Back and forth they went, each making awe-inspiring plays and some head-scratching mistakes, too. But in the end, the Panthers’ cat-like quickness ultimately gave another life to what used to be known as Laredo United’s “other” team.
With 1:40 left in a tie game and facing fourth-and-long deep in its own end, San Benito had no qualms to punt the ball to United South and play more exceptional defense to possibly force overtime. Unfortunately, the Panthers’ Cesar Contreras rushed around, blocked the boot and fell on the eventual game-winning touchdown as United South ultimately bounced San Benito 28-21 at the United ISD Student Activity Complex.
San Benito’s wonderful season is over at 10-2, while United South (10-2) will host San Antonio Churchill, a 10-7 winner over Brennan, to continue its school-record magical run.
“We knew coming in they were fast and had a very good defense,” San Benito coach Dan Gomez said of United South. “We just made mistakes and it seemed when we’d get some-thing going, we’d make a mistake.”
Contreras’ break-through came on a night when punting was an adventure and that was evident early.
San Benito opened with the ball but was heading into a stiff northern wind as a cold front blew through the area. A would-be routine punt took a flight path of a paper airplane and turned into a negative-17 yard net to set the Panthers up at the Greyhound 4. Four plays later, tough-running Jesus Posada stomped in for a 7-0 lead.
The ‘Hounds’ next drive stalled and an-other punt into the wind arose, giving the home team the ball on the plus side of the field. The run-oriented Panthers then took to the skies, as quarterback Ismael Contreras used the whipping winds to launch a 34-yard TD bomb to Julian Zertuche, making it 14-0 United South with 2:28 left in the opening quarter.
It appeared as if it was the Panthers’ night. Until the Greyhounds’ Skylar Garcia, who had himself a career night, put a stop to that notion.
Garcia wreaked havoc on United South all night, and forced a sack-fumble on Contreras, which was recovered by Ryan Rodriguez. A few plays later, Erick Retta scooted in from 9-yards out to cut the deficit in half. On the Panthers’ next drive, a fake punt pass seemed to float forever until Garcia snatched it out of the air. That set up the tying score, a Retta-to-Jesse Pena 25-yard hit right up the seam, knot-ting the game at 14 with 6:45 left before half.
The teams traded blows and San Benito had one last chance with :02 left. After a timeout, Retta reared back and connected with a streaking Jediah Guzman, netting a 50-yard Hail Mary TD to give the ‘Hounds a 21-14 lead, stunning the home crowd.
It appeared as if it was San Benito’s night.
But in the third, Posada streaked 54 yards down the left sideline to tie the game at the 9:11 mark of the third. San Benito had opportunities with the wind during that frame, but couldn’t punch through. The fourth was more of the same until Contreras woke up the home side.
Meanwhile, though the year is over, Gomez noted the squad, which returned just one senior, defied the odds and laid the groundwork for more success in the future.
“When we got here things weren’t going the way they should’ve been in San Benito. Our kids rose to expectations, maybe not those of our staff, but to those outside of San Benito,” he said. “We graduated 42 seniors last year and weren’t expected to win too many ballgames. The hard work paid off.”