MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
WESLACO — The Harlingen High Cardinals opened the fourth quarter trailing Weslaco High by two points with the ball and a bit of momentum.
Then the wheels came off, as a Cardinals turnover and multiple miscues opened the door for the Panthers to score nine fourth-quarter points and pick up a 25-14 Class 6A Division I bi-district victory Friday night at Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco.
Trailing 16-14, Harlingen High looked to be on the move again with the lead on its mind, but Weslaco High defensive back Axel Camarena intercepted Cardinals quarterback Jaime Galvan.
The Panthers then had to kick the ball away, but a muffed punt set Weslaco High up at the Harlingen High 4, leading to a Jacob Cavazos jump pass to tight end Isaac Villarreal to make it 23-14 with 8:25 to play.
“Our defense bails us out of a lot of situations and has helped us out in every game we’ve played this year,” Cavazos said. “Hats off to them. They keep us in a lot of games that our offense probably could have messed up. It’s a team effort and we came together.”
The miscues continued on the ensuing possession for the Cardinals, when Galvan picked up a Rayden Berry fumble in the end zone and was sacked for a safety to make it 25-14.
“Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way,” Harlingen High coach Manny Gomez said. “It is what it is, but you have to give credit to Weslaco. They made the plays when they had to, and my hat’s off to them.”
Weslaco High (10-1) moves on to face Laredo United in the area round. Harlingen High is sent home after winning three straight games to get into the postseason following a down 2017 season.
“The kids showed a lot of resiliency … it was definitely a great fight,” Gomez said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way.”
After the Cardinals forced a three-and-out on defense to open the game, the offense mounted an eight-play, 81-yard drive, culminating with a 22-yard touchdown from Galvan to put his team up 7-0 at the 7:58 mark of the first quarter.
Harlingen High continued to move the ball consistently but didn’t do much else the rest of the first half, as its next four drives ended in an interception, a turnover on downs and a pair of missed field goals.
“It’s football and you have to be able to execute in the red zone,” Gomez said. “We didn’t, they did, and my hat goes off to Weslaco and I wish them well.”
Cavazos got the Panthers’ offense going and answered the Cardinals’ score with an 11-yard touchdown to Devin Dena to make it 7-6 after a missed extra point.
Cavazos finished the night with 123 yards rushing and one touchdown, and he threw for 107 more yards on 7 of 9 passing and two scores.
That was the first of three consecutive scoring drives from Weslaco High, as it added a 76-yard Cavazos touchdown run and a George Martinez 27-yard field goal to make it 16-7, the score at the break.
“We had a good plan coming into this game, and that was to execute,” the Panthers’ quarterback said. “We started off pretty fast and died out a bit in the second half, but an ugly win is a win to us. We’re just getting ready for next week.”
Galvan pulled the Cardinals within two after catching a throwback pass for a 19-yard score from Damon Cantu late in the third before the disastrous fourth quarter.
Galvan had a big night, throwing for 278 yards with two interceptions, completing 26 of 37 passes. He also rushed for 59 more yards and recorded rushing and receiving scores.