By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
CORPUS CHRISTI — In a football playoff game that featured offensive fireworks aplenty, the Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles came up with just a few more than the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers.
The result was a 55-41 victory for the Eagles in a Class 5A Division I area-round playoff game Friday at Buccaneer Stadium.
The victory advances District 30-5A runner-up Corpus Christi Veterans (11-1) to next week’s 5A Division I regional semifinals to face Dripping Springs (11-0) or Richmond Foster (7-3). Those teams play Saturday in Bryan.
The District 32-5A Chargers ended the season at 10-2 in making their first appearance in the second round of the playoffs since 2012.
“My impressions of our team tonight are the same impressions I’ve had all year,” Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu said at the conclusion of the contest. “It was such a blessing to coach a football team like this one with players and coaches who play hard from the very beginning to the very end. That’s what this team did.
“To say they did that is something pretty special,” Cantu added. “This is a football team that I will always cherish. It’s been so much fun this year.”
The Eagles led 13-7 after one quarter and were up 34-27 at halftime. The Eagles took a 48-41 advantage into the final period before scoring a TD with a little more than two minutes remaining to seal the 55-41 victory and keep their season alive.
“It was just a great game,” Corpus Christi Veterans coach Cody Simper said. “I thought Brownsville Veterans played well and our team played well, too. It’s a shame that anybody has to lose this one.
“Brownsville Veterans is a very tough team and their guys fought to the very end,” Simper added. “They have a lot to be proud of. A lot of credit goes to their players and coaches.
“I’m just really proud of our guys. They battled the whole way and found a way to get it done.”
It was a game that featured nine touchdowns in the opening half along with four rushers — two for each team — that eclipsed 100 yards in the contest.
For Brownsville Veterans, running back Abel Martinez carried 17 times for 222 yards and quarterback Gustavo Vasquez carried 27 times for 188 yards.
Vasquez ran for TDs of 4, 2 and 40 yards while Martinez broke one of his runs for 75 yards down the left sideline that went for a score. Martinez displayed the speed he was noted for prior to his injury earlier in the season. He also broke loose for ground gainers of 40 and 39 yards.
“Abel showed who he is as a football player tonight,” Cantu said. “He showed his breakaway speed and so forth, so that was great to see. It was very enjoyable for him to have that kind of performance because (at one point) we thought he wasn’t going to have any more nights like tonight (due to his injury). He really didn’t practice any football for five or six weeks after he got hurt.”
For Corpus Christi Veterans, QB/running back David Soto carried 10 times for 150 yards with TD runs of 81 and 49 yards. The 49-yarder came with 2:08 remaining and put the Eagles ahead 55-41. Soto also caught a 74-yard scoring pass for the Eagles’ initial TD in the opening quarter for a 6-0 lead.
Also for the Eagles, running back Frank Jones Jr. rushed 18 times for 115 yards and scored on runs of 6 and 14 yards.
The score was tied twice in the opening half at 13-13 and 27-27. When the score became close, the Eagles came up with a big play every time to maintain the lead.
Also for the Chargers, Alexis Gomez scored on a 9-yard run in the second quarter and Elijah Masten tallied on a 6-yard burst around left end with 11.1 seconds left until intermission to make it 27-27 thanks to a two-point conversion run by Vasquez.
The Chargers didn’t get to go into the break tied, though, as the Eagles’ John Newman returned the ensuing kickoff 69 yards for a TD on the final play of the half that gave his team a 34-27 edge at intermission.
It was that kind of night for the Chargers, who made some solid defensive stands, but still gave up five scoring plays of 40 yards or longer to the explosive Eagles.
Regardless of Friday’s loss, Cantu said this season’s seniors have accomplished a lot for the school with their competitive nature.
“I’m just so proud of our senior class,” the Brownsville Veterans coach said. “It’s not a real big class in terms of numbers, but they’re just competitors and that’s what makes them so special. I can’t help but think that someday they’re going to be men who always finish what they start. It’s just a super senior class.”