ARMANDO GARZA | Special to the Star
While Laredo United clicked offensively and carried momentum, the top-ranked San Benito Greyhounds simply couldn’t get the jolt they needed.
That was until the fourth quarter when the Hounds’ Albert Mercado provided that spark or, more appropriately, the BOOM.
The junior safety’s bone-jarring hit to break up a would-be TD midway through the fourth was parlayed into a thrilling game-winning drive for the Greyhounds as they rallied past the Longhorns 23-20 in the Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week.
“We knew exactly what was coming to us,” San Benito head coach Dan Gomez said of normally stout United. “But our kids stepped it up at the end of the ballgame when it mattered the most.”
Up 20-15 and looking to slam the door shut, United (0-1) was poised to score on fourth down from the Hounds’ 22-yard line. Big wideout Chris Salinas, who was impressive all night (6 catches, 79 yards, TD) ran up the seam and had secured what appeared to be a game-clinching score. However, Mercado recovered in coverage and delivered the crushing blow to send the ball to the turf and give it back to the Greyhounds with 5:45 to go.
That’s when senior QB Erick Retta took over and things began to seem normal again to Greyhound fans, which at this point were worked up into a frenzy.
Retta was masterful during the pivotal juncture, orchestrating the 16-play, 78-yard game-winning drive capped by a 14-yard fourth down lob pass to Tyrone Harper. For good measure, Retta found Isaiah Trevino on the conversion for the final three-point margin for San Benito (1-0) with 1:33 left.
“They had a good game plan coming in — keeping our offense off the field — and they did that,” Gomez said of United’s spirited defensive effort. “But our kids rose to the occasion at the end. Our defense got some crucial stops and we got the ball back and were able to do something with it.”
Early on, it was the Longhorns who appeared in top form. The boys in orange showcased speed and precision on both sides of the ball to deliver some early blows to the home team.
Already up 3-0 while San Benito sputtered somewhat, United pushed its lead when shifty running back Isaac Velazquez darted up the middle 22 yards to pay dirt and a 10-0 Longhorn lead with 11:54 left in the second quarter.
The ‘Hounds answered with an 82-yard march, culminating in a one-yard score from Mars Morales, cutting the United lead to 10-7.
Later, War Dog’s Trevino provided an electric 32-yard punt return to set up the next score, a three-yard run from Harper (120 total offensive yards). Retta connected with Ryan Reza on the two-point pass to put San Benito 15-10 with 5:22 to go before half.
But new Longhorn quarterback Eduardo Huerta (20-of-33, 280 yards passing) was collected most of the night, as seen when he found a streaking Salinas for a 35-yard hookup and a 17-15 United lead. Shortly before intermission, San Benito staved off a late United drive to keep the first-half deficit at two.
With under a minute to go in the third, the Greyhound defense held a promising Longhorn drive to a mere three-pointer, creating a 20-15 United advantage to stay within striking distance.
Next week, San Benito travels north to face San Antonio East Central, which fell 28-0 to San Marcos on Friday.