NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
McAllen — The stars were shining in McAllen on Friday night when PSJA High and McAllen Memorial clashed at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Bears were just a hair brighter than the Mustangs to hang on and win a 49-43 seesaw contest.
There was no shortage of huge plays and key sequences, but the newbies to 30-6A, PSJA, were one step ahead of the hosts.
The Bears answered every punch thrown by the Mustangs with an even bigger haymaker. Finally, Trey Guajardo punched the ball in with 2:02 to play and PSJA’s defense ended any chance for overtime with a turnover to seal the win, similar to what happened last week against PSJA North.
“This is the No. 1 craziest game I’ve ever played in,” Bears receiver Marco Guajardo said. “I know I’m just a junior but I played last year. I’ve never been in a game this intense. These are the games you want to be in. That intense game, the crowd cheering, the whole stands going crazy.”
Known for their passing, the Bears were lifted by their rushing game and defense. The Mustangs were all-hands on deck to try to win without starting quarterback Sean Skaugen.
The Bears still weren’t out of the woods even in the final minute of play with a touchdown lead. The game wasn’t over until the defense, specifically linebacker Pablo Trevino, took matters into his own hands when he snatched a pass intended for a Memorial receiver. He took the interception more than 90 yards for a pick-six thanks to a convoy of defensive linemen.
“I just kept looking back. I was thinking someone was coming behind me. I didn’t want to fumble,” Trevino said. “I got to the sideline, everyone was piling on me. I was like ‘oh God, I need an oxygen tank or something.’ I was dying, but it worked out in the end.”
PSJA High improves to 3-0 (4-2 overall) in district play while Memorial falls to 1-2 (2-4 overall) and dropped its second game in a row after watching its 27-game win streak snapped last week.
After trailing 21-6 at halftime, the Mustangs rode their workhorse Campbell Speights to get back into the game.
Speights scored his team’s lone first-half touchdown from 27 yards. In the third quarter he scored twice. Once from a yard out and another from 11 yards away. Cesar Escanane also reached pay dirt thanks to a drive set up by Speights.
Speights was all over the field Friday night. He played on the defense side of the ball in the secondary, alongside receiver Zyan Gregory.
Memorial outscored PSJA 22-7 in the third quarter to tie the game at 28 heading into the final quarter. After Trey Guajardo’s second rushing score, Speights took a kick-return 95 yards to cause another tie at 35.
Bears coach Lupe Rodriguez was happy to see his offense return to their productive ways after scoring only 10 in their win against PSJA North in Week 6. His offense ate up plenty of clock moving the ball on the ground to go ahead for the final time with just more than two minutes remaining.
“Our offense showed a lot of heart and showed a lot of discipline even though it was a back-and-forth game in the second half,” Rodriguez said. “Our running game came through today. J.R. Vasquez was big and Trey. We rode them to the end and it paid off.”
Running back J.R. Vasquez and quarterback Trey Guajardo were the only two ball carriers but they combined for 356 yards and both scored two rushing touchdowns.
“We just kept pushing,” Vasquez said. “The teams see us passing then they just leave the run open. We just opened it up.”
Memorial defensive back Michael Morales intercepted Trey Guajardo. Morales was later ejected for a hit that was deemed targeting in the second half.
Trey Guajardo was dynamic again for the Bears. He accounted for 353 yards of offense, 214 rushing and 139 in the air.
His cousin, Marco Guajardo caught both of his touchdown tosses.
“When I’m in the end zone and just see that ball coming I have that feeling of ‘there it is again, I got another one,’” Marco Guajardo said. “Before the ball even touches my hands. It’s just that feeling, especially with family. I have that faith and trust in him. After every touchdown, he’s the first person I gt to. I say ‘there you go ‘cuz, atta boy’ it’s a perfect throw every time.