HARLINGEN — It was nothing new for the Rio Hondo Bobcats as they faced a familiar foe in the Sinton Pirates for the Class 4A Division II bi-district title.
These two teams have quite the history together and what occurred at Boggus Stadium on Friday was nothing short of a thriller.
In a game where both teams played tag on the scoreboard, the Pirates eked out a 30-29 win.
Although the Pirates were in control the majority of the contest, the Bobcats clawed their way back numerous times to make it a close contest.
However, the difference in the match was the missed opportunities and penalties that chained the Bobcats from establishing dominance.
The Bobcats attempted a field goal before half time but the kick was blocked, which helped Sinton hold on to its 14-12 lead.
Rio Hondo head coach Rocky James knew the game against Sinton wasn’t going to be easy so every opportunity was crucial.
“The blocked field goal could’ve been the difference in the game,” James said.
In the second half, the Rio Hondo defense stepped up its game by not allowing Sinton quarterback Colt Gorman to bully them like he did in the first half. However, Gorman still made the Bobcat defense pay as he threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Tristan Canales to give the Pirates a 21-14 lead late in the third. The Pirates padded their lead to 30-21 after Andrew McGowan returned a 22- yard punt for a touchdown late in the fourth.
The Bobcats’ season was in jeopardy, but that didn’t stop them in their last attempt to put up points on the board.
In the final seconds of the game, the Bobcats scored on a 30-yard TD from QB Tyler Bush to Danny Vasquez that left a lasting impression on the Bobcat fans.
Bush threw for three touchdowns in the Cats loss but will be returning next year.
“It was his first playoff game and we were able to put up 29 points, so I’m very proud of him.” James said of Bush.