BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
WESLACO — Though Weslaco East and Weslaco High are separated by less than three miles, their offensive approaches couldn’t have been farther apart.
The Wildcats bolted up and down the field Friday at Bobby Lackey Stadium with speed, immediacy and flash. The Panthers powered and plodded their way to points on clock-killing drives.
Both were effective, but the fight for the District 31-6A crown turned on the game’s lone turnover. Weslaco High junior linebacker Jordan Nichols stripped East running back Emilio Tamez with 4:25 left in the third quarter, handing the Panthers the extra possession they needed to win 35-28, clinching a second straight 31-6A championship.
“It feels good, especially when we’re playing against another Weslaco school,” Nichols said. “This district basically revolves around Weslaco now. Weslaco High and Weslaco East are the top team in this district every year, but tonight, we showed the Panthers are on top.”
Weslaco High (8-2, 6-0) begins the postseason next Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Bobby Lackey Stadium against Los Fresnos (9-1, 6-1 District 32-6A). The Panthers will enter with a six-game winning streak.
At the time of Nichols pivotal forced fumble, East trailed 28-21 and looked to draw the game to its fourth tie. But Nichols was at the right place at the right time.
“You can always count on him,” Panthers linebacker Austin Sauceda said. “He means what he says, and he plays like it, too. That guy plays with so much energy.”
Up until that point, both teams had traded punches. East opened with a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from JC Vargas. While Vargas’ big play sent Wildcats fans into a storm, Panthers running back Brian Guerra was not quite as elated.
“It made us angry,” Guerra said. “It made us want to go out there and play harder. It motivated us.”
Vargas’ return galvanized Guerra to the tune of 129 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. As a team, the Panthers ran for 382 yards. The bulk of the Panthers’ production came on sweeps to the outside, an element which has not been a strong suit this season.
“It finally worked for us,” Guerra said. “Those types of runs really haven’t been there for us all season, but for whatever reason, they were there tonight.”
Weslaco first tied the game at 7 late in the first quarter when Jonathan Martinez carried the ball into the end zone from the 3-yard line. Martinez finished with three scores, including a 28-yard run in the third quarter that gave the Panthers a 28-21 lead they would never relinquish.
“The second half was key,” Weslaco High coach Tony Villarreal said. “(East) looked tired, and the kids told me at halftime, ‘Coach, let’s run right at ‘em.’ And that’s what we did, and ultimately, we scored.”
The Panthers graced the end zone on their first five possessions and did not punt until there was 5:23 left in the game. While Weslaco continued to score, East’s offense stalled. During the second half, the Wildcats fumbled and were forced to punt with their lone touchdown coming from Emilio Tamez to draw East within one touchdown.
“Our coaching staff did a good job and so did our kids,” East coach Mike Burget said. “We played a good team tonight, and we played with a lot of character. My kids have showed it all year. We had our chances, things just didn’t work out.”
The Wildcats (7-2, 5-1) opens the playoffs with a bi-district matchup against Brownsville Veterans Memorial (7-3, 4-3 District 32-6A). The game will be played at Bobby Lackey Stadium on a date that is yet to be determined.
QUIET NIGHT
East’s offense has been driven in large part by the play of Tamez and multi-positional athlete Ciro Rojas. While Tamez rushed for 131 yards and a score on 16 carries, Rojas was relatively quiet, finishing with 19 rushing yards and a TD on just three carries.
“We tried to take (Rojas) away,” Villarreal said. “We game-planned for him. I thought we did a good job of taking him out of the game, but we still got burned by (Tamez).”
ONE TOWN
Last year’s game between these teams ended without a midfield handshake. This year, Panthers and Wildcats alike gathered on the field in a huddle as a show of solidarity that transcended the gridiron.
“This game was about who is better, but it wasn’t about hate,” Nichols said. “We’re all from Weslaco, and we all want to do well for our friends and family.”
BETTER THAN IT LOOKED
Weslaco High running back Major Free suffered what looked to be a severe knee injury during the third quarter. Free’s leg bent in an awkward position and he needed help getting to his feet. He walked to the sideline under his own power, however, and returned to the game.
Free finished with 84 yards on 10 carries.