GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA — All season long, Weslaco East running back Alexis Cervantes has been patiently waiting his turn.
With newcomer Lupe Moron leading the offense, and District 31-6A, with 1,783 rushing yards during the regular season, Cervantes had been relegated to a secondary role.
But, when Moron left Friday’s playoff game against La Joya Palmview after only his second carry because of an ankle injury, Cervantes and the rest of East’s backs stepped up. Six different players scored rushing touchdowns for Weslaco East as the Wildcats routed the Lobos 56-6.
“In my mind, I knew I needed to step it up and help my team,” Cervantes said. “Help Lupe. Sometimes he gets hurt, so I’m right behind him, ready to be back there and do my job.”
The win moves the Wildcats into the regional round of the playoffs for the third time in five years, and first since 2011. East will face the winner of today’s game between Cibolo Steele and San Antonio Northside Brennan at 7 p.m. next Friday at Buc Stadium in Corpus Christi. Both teams were ranked in the top 10 in the final AP poll of the regular season, with Steele checking in at No. 9 and Brennan ranked No. 5.
“I know we’re going to be big underdogs,” Weslaco East coach Mike Burget said. “People are going to say we don’t have a shot. But those kids don’t believe that. Our coaching staff doesn’t believe that.”
The Wildcats chances will take a significant hit if Moron is unable to play. The senior transfer from La Villa has been nursing an ankle injury for the past few games, although it has rarely shown. He’s run for at least 125 yards and scored multiple touchdowns in every game since Week 4.
Moron sprinted for an 81-yard score on his first carry Friday, but twisted the injured ankle awkwardly on his second rush and did not return to the game.
Burget was optimistic Moron would be ready, but said he wouldn’t risk Moron’s future by playing him before he’s healthy. Moron is confident he’ll be a go.
“I’ve just been playing through pain, having mental toughness, but today it was just too much,” Moron said. “I’ll be good. The trainers will have me up to full speed again.”
If not, East will again lean on the stable of rushers and star quarterback that helped the team amass 530 yards on Friday. Palmview’s defense allowed an average of just 102.5 yards per game on the ground during the regular season, including holding vaunted McAllen Memorial to 274.
Quarterback Darren Rivas led the way, carrying 16 times for 160 yards and three scores. For the year, he now has 1,236 yards and 19 touchdowns.
“I had to step up,” Rivas said. “We have a lot of backs that can run the ball. Everybody is getting touches, and we were moving the ball. The line did great today.”
Cervantes carried 11 times for 133 yards and a score.
Alejandro Flores ran three times for 26 yards and his first touchdown of the season, a special moment for a senior coming off what Burget called a severe knee injury last year.
Angel Flores ran 5 times for 80 yards and his first touchdown since Week 2.
And Emilio Tamez — a junior Burget referred to as “our future” — carried three times for 24 yards and a score.
“We have other football players, and they showed that,” Burget said. “Those guys have been waiting patiently. All of those guys average around 6 yards per carry on the year, so we know we have backs. We knew we would be OK.”
For Palmview, the loss ends a historic season in which the Lobos captured their first winning season, first playoff appearance and first playoff win in school history.
“I just kept telling them that nobody expected us to be here,” coach Margarito Requenez said. “We were trying to prove people wrong. We didn’t show up to play tonight.”