HARLINGEN — The Harlingen High Cardinals outscored the Weslaco High Panthers 32-10 during the second half of a thrilling comeback victory.
The Cardinals defeated the Panthers 55-42 to open District 32-6A with a win in a game that featured the district’s co-champions from the previous season.
“They played intense all second half,” Harlingen High head coach Ashley Moncivaiz said. “That is what we need from them, to come out and play hard, like the way we know how they can play.”
Harlingen High’s Rosa Zapata, a key player in the comeback, sat down her defender as the Cardinals melted the clock late, resulting in a bucket for a teammate and putting Harlingen High up 51-40 with only two minutes left.
Zapata then finished with a reverse layup to finish off the Panthers on the next possession. The senior point guard started off slow, she said. But once she started going, the silky smooth guard was balling for the Cardinals fans.
“After halftime, Coach (Moncivaiz) motivated us,” Zapata said. “We came back and played stronger as a whole team.”
Zapata and senior teammates Juli Bryant and Layla Salas all finished with 11 points to lead the Cardinals in scoring.
“We knew it was going to be a great game,” Zapta said. “But we also had that mindset that we can come in and take the win.”
Harlingen High unleashed its run early in the third quarter. The Cardinals went on an 18-1 run that was successful because of their pressure defense, Moncivaiz said.
“You have to put the pressure on them,” Moncivaiz said. “And we were not doing that in the second quarter.”
The Panthers went into the half up 32-23 after dominating performances by senior Morgan Peralez in the paint and the shooting of sophomore Isabel Magallanes.
Harlingen High hardly had answer for the pair during the second quarter.
Magallanes finished with a game-high 16 points, and Peralez scored 13 points. The pair combined for 24 points during the first half.
The Cardinals (13-10, 1-0) take on Brownsville Hanna at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Brownsville Hanna High School. Weslaco High (21-6, 0-1) faces Los Fresnos at 7:30 p.m. at Weslaco High School.