WESLACO — Weslaco East’s kicking team trotted out on the field to kick the tying extra point after Wildcats quarterback Ashton Guajardo’s 2-yard touchdown run, his third rushing touchdown of the night, cut the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers lead to 21-20 with only 27 seconds left in the game.
Wildcats head coach Mike Burget called a timeout and brought the offense back on the field.
“The defensive coordinators told me to go for it,” Burget said. “Dave Evans and Mike Evans, pulled me aside, one play, win it or lose it, we did one play. It was not my call it was the Evans.”
Guajardo found Diego Ortiz alone in the flat, putting the Wildcats up 22-21. Weslaco East’s Aaron Estevenas’ interception sealed the game to give the Wildcats (3-4, 2-1) the 22-21 District 16-5A DI win over the Chargers (4-2, 1-1) Friday at Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco.
“That is East football, that is East football,” Burget said. “That East football has been going on for a long time. When people doubt East football because we a put tough schedule together, now they can say we are back.”
The Wildcats head coach said the win was one of the biggest of his career.
“This team has played hard all year,” Burget said. “They have taken a lot of stuff, they stayed together and you can see what they did tonight, even down 14-0 at the half. I am proud of my coaching staff for making adjustments, the kids would not stop fighting.”
Guajardo cut the Chargers lead to 21-14 midway through the fourth quarter with his second 1-yard touchdown run.
The Chargers went up 21-7 in fourth quarter when running back Jay Valdez found the end zone from 11 yards. Brownsville Veterans started the drive at the Wildcats for 44-yard line, following a fumble recovery.
Guajardo orchestrated a 75-yard drive out of the half. Guajardo’s 1 yard touchdown run was the result of the quarterback moving the ball downfield with his receivers.
“I felt good, but my line was doing their job blocking for me in the pocket,” Guajardo said. “I felt like I could take my time and read the defense. The line did a good job in the second half.”
Before halftime, an 81-yard Chargers’ drive resulted in a 1-yard touchdown run by Bryan Chavez.
The drive began after the Chargers’ defense stopped the Wildcats on fourth down. Facing, a 3rd-and-17, Reece Sampayo found a receiver for a 20-yard gain. Chunk plays from running back’s Gilbert Trillo and Michael Mchale put Brownsville Veterans in scoring position.
Sampayo and Valdez then helped set up Chavez’s second touchdown of the night, five seconds before halftime.
Brownsville Veterans opened the game with a 78-yard touchdown drive that took five minutes off the clock and was capped off by Chavez from 11 yards. The fullback rode the initial contact and bulldozed his way in for the score.
“It was a hard-fought game,” Chargers head coach Kelley Lee said. “They made the play we did not and they got the win. I thought our kids played hard and we had some missed opportunities and down the stretch they made more plays then we did.”
Weslaco East faces Donna High at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Benny LaPrade Stadium in Donna. Brownsville Veterans Memorial takes on Brownsville Pace at 7 p.m. Thursday at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville.