BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — The 7-on-7 qualifying tournament at Sharyland High was only ever going to end one way —
Mercedes versus Edcouch-Elsa.
The classic rivalry was renewed again on Saturday as the two 5A powerhouses met in the final.
Mercedes players have heard the talk. “All the important seniors are gone.” “The team doesn’t have a quarterback.”
Rising senior quarterback Israel Alegria put an end to all of the talk Saturday, leading a drive that culminated in the game-winning touchdown with just seconds left on the clock.
“That was huge for us,” rising senior defensive back Sebastian Arteaga said. “Knowing that we can put all of our trust in our quarterback to finish the game is big for us.”
Mercedes beat Edcouch-Elsa 39-35 to advance to the state tournament, which will be held June 29 at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.
“This is exciting,” Mercedes 7-on-7 coach Randy Smith said. “These are the types of games that you love to watch. We have this long tradition of a rivalry with Edcouch. This is just the setup for Friday nights. We knew what was at stake, and we got the job done.”
The road to the final was tough for the Tigers. They faced some of the best opponents in the Valley, and the heat was unrelenting all day. Fatigue started to set in when Mercedes faced host Sharyland High in the final game of pool play.
“The offense had a terrible game,” Alegria said. “Me personally, I had a terrible game. Getting here was hard. It was hot. It was competitive. A lot of good teams.”
No matter, though, as the Tigers came out with a new intensity to face the Yellow Jackets.
The teams traded scores, but the big swing in momentum for Mercedes came on defense.
Arteaga, playing defensive back, read the Edcouch-Elsa offense and knew a pass was coming toward him. He jumped in front of the receiver to grab the interception and return it for a score.
A few series later, Arteaga saw another pass headed his way.
“We were in Cover 2, so I was just trying to play my zone,” Arteaga said. “When I saw (the receiver) bobble it, I knew it was a free ball.”
Arteaga pounced, grabbed the loose ball and returned it for his second pick-six of the game.
Still, the game came down to the wire, as Edcouch-Elsa scored a touchdown with only about two minutes left on the clock.
“We have been preparing for this,” Alegria said. “Last week, we had a tournament, and we were in our two-minute drill. We kind of messed it up and we went three and out, and we ended up losing the game. Because of that, all week, we have been working on our two-minute drill.”
The Tigers moved the ball up the field and advanced into the red zone. They were inside the 5-yard line when Alegria looked for rising senior Leeroy Garcia. The pass was incomplete, and the Tigers were in disarray as the clock ticked toward zero.
“I thought it was over after the one I dropped,” Garcia said. “Then I heard everyone yelling, so I got lined up quick.”
“I was worried about the formation, because we weren’t in the right formation,” Alegria said. “But, everyone was there, so I called a play, and everyone kind of ran their own thing. Logan (Luevano, a receiver) did a good job of going inside and taking the safety. Leeroy came from the back. I trusted him, he trusted me, we were on the same page, and that was it.”
Just after the catch, the Tigers started to jump around in elation as the air horn sounded to signal the end of the game.
“It feels really good knowing we are going to state,” Arteaga said. “(Beating E-E) feels even better. All the hard work was worth it.”
Despite all of the history between the two clubs, some recent events ratcheted up the intensity.
“During the 7-on-7 season, we have played them a couple times at our stadium, and we didn’t come out victorious on any of them,” Alegria said.
“So, coming out here, facing that challenge, knowing that everyone is counting you out, it is good to come out here and compete, and prove that we deserve to be here.”
After E-E beat Mercedes for the second time this summer, the talk started to heat up. Both teams claimed they would be the one to emerge Saturday. Once the game began, the players said there was no chatter on the field, strictly business.
As the Tigers prepare for state 7-on-7 and eventually the regular season, their message is simple.
“Just don’t count us out,” Alegria said. “A lot of people think that on paper, we are not as good as previous Tigers teams, especially with all of the talent we have had go through here. Now, we have a lot of new faces, and a lot of people are doubting us. Just watch and see.”
“All the doubters thought we weren’t going to state,” Garcia said. “We shut them up, and we are going now.”\
So are the Tigers being counted out?
“Not anymore,” Arteaga said.