KEVIN LU | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
McALLEN — McAllen High stayed undefeated in District 30-6A play Thursday night with a 41-7 win over La Joya High at McAllen Stadium.
The Bulldogs (4-2, 2-0 30-6A) were led by quarterback Fred Hover. The senior accounted for five touchdowns. He threw for 105 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 46 yards and two touchdowns. Overall this season, Hover has thrown for six touchdowns and ran for eight more.
Two of his touchdown passes went to senior receiver Justin Gonzalez, who had missed some games recently because of an ankle injury. It was a welcome sign for an offense that had wanted to see vast improvement from its passing game.
“That’s huge for us,” McHi coach Kevin Brewer said of Gonzalez’s return. “Justin gives us a dimension that we don’t have when he’s not here. It was a big, big bonus having him back tonight.”
Gonzalez found the end zone in the second quarter with the Bulldogs holding a 7-0 lead. Hover found him near the goal line, then Gonzalez shook off his defender and ran over another for the nine-yard score. His second touchdown came on the ensuing possession after a La Joya touchdown.
McAllen had third-and-goal at La Joya’s 4. Hover faked a dive, and placed the ball perfectly in the right corner of the end zone where Gonzalez was. McAllen took a 20-7 lead into halftime and it only got worse from there.
Hover’s other passing touchdown went to Ryan Puente in the third quarter. Puente had a game-high 55 yards receiving. Running back Ricky Rodriguez was the workhorse for McAllen, rushing 26 times for a game-high 135 yards.
“Ricky’s a very unselfish player,” Brewer said. “He doesn’t care who scores the touchdown, just as long as we score.”
La Joya High (1-5, 0-2 30-6A) got on the board with a seven-yard pass from Julio Garcia to Joel Casas. It was Casas’ third touchdown of the season.
McAllen High blew the game open in the fourth quarter when Matt Perez picked up a Coyotes fumble and returned it 41 yards for the game’s only defensive touchdown.
The Bulldogs plays McAllen Rowe in a big rivalry game next week at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium. La Joya High hosts La Joya Palmview at La Joya ISD Stadium.