McALLEN — The McAllen High Bulldogs punched their ticket back to the Class 5A Division I state playoffs for the third consecutive season with a 9-6 victory over crosstown rival McAllen Rowe on Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Bulldogs (7-2, 4-2) blocked a 34-yard field goal attempt by the Warriors with 1:26 left in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Rowe (4-5, 3-3) is eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
“It was a great game on both sides. Kids did a great job, both teams came out and played tonight,” McHi head coach Patrick Shelby said. “It was a physical game and the rivalry games are always great. Tough ball game, I’m just happy for our boys tonight. They did a great job grinding it out.”
Running backs from both sides stole the show offensively as McHi’s Jayden Herrera and Rowe’s Isaiah Mata kept the chains moving for their squads.
Herrera and the Bulldogs dominated the first half, as he scored on a 10-yard run on fourth-and-inches, giving McHi the early advantage. Punter Max Alvarez pinned the Warriors at their own 1-yard line late in the first quarter, and the Bulldogs’ defense forced intentional grounding in the end zone on the next play, resulting in a safety and a 9-0 lead at the half for McHi. Herrera finished with 144 rushing yards and a score to lead McHi.
“We just kept pounding the rock and kept driving. The defense did their job and we came out with the win,” Herrera said. “My big boys, they make lanes and I just hit them. It’s all them, all their work and I run behind them. I love ‘em.”
Rowe came roaring back in the second half, however, as Mata and the Warriors’ offensive line got going on the ground. Mata had 130 of his 172 rushing yards after the break, including a 13-yard touchdown run up the middle with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Warriors had a chance to tie or take the lead twice late with the ball in the red zone, but McHi’s defense stuffed back-to-back run plays at its own 8 to force a turnover on downs before the missed field goal attempt.
The Bulldogs move on to face another crosstown rival in McAllen Memorial (6-3, 4-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“That’s going to be another great game. We just got to get better every single week,” Shelby said. “It starts tomorrow in the film room, and then we got to have a great week of practice because they are a really good football team over there at Memorial.”
The Warriors close the regular season against Edinburg Vela (8-1, 5-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg.
