GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — PSJA Memorial quarterback Michael Gonzalez entered Friday’s game with an injured arm, and PSJA North’s defensive front hounded him from start to finish.
Still, Gonzalez managed to throw for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Combined with a few lucky bounces and a costly muffed punt by North, Gonzalez’s efforts were enough to lift PSJA Memorial to a 23-17 win at PSJA Stadium.
“He showed me what I’ve always known: He’s got a lot of guts, and he’s a leader,” PSJA Memorial coach Gus Cavazos said. “There was never a doubt in my mind about that.”
The injury, which forced Gonzalez to sit out the second half of last Friday’s 34-26 loss against Weslaco East, kept him out of practice for most of the week. Leading up to Friday, Cavazos said Gonzalez would be a game-day decision.
Gonzalez didn’t show any lingering effects. He finished 10-of-24 passing for 146 yards and two scores. He also ran the ball eight times for 25 yards.
“I feel good,” Gonzalez said. “I just need to get ice. Get treatment, and I should be ready to go.”
Gonzalez and Memorial got the scoring started early, as he found Jay Bocanegra for a 38-yard score on a screen pass to give the Wolverines an early 7-0 lead. Bocanegra, Memorial’s leading receiver, caught six passes for 99 yards.
Gonzalez found the end zone again in the third quarter with the help of a little luck. His pass deflected off receiver Isaac Cantu, off PSJA North safety Mike Garza and to receiver John Anthony Saenz, who jogged uncontested the rest of the way for a 17-yard score to tie the game at 17. Fittingly, Saenz slipped on the track during his touchdown celebration.
Gonzalez twice kept the drive alive with quarterback sneaks on fourth down with less than a yard to go.
Memorial got another lucky break midway through the fourth quarter, when PSJA North’s Joey Torres mishandled a punt and Memorial’s Peter Vargas managed to jump on the loose ball.
“That was real nice, it pretty much gave us a secured win,” PSJA Memorial safety Kevin Spears said.
Running back Jonathan Treviño scored on the next play from 15 yards out. The scoring play brought his rushing total up to 9 yards, as he and Memorial’s ground game had been stifled by North’s dominant defensive front. The Wolverines had only 4 rushing yards and two first downs at halftime.
“We knew against a team like this that the offense wasn’t going to be there every single drive,” Cavazos said. “We were able to weather the storm.”
The loss puts both teams at 2-1 in District 31-6A, further muddling the race. Edinburg North and Weslaco East are also 2-1, while Weslaco High stands at 1-1.
PASSING STRUGGLES
PSJA North’s passing offense was completely shut down on Friday, as quarterback George Olivarez failed to complete any of his 9 attempts. He also threw interceptions to Ismael Canizales and Vicente Rodriguez.
“Just read your keys, play hard and go at it, no matter what,” Spears said.
Peña said Memorial gave his team trouble by playing deep halves. Olivarez ran 24 times for 159 yards and a TD, and running back Rene Ramirez carried the ball 30 times for 158 yards and a score, but that was about all the offense North could muster.
“Our secondary has played real well all year long, and they played well again,” Cavazos said.
TWO-WAY PLAYERS
Memorial has been ravaged by injuries this season, and on Friday it forced some players to play two ways.
Treviño was one of those players, taking the majority of the snaps at linebacker in the second half.
“Those boys, they stepped up when we needed them,” Cavazos said.
MISSED CHANCES
North could have pulled out a win were it not for a few critical mistakes. Twice the Raiders killed potential touchdown drives with penalties inside the 10-yard line.
Those drives ended with a combined three points, as one of North’s field-goal attempts was blocked.
The Raiders committed 11 penalties for 85 yards overall.
“It’s tough,” PSJA North coach Jorge Peña said of the unfortunate breaks. “That’s football. That happens. It was just a hard-fought game and they were the better team tonight.”