BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
SAN ANTONIO — After the Patriots’ 62-55 win over the Corpus Christi Veterans Eagles on Saturday at the Alamodome, Mission Veterans quarterback Landry Gilpin entered the record book in a variety of ways.
Gilpin threw for 439 yards, which broke a 10-year-old UIL Class 5A individual passing record held by Tyrik Rollison of Sulphur Springs, and five touchdown passes to help the Patriots break into the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time in school history. Mission Veterans will face off with San Antonio Wagner at 10 a.m. Saturday back at the Alamodome.
His 46 passing attempts are another UIL record.
Gilpin’s five scores brings his career passing touchdown total to 84, which is the most of any quarterback in Mission CISD history. Gilpin passed former Mission High signal callers Koy Detmer (80) and Lupe Rodriguez (83) to take sole possession of first place all-time.
Gilpin already has the school district record for career passing yards with 9,049.
“It was special,” Gilpin said. “To do this with the teammates I have and the things the coaches allow us to do on offense is amazing. The defense played amazing. It was a great team effort. I appreciate our fans for coming out to see us.”
Gilpin also chipped in 264 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground.
“He did this in the third round,” Mission Veterans coach David Gilpin said. “This isn’t a Week 3 or a Week 7 ballgame. My only hope is that he is given the respect that he is due. He gets a lot of love with the kids, but I’m talking long-term. Ten, 20 years from now. I hope he’s remembered reverently the way that Lupe (Rodriguez) and Koy (Detmer) are. Lupe and Koy are hall of fame quarterbacks.”
Mission Veterans senior wide receiver John Aguilar dropped a pass in the first half. After the Patriots’ series ended, Aguilar ran to the sideline and spoke up to David Gilpin before his coach had an opportunity.
“I told him, ‘Coach, it’s not going to happen again,’” Aguilar said. “From now on, every catch is going to be made.”
Aguilar finished the game with six catches, 102 yards and a team-high two receiving touchdowns.
“I want to be known as someone Landry (Gilpin) can put his trust in,” Aguilar said. “I want the other receivers and everybody else to count on me.”
“He told me it wouldn’t happen again because he missed some time against San Antonio Veterans last week,” David Gilpin said. “He got it cleaned up, got his mind right and was very productive for us. I told him two or three times on the sideline, ‘You didn’t lie to me, did you?’”
The Patriots (12-1) ended the Eagles’ undefeated season after entering Saturday at 12-0. Mission Veterans put the game at an arm’s reach when Gilpin ran for his second touchdown of the night from 31 yards out with 1:33 left in the fourth quarter. The score put Mission Veterans up 60-48, but then it added two points when Gilpin found Mikey Garcia for the successful conversion.