STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
Brownsville Veterans Memorial coach David Cantu’s motivation for his program after failing to meet the playoff qualification bar he has set for the last five seasons was simple.
The Chargers demonstrated they were eager to get back to achieving that goal in 2020 by closing out the 2019 season on a high note, emerging with a 34-24 victory over La Joya Palmview in the team’s regular season finale Thursday night at Sams Stadium.
“We sure did still have a lot to play for this week,” Cantu said. “We weren’t going to let a team win a district title here in Brownsville on our field. … This was our playoff game. It was a very powerful week for us.”
And while Cantu and the team prepared as such, he also told wide receiver Damian Maldonado he had the option to sit out the game to avoid an injury that could impact his role as the star of the Chargers’ basketball team.
Fortunately for the team on the gridiron, Maldonado opted to play and made several highlight-reel catches, including two catches that went for more than 50 yards, one of which went for a touchdown.
“I’m really proud of him,” Cantu said. “That’s what we’re all about here.”
The Chargers (7-3, 6-3 16-5A DI) will finish in fifth place in the district standings, and while Cantu has set a high bar of playoff performance as the standard for Brownsville Veterans, he and his squad can feel vindicated by an outing against one of the most prolific offenses in the Rio Grande Valley.
With Pace’s 33-22 loss at Rio Grande City also coming on Thursday, the Lobos (7-3, 7-2 16-5A DI) will be the third playoff seed from 16-5A DI. Rio Grande City clinched at least a share of the district title, which it would co-own with Mission Veterans should the Patriots win tonight against Lopez.
Senior running back J.R. Moran exploded for a 50-yard gain to get into Palmview territory and put a bow on the Chargers’ first drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to give Brownsville Veterans a 7-0 lead at the 10:04 mark of the first quarter.
“(Moran) had the game of his life,” Cantu said. “He’s a slashing type back that’s able to have quick bursts, and he brought something extra special for the last game of his career.”
Palmview responded after senior running back/wide receiver Cruz Barrientos rushed for a gain of 23 to set up junior running back Carlos Peña’s 1-yard Palmview touchdown to pull the Lobos back even with 1:57 to go in the first quarter.
Chargers senior quarterback Liam Longoria went deep for senior wide receiver Damian Maldonado with 10 seconds to go in the first quarter for a 57-yard touchdown to put Brownsville Veterans back ahead.
Cantu said he was proud of his quarterback for playing through severe ankle ailments.
With senior quarterback David Gonzalez at the helm of the Palmview offense, the Lobos continued to feed Peña the ball, as their leading rusher pounded the ball across the goal line for a 1-yard touchdown to tie the game up once again with 4:50 to go in the second quarter.
Brownsville Veterans junior running back Marlon Montelongo helped the Chargers retake the lead after accepting a delayed handoff up the middle for a 16-yard touchdown. After the ensuing extra point attempt was blocked, the Chargers led by six with 2:26 left in the first half.
After AJ Chapa rushed for a 41-yard gain on a draw to the Chargers’ 41-yard line at the two minute mark, the Lobos threatened to take their first lead of the ballgame, advancing as far as the 4-yard line after being backed up by a pair of procedural penalties. Palmview opted to put the ball in the hands of Gonzalez instead of Pena or Chapa, and the Brownsville Veterans defense came through with a key goal line stand to take a 20-14 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Peña’s 34-yard field goal brought the Lobos within three points with 8:31 to play in the third quarter, but the Brownsville Veterans defense stonewalled the potent Palmview attack for much of the half.
Cantu said Thursday’s defensive unit was patched together after missing three to four key senior starters due to injuries, which he added was a tribute to defensive coordinator Dave Evans and his staff, as well as the JV players who were unexpectedly called upon to suit up for the Chargers’ homecoming game.
The Lobos did not score again until the 1:17 mark of the fourth quarter, when Gonzalez hit senior tight end Jerry Galvan for a three-yard touchdown pass to bring the visitors back within 10 points.
Longoria threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Marlon Montelongo that gave the Chargers a 27-17 lead with 9:11 to play in regulation and Elijah Masten rushed for a 31-yard touchdown on a reverse to provide Brownsville Veterans with its largest advantage, 34-17, with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter.