For the second straight season, the McAllen Rowe Warriors hit the road to start off the bi-district round of the playoffs and got off to a hot start.
The Warriors, who won their Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game at Laredo Alexander in 2019, intercepted unbeaten Corpus Christi Veterans on the first drive of the contest.
Rowe quickly responded, capitalizing on excellent field position to strike first.
Corpus Christi Veterans, the seventh-ranked Class 5A Division I team across Texas according to the Associated Press, responded decisively, however, scoring 33 unanswered points to close the first half on a tear en route to a dominant 47-14 win in a bi-district matchup Friday night in Corpus Christi.
Senior quarterback Carter Senterfitt starred for the Eagles, throwing for 173 yards and three touchdown passes. He added a 35-yard rushing score late during the first half.
Senior quarterback James Gamez connected with senior receiver David Savage on a goal line fade touchdown pass to the back-right corner of the end zone to give Rowe its initial early edge after a nice interception return set the team up at the Eagles’ 7-yard line.
The Warriors didn’t score again until the game was well out of reach during the third quarter on a 62-yard touchdown run from senior Nick Meehan.
The loss marks the first back-to-back bi-district playoff appearances for Rowe since 2016-17 after the team advanced to the postseason by virtue of Brownsville Porter forfeiting the teams’ scheduled District 16-5A DI zone play-in game due to at least one positive COVID-19 test within the Cowboys’ football program.
Rowe also falls to 4-4 on the season, while Corpus Christi Veterans improves to 10-0 and will advance to face San Antonio Southwest Legacy in the area round of the Class 5A DI playoffs next week.
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