ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald
SAN ANTONIO — There were smiles all around for the Los Fresnos Falcons on Saturday as they celebrated a Class 6A Division I area-round playoff victory for the second straight year in the Alamo City.
The District 32-6A runner-up Falcons (9-3) defeated San Antonio Southwest 47-35 at San Antonio’s Alamo Stadium. The win came against the same team and at the same site where Los Fresnos triumphed 27-19 last season in the second round of the playoffs.
It was a feeling every bit as satisfying this year as it was in 2016.
One of the happiest Los Fresnos players was Isaiah Koby Muniz, a junior cornerback who highlighted the Falcons’ defensive effort by making four interceptions.
“I love this team so much and this day is pretty special,” Muniz said. “I’ve never had four (picks in a game) before. I’ve had one, but never four.
“We stayed together as a team and fought to the end,” he added. “I love where I’m at (playing on this team). It’s a special feeling.”
Falcons cornerback J.J. Sanchez, a senior, was equally as happy as his teammate. It was just a couple of weeks ago that Sanchez made four interceptions in a 29-2 District 32-6A win against Weslaco High.
“It was pretty good (seeing my teammate get his four picks, too),” Sanchez said. “We’ve got to take turns, I guess.”
Sanchez said the Falcons were motivated to come up to San Antonio once again to prove that they’re a strong team just like last year.
“They said the Valley is too weak (in football),” Sanchez said. “But look at the outcome here today. We’re going to keep on executing and keep on going.”
The Falcons trailed 14-5 at the end of the first quarter, but thanks to a 35-point scoring outburst in the second period, Los Fresnos led 40-14 at intermission and the contest was pretty much over, even at that point.
“It’s always great to get a win and move on in the playoffs,” said Sebastian Gonzales, a senior linebacker for the Falcons. “It was all about being physical and playing assignment football. That’s why we won.
“Whoever we play next is obviously going to be a great team, so we just have to practice hard,” Gonzales added. “We have to play assignment football.”
Adrian Torres, the Falcons’ senior kicker, played a key role in the win. He booted a 31-yard field goal in the opening period to give his team a 3-0 lead before adding six extra points following each of Los Fresnos’ touchdowns.
“It’s all a team effort,” Torres said. “We just came out and did what we had to do, and that’s what we did. We set the tone in the first half and we did well the rest of the game.”
Also figuring into the Falcons’ scoring Saturday was Nico Valencia, a sophomore wide receiver who made a pair of touchdown catches on plays covering 27 and 10 yards.
“Two years in a row (of winning a playoff game in San Antonio) — it’s quite an achievement,” Valencia said. “We’ve worked hard for it. This win builds our confidence (and tells us) that we are a good team and that the Valley plays football well, too.
“Our offense has been off and on during the season, but the offense really stepped up today,” Valencia added. “Our defense is always solid.
“I love being a part of this team. I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.”