbeaten team and masters in the Kingdom of pro football in Mexico, reinforced this 2023 with players from the Monterrey Parrilleros and a superstar that came from the Cabo Marlins: Emmanuel Harris (15). The Caudillos are followed in 2nd place by the Mexico City Reds (4-1), a team also from the FAM.

It was 5 pm at the Fortaleza Azul and the Reyes kicker, Enrique Yenny, made the kick-off. The golden offense from the start came determined to establish their powerful attack led by Jeremy Johnson (9), the Chihuahuenses galloped on a drive capped off by a 19-yard pass from Johnson to Justin Lewis (2). Caudillos 6 Reyes 0.

It was still the 1st quarter and the Chihuahua defense was forcing another punt, this time returned by Justin Lewis, who scrambled 91 yards to put the Caudillos up 12-0.

There is a hunger for victory, in the Caudillos defense, they might be the best in the trenches, warlords of the gridiron like Máximo González Sánchez (1), who was a promise for the NFL, Octavio González (93) and Daniel Carrete (11), coming from of the Autenticos Tigres, then the other defensive tackle, Iván Hernández Gleason of the Acatlán Pumas.

Later Sergio Cantú (26) made a pick 6 to put the score 26-0. Caudillos’ offense came back strong, Johnson connected with a pass to Emmanuel Harris. Then Manigo recorded another TD on a 56-yard run. The Reyes were down 41-0 and decided not to die, knowing that a touchdown before halftime was important, and that it came at the hands of the sensational Tavares Martin (0).

Here they have the Dorados del Norte destroying any enemy that stands in front of them and this time the Jalisco Reyes were no exception and were vilely shot. Jalisco, a team that is far from being a monarch, to earn the title of King they have to first assume the character of Knights, as if it were the round table ceremony, a site where there is no privileged place, and in which no person stands out from the rest. Thus, the knights who gathered around the King were equal and there were no “stars” like those on other medieval tables.

The army of the Caudillos looks disciplined, thirsty for victory. Their essence is disruptive, they disguise shots and covers and go mercilessly on the battlefield in front of the enemy. LB Leondre Darnell Crosby (5) leads the LFA with 39 tackles, then they have defensive lineman Javier Francisco Dyer (7), #4 in the league with 5 sacks. Local talent emerging from the UACH Aguilas has an aggressive presence on the field, Óscar Alejandro Gutiérrez (97) is one of those important soldiers in the blue and gold defense.

On behalf of the Reyes in two games the slightest desire for triumph was not shown, the guts remained in the tales of kings and princes. A large contingent is erring on fundamentals, standing on the field in the best uniform of the week in royal blue will not put points on the scoreboard. Football goes beyond aesthetics. This is courage, this is the essence of the game: going at maximum speed. Blocking, chasing and half-heartedly tackling for three quarters is useless, whether in the Pewee level or as a paid player in the LFA.

If the hip is too high, it doesn’t work, if you want to bring down running backs and wideouts as the forcados of the Plaza Nuevo Progreso you will be shot down. The Reyes must be accountable for representing a state, and that this team in royal blue and white is far from what was the connection with the FAM team in Guadalajara. Once upon a time, there was an impressive connection between the Jalisco Tequileros and its fans.

The training habits were reflected in the third and fourth quarters, in which Caudillos went wilder; Johnson connected with a 42-yard pass to Juwan Manigo. Jalisco has the team for them to return as a well-trained army and that is why this team must face the next opponent without fear or warmth, they have to prove to each other in practice.

The Reyes QB, Carlos Alberto Farías (8), was sometimes accurate, he gained yards and connected passes, and moved the offense. Jalisco Reyes did not back down and continued to fight. They reached the end zone with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Devin Heckstall and thus added 14 points on the scoreboard.

The desire that we saw in the second and fourth quarters must be the mark of this Jalisco team so that performances like this are not repeated, in which the attack at full gallop by the Caudillos deafeningly destroyed the castle of the Kings.

CHIHUAHUA CAUDILLOS 48

JALISCO REYES               14

Follow Omar Ureña en Twitter: @omarurena_