SAN BENITO — After an interception by Weslaco High defensive back Chris Luna ended San Benito’s second overtime drive, the Panthers knew they only needed one score to win.
Weslaco High head coach Roy Stroman didn’t hesitate following the pick, dialing up a deep ball to wideout Frankie Trevino on the first play of the ensuing drive.
The Panthers’ play call paid off, with senior quarterback Andres Sepulveda hitting wideout Frankie Trevino in stride for the go-ahead 25-yard touchdown to secure the No. 3 Panthers 27-21 victory over the No. 2 Greyhounds on Friday at Bobby Morrow Stadium in San Benito.
“It came down to big-on-big,” Stroman said. “Sometimes we talk about putting the best we got against the best they got. Tonight, our guys did the job. They executed.”
The loss marks the first of the year for the Greyhounds, finishing the regular season 9-1 overall and 4-1 in district play.
The victory secured the Panthers’ first district title under head coach Roy Stroman and the first since 2015. They finish the regular season 10-0 overall and 5-0 in District 32-6A play.
“I can’t even put tonight into words,” Stroman said. “First and foremost, it was about our faith. This year, the kids dedicated this season to my mom, who passed away about three months ago. That’s been our guardian angel. She had the best seat in the house. Then No. 2, my hats off to the San Benito Greyhounds football team. All respect to Coach (Dan) Gomez and all of them. They’re a heck of a team. Then No. 3, it was about our kids and coaches who believed. We knew we had a standard to play to and we didn’t give up even when we were down.”
The Panthers opened the first overtime period with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Sepulveda to Jayden Garcia to take a 21-14 lead, his second touchdown pass of the night.
San Benito answered on an 11-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Aaron Corona to wideout Justin Montemayor on a fourth-and-7, tying the game at 21 and sending it to a second overtime period.
On the ensuing possession, the Greyhounds tried to capitalize on the momentum from their previous score, with Corona going deep to one of his receivers on the first play of the drive.
Weslaco High defensive back Chris Luna had different plans, snatching the ball out of the air, along with the momentum, to set up the game-winning drive.
“My coach just sets us up in the perfect position,” Luna said. “He told me to just stay patient and just be ready. I stayed patient and ready. The receiver and I both went up and thank God I was able to come down with the ball. We’ve been working for this since the summer. I told all my brothers at halftime I would put my life on the line for them. I feel amazing. I feel blessed.”
The Panthers wasted no time going for the win, with Stroman dialing up a long pass from Sepulveda to Trevino on the first play of the ensuing drive, which resulted in the game-winning score.
Sepulveda finished the game 13-of-20 for 232 yards and three touchdown passes. All three touchdown passes came after an interception from Sepulveda in the fourth quarter.
“I got to give all the credit to my teammates,” Sepulveda said. “The defense kept us in the game. They just lifted me up man. The defense told me after my interception to forget about it and that they’d get me a stop. That’s what they did. After that last interception, we just wanted to go in and get this game over with and claim our district title. All the glory goes to God.”
The Panthers and the Greyhounds now both turn their attention to the postseason, with Weslaco High set to compete in the Class 6A DII bracket and San Benito in the Class 6A DI bracket.
Weslaco opens the playoffs against Mission High at a date, time and location to be determined. San Benito faces Edinburg North in its playoff opener at a date, time and location to be determined.
