PHARR — On the first play from scrimmage San Benito senior quarterback Smiley Silva hit Juan Constante on a 68-yard bomb that put the Greyhounds on the board.
The big play was one of many from Silva, who accounted for five touchdowns and led the Greyhounds to a 34-13 win over the Bears in the Valley Morning Star’s game of the Week.
The victory gives the Greyhounds back-to-back wins as they head into a Week 4 battle with Laredo United. Despite the big play early on, the ’Hounds shook off a shaky first half that saw the offense post just 12 points.
“The coaches did a great job with adjustments,” San Benito coach Dan Gomez said. “That is what coaching is about. Any time you get an opportunity to make your team better, you have to take advantage of it and our coaches did that.”
Leading 12-10 at the half, the Greyhounds needed a spark and got it on the first play of the second half when Silva turned lose for a 54-yard score and helped set the tone the rest of the way. Silva ran for three scores and threw for two more and ran for 164 yards on 24 carries.
“We went into the lockeroom and made some adjustments,” Silva said. “We came out in the second half and executed and got the job done. That first play in the second half pumped every one up and got us going.”
Backing up Silva was the San Benito defense that yielded just three second-half points and forced two turnovers. The Greyhounds wound up outscoring the Bears 22-3 in the final two quarters.
After a 75-yard run from Silva, the QB threw his second touchdown pass to Kyler Castilleja on a 19-yard screen play that put the Greyhounds ahead 27-13 mid way through the third quarter. “Everyone on offense picked it up in the second half,” Gomez said. “(The goal) is always to get turnovers. We can always get better, but again it was the adjustments at the half and our kids responded well to those adjustments.”
Silva hit two different receivers for touchdowns and ran for a 19- and 15-yard score to go add to his total on the night and helped the offense rack up 330 yards.
