BY ADRIAN F. TREVINO
SPECIAL TO RGVSPORTS.COM
With each team’s logo adorning opposite end zones, the Battle of Conway could not be more clearly defined: the Vets logo fills the east side, and the Eagles’ mascot flies in the west.
Friday, the Mission Eagles claimed their dominance with a 23-21 win over crosstown rival Mission Veterans Patriots off an 18-yard field goal by freshman Angel Gabriel Leyva.
Even though the stage was set for another rivalry, this year’s matchup was delayed because of lightning. While everyone’s patience was tested, head coach Daniel Longoria and the Mission Eagles held fast.
“Today’s character lesson was patience: be patient with yourself when you make mistakes, be patient with yourself and control your emotions; it’s a very emotional game, and I think our boys did a fantastic job making plays when we needed to. Our expectation was to play good, sound football and let the score take care of itself,” Longoria said.
The lesson of the day may have been patience, but the Eagles’ defense seemed eager to make their mark on the game. Even though the opening kick off sailed into the end zone, there was a violent clash that leveled a couple Vets players on kickoff coverage. Four plays later, the Eagles’ defense captured their first turnover of the game, a fumble by a Vets receiver.
The Eagles would have to wait for their second possession to score the first points of the game. Senior quarterback, Diego Salinas, threw a quick screen off the right side, and Shelby Sital turned it into a 59-yard scamper for a touchdown.
Vets bounced back on its third possession with a healthy dose of quarterback Cameron Sarinana and running back Benjamin Martinez. Martinez was solid all night, adding a 16-yard run to the drive that Sarinana ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Rodriguez.
Vets head coach David Gilpin framed the loss through a lens of positivity. “Our quarterback is a junior, and he did so many good things…he really threw the ball with consistency,” Gilpin said. “Benji (Martinez) had a really good game tonight, he showed he was capable to be our RB1.”
Both teams put together impressive drives that highlighted the last three minutes of the first half. The Eagles used a six-play, 57-yard drive to take the lead as Christopher Kirk snagged a 37-yard touchdown pass putting the Eagles ahead 14-7.
Unfazed, Sarinana found Robert Sharp for a 27-yard pass that set up a first and goal. Julian Guerra scored with a one-handed catch and Hector Perez added the point after, and the teams went into halftime tied at 14.
The Eagles relied heavily offensively on their senior leadership. While many others offered contributions, the work of Salinas, Kirk and running back Thomas J. Aparicio carried the offense. Salinas’ experience and game management kept the Eagles on track offensively. His 75-yard bomb to Kirk in the third put the Eagles ahead 20-14 after a missed extra point. Aparicio ran tough and seemed on the verge of breaking a long run. He was relied on heavily to seal the game in the fourth.
The Patriots would not relent. In the fourth, they drove 74 yards to take the lead 21-20. Sarinana connected with three different receivers, and Martinez added a 16-yard run that crossed midfield. Rodriguez split the Eagles defense for a 38-yard touchdown.
With 7:33 left, the Eagles drove to the 1-yard line and set up Leyva’s game winning field goal.
“Senior leadership helped dig us out of that hole we dug. We don’t give up,” Aparicio said.