Cardinals’ offense erupts, reclaim Bird Bowl crown
BY IVAN PALACIOS
STAFF WRITER
HARLINGEN — Harlingen High got off to a slow start Friday night, punting during its first two drives.
Everything changed in a span of nine seconds midway through the second.
Following a 35-yard touchdown scamper by quarterback Randy Morales, the Harlingen High defense immediately returned the ball to its offense, forcing a fumble inside enemy territory.
The turnover sparked the Cardinals to life, erupting for 30 points during the final three periods to cruise past Harlingen South 37-7 in the RGVSports.com Game of the Week.
“Momentum is difficult to create sometimes,” Harlingen High head coach Manny Gomez said. “It’s like a freak of nature. In basketball, you can just call a timeout. In football, it’s something that’s hard to do. We were able to capitalize and do that. It’s like anything, after a while it causes a snowball effect. We’re just thankful our kids executed, did what they needed to do and came out on top.”
After the turnover, Harlingen High outscored the Hawks 30-7, with running back Izaiah Bell rumbling in for a pair of touchdowns,. Wideout Aiden Sandoval added scores through the air and on the ground.
Bell finished with 49 yards on 10 carries for two touchdowns. Sandoval recorded seven catches for 76 yards and a score, adding one carry for 13 yards and a touchdown.
“I’m just glad I got the chance,” Sandoval said. “Coach called my play and let me do my thing. I couldn’t do it without my O-line, though. They made some amazing blocks on that last touchdown, and I just followed them in.”
Harlingen South shook off the rust after the Cardinals’ second touchdown of the night, cutting into the deficit on a 13-yard touchdown pass from August Wilson to Seth Vergara.
The Cardinals’ defense buckled down after the score, holding the Hawks to just 49 yards of offense in the second half.
Harlingen High (1-0, 0-0) continues its non-district slate with a matchup against Mercedes at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Stadium in Mercedes. The Hawks (0-1, 0-0) host Weslaco High at 7 p.m. Friday at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen.
