MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Big plays from the Los Fresnos Falcons gave Harlingen Cardinals trouble early on.
When it counted, however, the Cardinals defense rose to the occasion.
Harlingen linebacker Charlie Moreno intercepted Falcons quarterback Rene Ortega on a third-and-long pass with 8.6 seconds to play to secure a 25-18 Cardinals win Friday night at Boggus Stadium.
The Cardinals (5-2, 3-1) forced turnovers on the night on defense and took advantage of stops on offense as the Cardinals avoided back-to-back district losses.
“The kids responded to the occasion. It was a tough loss last week and the players put it behind them and came out and battled,” Harlingen head coach Manny Gomez said. “We competed against a great football team tonight; it was just a fun evening.”
The win gave Los Fresnos its first loss of the season.
San Benito also handed Brownsville Veterans its first loss in a 40-21 win. Now Harlingen, Los Fresnos, San Benito and Vets all have one district loss with three games to go.
Harlingen faces Veterans on the road next week.
Moreno’s interception was the second Falcons turnover in as many drives.
After taking the lead with 6:35 to play in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard run by Michael Allen Gonzalez and a successful two-point try, the Cardinals forced their third fumble of the night on the ensuing drive.
Ortega put the ball on the ground as the Falcons (6-1, 3-1) drove into the Cardinals red zone and it was recovered by Harlingen’s Anthony Rodelo with 4:26 to play.
“We didn’t take care of the football. We made a lot of big plays, but we weren’t consistent tonight,” Los Fresnos head coach Clint Finley said. “If you’re not consistent, you’re not going to beat a good team like Harlingen.
“If you turn the ball over and don’t play consistent football, that’s what’s going to happen.”
The Cardinals defense gave up long passing plays on the night, which included touchdowns of 31 and 44 and a 70-yard bomb on the Falcons’ first play from scrimmage on the night that set up a 5-yard run by Samuel Cruz.
After surrendering a 44-yard catch-and-run from Ortega to Pete Perez that put the Falcons up 18-17, Harlingen held Los Fresnos to a pair of punts and two turnovers on their final four drives. It was due to the Cardinals’ pass rush coming alive.
“They became one dimensional, so we knew they’d have to throw the ball,” Gomez said.
Running back Leo Tienda got a late start Friday, but gave the Cards a 14-12 lead before the half on a 4-yard run on his second carry.
He finished the night with 113 yards and one TD on the ground.
Harlingen quarterback Jesse Castro put up an impressive stat line with 130 yards rushing on 13 carries and one touchdown. He also passed for 87 yards.
Aside from two picks and contributing to three lost fumbles (two came on mishandled handoffs), Los Fresnos’ Ortega passed for 287 yards, two touchdowns and ran for 67 yards to lead the Falcons.
DEDICATION: After the game, Harlingen head coach Manny Gomez took the time to throw a shoutout to a special family.
“I just want to dedicate our win tonight to the Ortiz family,” Gomez said. “Their little angel, Avery Ortiz, is watching over us in heaven as we celebrate winning this football game.”