NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — The first drives for McAllen Memorial and PSJA North were snapshots of how the game between two surging units would unfold.
A fast start, strong defense and home cooking was the recipe for McAllen Memorial’s 42-21 win over No. 7 PSJA North Thursday night at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Mustangs started with good field position and drove the ball downfield for a 13-play drive that lasted over six minutes. Campbell Speights capped the drive with a short rushing touchdown.
When the Raiders (5-4, 4-2) got the ball they couldn’t muster a first down and gave the ball right back.
Starting strong was a point of emphasis for the Mustangs, who have been plagued by slow starts on different occasions this season. That’s part of the reason Memorial came into the game tied with La Joya High and Mission High with 3-2 district records, with work to be done to reach the playoffs.
“This season we’ve struggled with coming out big in the first half,” junior defensive back turned linebacker Michael Morales said after the win. “Tonight the team did a great job overall, offense and defense, of coming out with some intensity and I think it showed.”
The opening drive was proof the Mustangs (5-4, 4-2) meant business as they converted two fourth downs to maintain possession.
First Speights spun and backed up for a gain on fourth and one, then junior receiver Zyan Gregory sold out on a slightly high through to convert a 4th and seven.
“I think finally for the first time this year our kids came out and played really good in the first half,” Mustangs coach Littleton said. “We played four quarters of football tonight in all three phases of the game. We beat a good football team, don’t let the score surprise you, they’re a good football team.”
Memorial converted all four fourth-down conversions in the first half and five overall in the contest.
“Our offense is designed to control the ball,” Speights said. “When we can control the ball and take the ball five yards, five yards and run down the clock and score then get the ball back it makes it hard tough for the other team.”
Memorial’s defense was the epitome of tough on PSJA North’s offense which had been potent of late. The Raiders averaged 39.6 points per game during their three-game winning streak that included victories over McAllen Rowe, Mission and La Joya.
The Raiders were a skeleton of the offense that had propelled them during the streak.
In the first half, they only could muster 56 yards of total offense. Quarterback Iziaah Rangel was intercepted on a pass attempt thrown up for grabs on their most promising drive of the first half.
Memorial junior Diego Villarreal came up with the pick and was quickly bestowed with the oversized “M” the Mustangs use as their turnover chain.
“It was huge,” Villarreal said. “They’re a big passing team and coach does a good job of always having film for us and we just got prepared for them.”
Gregory wasn’t done in the first half after his fourth-down reception. His second catch was made in stride with one defender to elude. He took the contact but stayed up for the junior’s first touchdown of the season.
“I’ve been working hard all offseason,” Gregory said. “They’ve been trying hit me but it didn’t work out. It finally worked out and we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Mustangs quarterback Joseph Lara was a strong leader for the offense all night. He was 7 for 9 with 128 passing yards. In the first half he had a one-yard, quarterback sneak touchdown and in the second half, he found Ethan Bazan for his second passing TD.
Contributions on offense were all over the field for the Mustangs offense in the route. Fullback A.J. Castro went over 110 yards to give the Raiders defense another runner to worry about.
“It felt like my freshman year when we had Emilio (Mendez) and all those other guys that could be dangerous with the ball,” Speights said. “We finally found what it takes. We can share the ball and everybody’s effective with the ball. It makes our offense much easier because the defense has to keep guessing.”
The Raiders scored right away after halftime with a 74-yard run from Rangel but the hill was too tall to climb. Isaac Gonzalez added two rushing scores.
North will have a chance to bounce back before the postseason in Week 11 when it takes on the McAllen High Bulldogs who are still without a district win.
McAllen Memorial will finish the regular season with a rivalry game against McAllen Rowe. The Mustangs have owned the head-to-head, winning the last seven contests.