HARLINGEN — Two blue-blood Rio Grande Valley programs squared off in a defensive battle Saturday at Boggus Stadium in the Class 6A Division I bi-district playoff round.
Harlingen High’s defense held up for four quarters, and the ground game got rolling during the second half to lift the Cardinals to a 21-0 victory over the Edinburg High Bobcats (5-6).
“Any time you can win a game in the postseason, it’s a blessing,” Cardinals coach Manny Gomez said. “Both communities showed up today, and it was a fun afternoon. Never know what tomorrow’s going to bring, but we know that today, we brought what we needed to bring and we got it done. God is good. Super excited for our kids.”
The defenses were the key factor in a first half that had little offensive production. The first and only points didn’t hit the scoreboard until the final two minutes of the second quarter. Harlingen High held a 3-0 lead at halftime after a 35-yard field goal from senior kicker Joseph Garza.
Harlingen High reached the red zone twice during the first half. Its first trip ended with an interception by Bobcats defensive back Albert Armendariz. He overpowered a Cardinals receiver in the end zone as they both high-pointed the pass and got hands on it, but Armendariz secured and hauled it in. Armendariz and Derrick Galindo teamed up on another pass breakup in the end zone to hold Harlingen High to the field goal.
Edinburg High’s only trip inside the 25 during the first half resulted in a turnover on downs. The Cardinals were dominant against the run and applied consistent pressure to the quarterback. On fourth down, Christian Luna trucked through the offensive line for a sack to stop the drive.
The Cardinals were particularly strong along the defensive line to set the tone for the win. Pedro Silguero was a standout on the line, busting off blocks to pressure Edinburg High’s quarterback and contain the run game. Luna, Nathan Huerta, J.C. Moradel and Albert Vasquez helped lead the defensive effort.
“Any time you face Manny Gomez and the Harlingen Cardinals, I knew it was going to be one of those games where you better bring a defense,” Bobcats coach Rene Guzman said. “We just couldn’t get anything going offensively. We’ll take it not as a loss but as a learning experience and move forward.”
An interception by Vasquez and a pair of sacks from Silguero kept the Bobcats from building any momentum while firing up the Cardinals’ sideline. Aiden Sandoval and Kian Torres led Harlingen High’s run game that put the game out of reach.
Good punt returns from Sandoval and Torres’ speed got Harlingen High moving the ball more effectively in the second half. Torres broke away for a 63-yard gain on the Cardinals’ first offensive play of the third quarter, putting his team at first-and-goal on the 3. Yael Herrera spearheaded a strong Bobcats defensive effort to hold the Cardinals to a 19-yard field goal by Garza.
“Coach Guzman is a defensive-minded individual just like I am, so I knew he was going to bring some juice and some firepower,” Gomez said. “We knew we had to run right at them. We came up with a formation and had some success. We did some great things and adjusted.”
Senior quarterback Joe Lopez notched the first touchdown on a 2-yard keeper late in the third. Dominick Capetillo bullied his way into the end zone to start the fourth. Capetillo used extra effort to carry defenders on a tough 15-yard run, then finished the job with a 1-yard rushing touchdown. Lopez found Ian Solis for the two-point conversion.
Quarterback Roland Abrego Jr. played tough to lead a Bobcats offense that didn’t go down quietly. Running back Noel Serna had some success on the ground and Edinburg High attempted to go up-tempo when it moved the chains, but the Cardinals held firm.
“I saw Bobcat pride today,” Guzman said. “I saw these guys fight all four quarters. Sometimes you play four quarters and you don’t end up winning, but the score is not indicative of what the program is about.”
Harlingen High (8-3) will face Laredo United South (8-3) in the area round at 7 p.m. Friday in Rio Grande City. The teams faced off in Week 1, and the Cardinals claimed a 35-10 victory. That doesn’t mean they’ll be overlooking the Panthers in Round 2.
“It feels fantastic. All of us, we’ve put a lot of effort into this and we’ve dedicated ourselves to this,” Torres said. “I wouldn’t be anything without my O-line, receivers, quarterback committed to this. Everyone balled out today. It was an awesome win. We tightened up our chin straps and decided, hey, we got to go.
“We can’t slack off just because we beat them. We got to keep going. Excited to be here, excited to play the game I love.”
