BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Sharyland High was 5 yards away from halting Edinburg Vela’s ascension to the top of the District 31-5A hierarchy, but the SaberCats’ Erick Morales wasn’t going to let his team’s win slip away.
As the Rattlers’ Seth Carter took the ball up the middle, just 5 yards from a touchdown that would erase a one-point deficit, Morales delivered a hit that forced a fumble, then scrambled to cover the ball in the back of the end zone.
The turnover with just 15 seconds to play secured Edinburg Vela’s wild 48-47 win on Friday at Cats Stadium, marking another major step in Vela’s four-year transition from bottom feeder to one of the Valley’s best.
“I still can’t believe it happened,” Morales said. “I just did what I had to do. I read the guy I had to read. It just came down to making a play.”
As Vela grew from a 0-10 season as a first-year program in 2013 all the way to last year’s 10-2 mark, Sharyland High was the one hurdle the SaberCats had yet to cross in the district. The Rattlers beat the SaberCats 69-0 in 2013, 52-28 in 2014 and 27-24 last season before Vela finally turned the tables on Friday.
“It’s a big eye-opener for a lot of us. We’ve been wanting to beat this team for a long time,” said quarterback Fabian Pedraza, who threw for 347 yards. “We started off 0-10, and look where we are now. … This year, we’re going to try to go undefeated. We’re going to try to shock some people around here.”
The margin between the two teams was razor thin, but Vela consistently made huge plays at critical moments.
With the game tied at 41 early in the fourth quarter and the SaberCats facing fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line, coach Michael Salinas dialed up a trick play.
Wideout Elijah Reyna took the ball on a reverse and looked to throw to Pedraza before finding Eddie Luna, his second read, in the back of the end zone for the touchdown to give Vela a 7-point lead with 8:41 remaining.
“We put in the play a couple weeks ago, waiting to see if we would have an opportunity to use it,” Salinas said. “We felt big risk, big reward. For us, fortunately, it worked out.”
But Sharyland High wasn’t going to give away control of the district race without a fight.
Carter, who accounted for 510 yards of offense and six touchdowns, quickly drove the Rattlers back down the field, finding Manny Campos for a 17-yard score with 6:15 remaining. But on the point-after attempt, Vela made yet another crucial play, as Angel Ocanas came off the edge and blocked the kick to keep Vela in front 48-47. The SaberCats also blocked the point-after try on the Rattlers’ first score of the game.
“We spend a lot of time on special teams, and we try to make a difference on specials,” Salinas said. “You talk about a big one point, that was a huge one point to get that block.”
After Sharyland forced a rare punt, the Rattlers were set up to drive 79 yards for the win with 4:03 left on the clock. Carter seemed poised to head into the end zone before Morales forced and recovered the fumble that left Sharyland standing in stunned silence as Vela celebrated.
“Once the official pointed the other way, you saw the excitement on our sideline,” Salinas said. “We told our kids tonight was going to be about one play, one possession and one quarter at a time. Ironically, it was one play that made a difference.”
WORTHY FOE
Carter finished the game with 20 carries for 270 yards and three touchdowns. He also completed 13 of 23 passes for 240 yards and three more scores.
“He had a monster night,” Sharyland coach Ron Adame said. “I am proud of my boys. Everybody was writing us off as has-beens, but I think tonight we proved what type of caliber team we have.”
OFFENSIVE ASSAULT
Pedraza completed 26 of 36 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns — two to Luna, and one to Michael Arguelles.
The SaberCats also had some success on the ground, as Robert Guerra carried 24 times for 129 yards and two scores.
PENALTY PRONE
Sharyland was flagged 10 times for 105 yards, while Vela committed 11 penalties for 93 yards.