MISSION — After two weeks, the Mission High Eagles had outscored opponents by a combined score of 92-8.
But on Friday night, they ran into a buzzsaw that was the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks.
Junior quarterback Eddie Lee Marburger and the Pioneer offense shredded the Eagles’ defense for more than 500 yards on the way to a 56-28 win at Richard Thompson Stadium.
The Eagles were the No.4-ranked team in the week’s RGVSports.com Top 10 poll, but the Diamondbacks dominated for four quarters to improve their record to 2-1.
“We were confident. We like to have fun out here and it was awesome tonight,” Marburger said after throwing for 390 yards, running for 101 and recording seven total touchdowns. “We’re on the come up and we’re very confident.”
His six touchdown passes went to five different receivers as offensive coordinator Eddie Galindo called a near perfect game. The biggest play from the Diamondbacks offense came on a 63-yard pass to running back Tristan Castillo, who shook off two Mission defenders and shook a referee to break free for the long score.
“I had to put a little juke move on him and then I was gone,” Castillo said with a smile after the win. “We have a lot of talent and defenses can’t really key in on one guy because we have so many guys that can hurt you in the passing game and running game.”
The junior running back scored once more on the ground, adding to his six catches for 142 yards. Receiver Lavar Lindo went for 100-plus yards and one score, while Luke Padilla hauled in six catches for two touchdowns.
Through two games, Mission High’s balanced offensive attack of quarterback Jeremy Duran and the backfield of Tito Moronta and Andrew Maldonado did what it pleased.
The Diamondbacks’ defense stepped up as a unit as Sharyland Pioneer continually flew to the ball to hold the Eagles to just 324 yards of total offense and 28 points, half of which came during the third quarter. Both Moronta and Maldonado were held to under 65 yards on the ground on Friday.
“We knew going into the game that they were going to run the ball with their two great running backs and that offensive line. We did a good job of gang-tackling and running to the ball to put them in third-and-long situations,” Pioneer assistant head coach Robert Bocanegra said. “Our defense played great, we got a bit sloppy in the third, but we’re pleased with our defense tonight.”
Senior defensive lineman Erik Torres said the key was the Diamondbacks pursuit of the football.
“The whole thing about the Diamondbacks defense is relentless pursuit, that’s what we stress here at Pioneer,” Torres said. “We’re dangerous. We’re here to play and we’re here to compete.”
The Diamondbacks are now averaging more than 51 points per game and appear to be one of the hottest offenses in South Texas.
“We can play with anybody. It just depends on the day, and we got the ‘W’ today,” Castillo said.