McALLEN — Edinburg Vela running back Pablo “PJ” Rivera was limited to five games last season due to injury, leaving the senior hungry going into the 2021 campaign.
Rivera touched the ball only eight times Friday. That was all he needed, however, to torch the McAllen Memorial defense for 94 total yards and four touchdowns, as the SaberCats roared past the Mustangs 42-6 in The Monitor’s Game of the Week at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“As an individual, I’m not too big on individual stats,” Rivera said. “This is a team sport. But, as an individual, I’ve been preparing mentally. It’s not for nothing. I thank God every day for keeping me moving on my feet and waking me up in the morning.”
The SaberCats entered Friday night’s matchup as the unanimous No. 1 team in the RGVSports.com preseason poll.
They flexed their muscles on both sides of the ball, racking up 326 yards of total offense, while holding the Mustangs to 112 total yards, solidifying their rank as the top team in the Valley.
Rivera shouldered the load offensively, hauling in a 23-yard touchdown to open the scoring, while adding three touchdowns on the ground.
“I kicked him in real quick and got to the outside,” Rivera said of his touchdown grab. “Once I got around, I beat him. I knew that was all me. We work on stuff like that all practice.”
Rivera finished the contest with three catches for 51 yards, adding 43 yards on the ground on five carries.
“He’s a tremendous athlete and very versatile,” SaberCats head coach John Campbell said. “He can mentally handle the load, so we’re giving him as much as he can handle. We’re going to utilize in multiple positions because he’s a matchup problem.”
First-year quarterback Chase Campbell impressed coach Campbell in his debut, making several big throws to move the chains throughout the night.
The senior signal-caller finished the night 7 for 15 for 145 yards and two touchdowns, adding 20 yards on the ground on one carry.
“I thought Chase handled the ball well,” coach Campbell said. “He handled the pressure well. He made some good throw on third downs. Obviously, he had the big ball to PJ. All in all, Chase had a heck of a ball game.”
The Mustangs got on the board late in the third, with full back Max Alaniz-Choy rumbling into the end zone from 1 yard. Alaniz-Choy finished the game with a team-high 86 yards and one touchdown.
The SaberCats’ defense answered back almost immediately, with defensive back Justin Navarro recovering a fumble during the Mustangs’ two-point conversion attempt and running it back 90 yards to give Edinburg Vela a 26-6 lead.
Rivera iced the game 14 seconds later, slipping out of a McAllen Memorial defender’s grasps and reversing field for a 15-yard touchdown to put the SaberCats ahead 32-6 going into the fourth.
The SaberCats added a field goal and a touchdown during the fourth.
“We’re glad to start it off with this momentum,” coach Campbell said. “More importantly, though, just to get back into a sense of normal. I know it’s become a cliché term, but we got a normal football season.
“We’re very pleased with the victory. But it’s back to work because we have a big one next week.”
The Mustangs (0-1, 0-0) will look to bounce back as they kick off District 16-5A DI play against crosstown rival McAllen High at 7 p.m. Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Meanwhile, the SaberCats (1-0, 0-0) prepare for a non-district clash against the Harlingen High Cardinals (1-0, 0-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg.
“We ain’t ever played easy and we ain’t soft either,” Rivera said. “We’re coming and we’re coming harder than ever. One thing I have to say to Harlingen is we’re coming.”