DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
ELSA — Mercedes’ shot at redemption. Edcouch-Elsa’s hope of remaining a leader in the District 32-5A title race.
It all rode on the leg of Aldo Garcia when the senior lined up for a 49-yard field goal attempt with the game tied with seven seconds left Friday night during the 63rd meeting between the rivals.
Garcia’s kick was clean, with yards to spare, as it sailed perfectly through the uprights, giving Mercedes a 17-14 win at Benny Layton Sr. Memorial Stadium.
The kick put the Tigers (4-3, 3-1 32-5A) back into district title contention after an emotional loss to Donna High at home last week, while bringing the Yellowjackets (5-2, 3-1) down a notch in the process. Donna High remains in front at 4-0.
“At first, I thought it was going to go out,” said Garcia, who had not attempted a kick all night. “I’m just happy it went in. I was nervous. I felt a big responsibility to the team and I’m just thankful I could handle it.”
Though the game was close, Mercedes thoroughly outplayed a discombobulated Edcouch-Elsa team.
The Yellowjackets, averaging 33 points on 340 yards entering the game, mustered just 273, 128 after halftime. Much of that was because of the Tigers’ defense swarming quarterback Andrew Segura at any and every chance.
Segura, the district’s leading passer in yards, touchdowns and completion percentage, completed 21 of 33 passes for 176 yards, very few for big plays. He often was forced to leave the pocket and rarely had clean looks downfield.
“Segura’s a great quarterback, but he’s only started three games,” Mercedes coach Roger Adame Jr. said. “We knew if we’d come after him, we’d rattle him. We have playmakers that all came at him.”
Offensively, the Tigers weren’t spectacular, but they did what they needed to, making all of their 257 yards count. They got big plays when called for, and sophomore quarterback Zach Gomez led the charge.
Gomez completed 8 of 15 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown and rushed 16 times for 82 yards, carrying the offense like a veteran.
Gomez said E-E’s defense “threw everything” at the Tigers. He was ready.
“We know how big this is for our fans, ourselves and this city,” Gomez said. “We just knew we had to come up with a win tonight.”
Trailing 14-7, Segura, who rushed for two touchdowns, ran one in from 16 yards out to knot the game with 3:23 remaining. From there, however, Mercedes was cooly methodical. Gomez and Isaac Vela ran for first downs, and Brandon Gutierrez caught a long pass for another first down.
With seven seconds left, following a 10-yard holding penalty that made a long field goal try even longer, Adame still didn’t hesitate to call Garcia’s number.
“We know when we need a long field goal, he gives us the opportunity,” Adame said. “The problem with him is he can take too long, and it can be blocked. But we knew he had the leg and I knew we were going to go for the win.”
They did just that.
“I was expecting a lot more from us, that’s for sure,” E-E coach Joe Marichalar said. “Their better kids stepped up, and when they needed to make plays, they did. We needed to win the big-play ratio, and they made more than we did.”
STRAYING FROM THE NORM
Normally a pass-happy offense, E-E came out Friday set on establishing the run, particularly with Segura as the ballcarrier. The Yellowjackets rushed for 97 yards, but just 3.6 per carry in a strategy that even surprised Adame.
After the game, Marichalar did not address the early change in philosophy.
“(Mercedes) came to play and there were times we could have done a better job and we didn’t,” Marichalar said. “The result is what we got.”
HEATED RIVALRY
E-E leads the all-time series 32-30-1, but has dropped the last two meetings.
Friday’s game had a heavy police presence and both teams were not permitted on the field at the same time afterward.
UP NEXT
Mercedes hosts PSJA High next Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Bears fell to Donna High 63-0 on Friday and remain winless.
Edcouch-Elsa goes to Pharr to play PSA Southwest next Friday at 7:30 p.m. Southwest is 2-2 in district after a 40-0 win at Donna North on Friday.