By FREDDY GONZALEZ
Staff Writer
MATHIS — Noah Conde’s interception with 1:13 left in the game calmed any nerves of a Needville Bluejays comeback.
After seeing Needville score two touchdowns in quick succession, to cut the La Feria lead to 15, Lions fans breathed a sigh of relief as the turnover allowed the Lions to kill the clock and hold on for a 49-34 victory over the Bluejays on Friday night.
The victory improved the Lions to 11-1 on the season, earning them a date with the La Vernia next week.
Despite the Lions’ five-game winning streak coming into the contest, coach Oscar Salinas stressed one word leading up to the game: believe.
“Before the game, I told them the same thing I have been preaching to them, ‘You have to believe,’” Salinas said. “Believe you can win this game, play hard and after that let the cards fall where they fall, because there may be no tomorrow. The stigma is that we can’t compete with these kids, and I just told them you can.”
Offensively, the Lions played a near-perfect game churning out 462 yards, with quarterback Dorian Hernandez accounting for 370 yards and five touchdowns.
The junior rushed for an impressive 238 yards and four touchdowns, and he passed for another 132 yards and one touchdown.
“Dorian has played well all season but since starting district he has really come into his own, and he’s special because when he’s on fire, he’s on fire,” Salinas said. “Running or throwing, he’s a dual threat, and we are going to ride him as far as we can. It’s his team now and he needs to make plays, and he did them tonight.”
Hernandez is not the only running threat the Lions have in the backfield, as sophomores Avashi Dickerson and Angel Garcia combined for another 169 yards rushing. Garcia rushed for 96 yards and one touchdown (from 16 yards out), and Dickerson pitched in another 73 tough-running yards.
Combine those three elusive runners with a young offensive line that is coming into its own, and it makes for one bright future.
“Our offensive line has four really young players that have done a great job,” Salinas said. “Right now we are all just playing well and as good as we have all season.”
Despite falling behind 7-0 early, the Lions fought back behind two consecutive Hernandez touchdown runs to take a 14-7 lead with 3:17 remaining in the first half.
After grabbing the game’s first lead of the night, the Lions did not ease up. Hernandez found Emanual Sanchez in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown just before the half.
During the third quarter, the Lions’ mentality remained the same: score. Darius Hernandez found some running room and darted into the end zone for a 13-yards touchdown to put La Feria up 28-7.
The Bluejays made things interesting late in the third quarter and through the fourth, however, the Lions’ defense remained solid and kept constant pressure on the opposing quarterback.
“I think we did a really good job moving the ball well on them, and we needed that,” Salinas said. “Defensively, I think we played well, too. (Needville) found some big plays and they have some great athletes, but we made some big stops when we needed it.
“It was a great team effort, and these kids have been unbelievable. We have a young group, and our seniors fight hard and keep this team together, and I’m just so proud of the team.”