KEVIN LU | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
The Corpus Christi King Mustangs defeated the Weslaco High Panthers 28-7 on Thursday at Bobby Lackey Stadium in a non-district matchup.
The loss drops the Panthers, who entered the season with high expectations, to 1-2 on the season.
Weslaco committed two costly turnovers in their territory which eventually cost them.
The first came on Weslaco’s first pass attempt of the night. Quarterback Erik Gonzalez scrambled to his left on a third down and long and the Mustangs’ Jasper Stafford deflected the pass in the air. It landed in his hands and the nose guard ran it 36 yards for a 7-0 Mustangs lead.
The second turnover came late in the third quarter with Weslaco down 21-7. The Panthers punt returner muffed the kick and the Mustangs recovered inside the 20-yard line. Three plays later, King’s Spencer Manuel connected with Indigo Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown to give the game the 28-7 final score.
“We spotted them 14 points,” Weslaco coach Tony Villarreal said. “Our defense played lights out, and their offense played pretty good.”
The Panthers scored their first touchdown after an interception. Manuel’s throw across the middle to his tight end ended in the hands of Weslaco’s Jordan Nichols, the Panthers’ second interception of the game.
Four plays into the ensuing possession, the Panthers tied the game at 7 after new Weslaco quarterback Desi Rodriguez scrambled to avoid a sack and launched the ball to Brian Guerra, who didn’t have a defender within 20 yards of him and completed a 51-yard touchdown pass.
King added a 40 yard touchdown run on the next possession and a 57-yard passing touchdown on its first possession of the second half.
Eric Gonzalez led the Panthers in rushing with 70 yards on 14 carries. Weslaco committed 10 penalties for 81 yards.