Dorados looking for win in California

HIDALGO - If the playoffs were to begin today, the Rio Grande Valley Dorados and Central Valley Coyotes would be spectators.

The Dorados and Coyotes were both 2007 postseason teams but did not jump out of the gate this season like both would have liked. The Dorados are 2-4 and the Coyotes are 3-3.

"When you are 3-3 every game becomes a playoff game," Coyotes coach Fred Biletnikoff Jr. said. "(Today) is our first playoff game. That is the way you have to look at it."

The Coyotes play host to the Dorados at 9 tonight in Fresno, Calif. The well-traveled Dorados are playing their fifth road game of the year.

As sub-par as the teams' respective records look, both could have easily been sporting winning records. The Coyotes have lost by a combined 14 points, and the Dorados have lost by an average of 8.5 points per game.

"In every game you play you could go back and find a play or two that if they would have gone your way, the outcome would have been different," Biletnikoff said.

Last week, the Dorados had a chance to knock off the No. 1-ranked team in areanfootball2, Tulsa, but quarterback Travis Cole was intercepted on RGV's final drive, securing a 45-40 Talons win. Two weeks ago, RGV was able to get by with a 53-52 win over Corpus Christi.

"I can definitely say we are battle-tested," Dorados coach Marty Hammond said. "Going back to last year, I don't think we had this many close games. All these close games, we could have won them.

"If something good would have happened for us, we could have won all those games. It helps us in the long run to be battle tested but we can't just keep letting these games slip away."

All the close loses has the Dorados in a hole, but the struggles by the rest of the Southwest Division teams have the Dorados within striking distance of first-place. Every team in the division has at least three losses. Corpus is in first at 3-3.

Hammond said his team needs to start bringing home the wins.

"We are only one game back so (winning the division) is definitely within reach," Hammond said. "We can't afford to not start playing at a higher level and more consistently because we are getting later in the season.

"This is a week where we really have to get this one. There is more of an urgency now because we are 2-4. The good news is that we still have to play Bossier-Shreveport, Corpus and Austin. We still control our own destiny."

EXTRA POINTS: Receiver Jermaine Carpenter will suit up for the Dorados this week after missing the last three weeks with an Achilles heel injury. He will replace Chris Canty, who is out this week with what was described as a leg injury.

Peter Rasmussen covers the Rio Grande Valley Dorados for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.