Huntington Park trying not to lose faith

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Maybe Huntington Park was due for a down cycle after going 28-7 the past three seasons. Maybe it’s just the Spartans’ turn to struggle with the kind of injuries that can decimate a football team.

That doesn’t make the current record of 2-3 any easier to accept for Huntington Park. Neither is the fact the team has dropped three straight, the last being a 27-17 loss to Jordan in last week’s Eastern League opener for both teams.

‘There are always concerns when you lose three in a row,’ Huntington Park Coach Leroy WIlson said.

A badly needed week off to regroup won’t come until after Friday’s rivalry game against South Gate, which is limping along at 0-4 and has lost 15 in a row. The Rams’ last victory came against Huntington Park on Nov. 10, 2005.

We’ve had some key injuries -- we seem to lose one to two people a week -- and that always hurts when a team is trying to move forward,’ Wilson said. ‘But we also don’t have the same depth we’ve had in other seasons.’

Wilson said it has been difficult to replace starters Dwaune Thomas at running back and defensive back, Luis Lopez on the defensive line and Alfred Robles at tight end. Wilson said this week he expects to get back three players recovered from injuries: running back Frank Rodriguez and defensive backs Eric Velasquez and Edward Maldonado.

Wilson said he will keep reminding the players they can still defend their league championship if they don’t lose faith in themselves or each other.

‘Yes, this year so far has been different from the past three years,’ Wilson said. ‘You do some soul searching, but you have to stay together. We’re still in the thick of the league race because I don’t think any one will go undefeated. We just have to get the right kids on the field at the right time.’

- Mike Terry