SAN ANTONIO – The “Battle of 1604″ rivalry game between Southside and Somerset will be renewed on Saturday, Aug. 26, at the second annual KSAT Pigskin Classic in the Alamodome.
The highly anticipated showdown between the Cardinals and Bulldogs kicks off the triple-header event on Saturday.
Both schools won 10 games last season, with Somerset defeating Southside 23-14 to earn bragging rights in the rivalry.
The Bulldogs are led by head coach Koy Detmer. He is the son of legendary South Texas football coach Sonny Detmer and played in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now in his third year as head coach, Detmer is looking to build off last season’s success that included two playoff victories and a second place finish in district.
“We just feel like the kids have taken a good step in buying-in and doing the things we’re doing. Of course, my dad was there, so a lot of things are very similar to what they’re used to,” Detmer said.
Somerset returns nine starters from last year’s team, which includes running back Josiah Lugo, who rushed for 1,339 yards and 13 touchdowns. Lugo is joined in the backfield by second-year starting quarterback Koby Isbell, who threw for 11 touchdowns last season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs are led by linebacker Victor Castaneda, who accounted for 70 tackles and 12 sacks last season. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football selected Castaneda at the district’s preseason defensive MVP.
Detmer said his team is excited to play this rivalry game in the Alamodome.
“Being here, in the dome, that’s a great experience for the kids and they’re going to be excited, and hopefully they’ll settle in that first quarter,” he said.
Southside has become somewhat of a power program in the San Antonio area under head coach Ricky Lock. The Cardinals are coming off a 10-2 season that included a playoff victory.
The Cardinals went 8-0 in district and are predicted to repeat as champs. That road starts against their longtime rivals.
“There’s so many schools in San Antonio and so many on the South Side. It’s just a big honor to realize that we’ve made some headway with our program in the last few years. It’s just a big honor to represent that side of town. It’s huge for our community to get the exposure and the opportunity to play in such a great venue,” Lock said.
Southside returns 12 starters from last year’s team. All-state honorable mention Aaron Abrego anchors the offense and defensive lines. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football selected Abrego as the district’s preseason defensive MVP.
Linebacker Paul Jaramillo also returns after leading the Cardinals in tackles last season. On offense, Southside will look to running back Noah Van Ausdall to carry the load while the group builds experience.
Both head coaches are ready for the opportunity to play the rivalry game in front of their passionate fans. It’s a game both schools circle on the calendar every season.
“We always have our hands full. It’s a rivalry game, but it’s always a fun one because it’s so close and tight, and the communities get into it. We’re excited to come to the dome and play,” Lock said. “For them to be a part of this is going to be special, they’ll remember this the rest of their lives.”
“Coach Lock does a great job over there and always has his team ready to play tough, aggressive football,” said Detmer. “They’ve termed it the ‘Battle of 1604′ and so now, it’s really turned into a rivalry-type game, where it doesn’t matter what the records were the year before. It’s always going to be a tough game.”
Kickoff between the Bulldogs and Cardinals and is set for 11:30 a.m. at the Alamodome.
About the KSAT Pigskin Classic
The second-annual KSAT Pigskin Classic will kick off Aug. 25 and 26 at San Antonio’s Alamodome and tickets are now on sale.
All the games will be broadcast on KSAT 12, on the KSAT Plus app, the Big Game Coverage app and on KSAT.com.
This year’s KSAT Pigskin Classic is even bigger than last year’s inaugural event, with four high school football games over two fun-filled days to kick off the Texas high school football season.
Download the Big Game Coverage mobile app or visit the Big Game Coverage section for high school sports coverage, including game livestreams, from KSAT 12.