LA VILLA — The Lyford Bulldogs entered the 2023 football season motivated after opening the season unranked in the RGVSports.com Sub-5A top 4 poll.
A season-opening win against then-No. 1 Port Isabel sent a statement across the RGV.
The Bulldogs added another statement win Friday, taking down No. 4 La Villa 28-12 during a non-district game at Cardinal Stadium in La Villa for their second straight victory over a top-four team.
“It was kind of slap in the face seeing the rankings, so it was motivating,” Lyford quarterback Aiden Olivas-Romo said. “We’re expected to be the little guys, but to come out and perform the way we have, it is a big boost. At the same time, boosts only last so long, so we have to keep working hard toward our goal.”
Olivas-Romo has been a big key to the Bulldogs’ 2-0 start to the season, opening the year with a 442-total-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Tarpons.
He followed it with another big day against the Cardinals, going 9-of-14 for 161 yards and two touchdowns, and adding 65 yards and a score on 12 carries. The senior athlete added an interception on defense during the fourth.
“He’s our general on offense,” Lyford head coach Jerry Jauregui said. “He commands that offense. He had a couple of mistakes, but we’ll get that cleaned up and be ready for the next week.”
After a slow first quarter, Olivas-Romo and the Bulldogs’ offense roared to life during the second, adding a pair of touchdowns to take a 13-6 advantage into the break.
First, the signal-caller got it down through the air, finding Adrian Chavez on a screen pass for the 44-yard score.
After a touchdown pass by La Villa quarterback Brandon Felix to freshman Isaiah Felix, Olivas-Romo marched the offense 72 yards down the field for another score, this time taking it himself from 19 yards to give his team the one-score advantage at the break.
Momentum seemed to shift to the Cardinals after a 32-yard touchdown scamper by Brandon Felix cut it to 13-12 during the third.
Olivas-Romo and the Lyford offense had other plans, however. A five-yard touchdown run by Pedro Rosas extended the lead to 21-12 during the third, with Olivas-Romo delivering a pass in stride to Armando De La Garza during the fourth to make it 28-12.
The Cardinals wouldn’t go down without a fight, however, with Felix attempting to will his team to victory during the final period. An interception by Olivas-Romo of Felix during the final minutes, however, all but sealed the victory for the Bulldogs.
Felix finished the night 8-of-17 for 104 yards and a score, adding 86 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
“Kudos to No. 6 (Felix),” Jauregui said. “He’s a shifty little guy, and there is a reason these guys have won back-to-back district titles. They have a good solid team. Coach Dan Perez does a heck of job getting them ready to go. I want to go ahead and give all the glory to God through the hard times and the good times. Fortunately for us, tonight were good times tonight.”
The Bulldogs (2-0) continue non-district play against Raymondville at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bulldog Stadium in Lyford.
The Cardinals (1-1) hit the road for a non-district game against the Santa Rosa Warriors (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Warrior Stadium.
