By MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
CORPUS CHRISTI — The Port Isabel Tarpons came out against the Sinton Pirates and played aggressively on both sides of the ball, leading to a slim halftime lead.
Unfortunately for the Tarpons, the second half was not so kind.
The Tarpons netted just one defensive stop and one offensive score during the second half, and the Pirates posted 37 points in the final two quarters as they rolled to a 50-30 Class 4A Division II bi-district victory Friday night at Corpus Christi’s Buc Stadium.
Sinton scored on four of its six second-half possessions, outscoring the Tarpons — who held a three-point lead at halftime — 37-13.
“We came out and did what we had to do and had the lead at halftime,” Port Isabel coach Jason Strunk said. “We came out in the second half and gave up 37 points. That’s unacceptable. It can’t happen. I’m going to start fixing that on Monday. It’s two years in a row now that we let one slip away in the second half of the playoffs. It’s my mission to fix it, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Pirates trailed 17-13 at the half but came out of the break firing, taking the opening possession 70 yards in nine plays for a 9-yard touchdown run by Rene Galvan, who cleaned up a Rylan Galvan fumble in the backfield in the process, to make it 21-17 after a two-point conversion.
After Rylan Galvan scored on 4-yard run on the next drive to make it 28-17, Jake Pinkerton returned the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for a Tarpons score to make it a four-point game.
Rylan Galvan scored two more scores on runs of 22 and five yards on the next two possessions to make it 43-24 early in the fourth.
Joey Kreighbaum hit Brayan Medina for an 11-yard pass for a score to make it 43-30, but Rene Galvan added a 15-yard score late to put the game on ice.
After Sinton scored on a 16-yard Rylan Galvan touchdown run on its opening possession, Port Isabel’s Mac Strunk got in the end zone on a 6-yard run two plays later to tie the game at 7 with 6:47 to play in the first.
Mac Strunk was given carries in the Wildcat formation and various other looks, leading to his best game of a season in which he dealt with lower-body injuries.
“It was my best game,” Mac Strunk said. “I wanted to leave it all out there, and I don’t care what happens, I’m going to get carted off. We moved the ball pretty good on (Sinton), but (in the) second half they figured out the plays and just hit us in the mouth.”
Galvan put Sinton ahead with his second score of the first half to make it 13-7 after a missed extra point seconds into the second quarter.
Strunk once again helped provide a quick answer as he hit a wide-open Medina for a 28-yard halfback pass for a touchdown to make it 14-13 with 10:15 to play in the first half.
The Tarpons led 17-13 at the break following Angel Fernandez’s 21-yard field goal with 12 seconds to play before the break.
Medina received a bulk of the carries and wrapped up another 1,000-yard season.
“We came out strong and had the best week of practice all year,” Medina said. “We were confident we were going to win, and we came out in the second half and didn’t come out as strong. They came out stronger than we did in the second half. We fought for it, and I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates.”
It was a rough, injury-filled season, but Jason Strunk was pleased with the performance Friday night.
“The kids know what we have dealt with every week this year,” he said. “Our freshmen team was undefeated this year, so we know we’re laying the groundwork. These kids battled and played tough. The people that were with us all year long and in our corner — we’re grateful. It isn’t what we wanted, but the building blocks are there and we’re going to continue to build. These kids battled all year long through injuries, and it’s incredible to have a lead at halftime.”