Galvan delivers as Cardinals shut down Greyhounds

HARLINGEN — Big players make big plays in big games.

When Harlingen High senior quarterback Jaime Galvan took the field, it was evident he would not be stopped.

On the second play of the game, Galvan hit Rayden Berry on a screen pass that went 87 yards for the score and helped set the tone for the night.

Galvan directed Big Red’s offense with his legs, rushing for three scores and 157 yards as Harlingen High dismantled rival San Benito 35-13 in the 89th edition of the Battle of the Arroyo and in the Valley Morning Star’s Game of the Week.

“They went Cover 0 on us and we were able to sneak Rayden out, and that is one of those things that our coaches do a good job of and Jaime saw it,” Cards coach Manny Gomez said. “They were able to execute that play. We did what we had to do, thank god.”

Galvan accounted for five touchdowns on the night, but the Greyhounds took advantage of an early interception during the first quarter. On fourth-and-4, Kyler Castilleja scored a 15-yard touchdown that gave San Benito a 7-6 lead, the only lead the Greyhounds held.

On the next drive, Galvan answered with a passing touchdown to Donny Serna that gave Harlingen High a 13-7 lead.

After that, Galvan dazzled the home crowd with a 27-yard QB keeper that pushed the lead to 20-7, and he followed that with an 84-yard score that made it 28-7 Cardinals late in the third quarter. Galvan capped off his night with a 2-yard score late in the fourth quarter.

“Mr. Galvan is a competitor,” Gomez said. “His energy and juice spreads like wildfire with this team, and not just tonight but weeks prior.”

Through the air, Galvan went 5-for-13 for 139 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

“I think I felt a little bit of everything when I took the field tonight,” an emotional Galvan said. “I was mad, motivated, there was just a lot of emotion. This is great, it feels great. This is what we work for every day, and week by week. We had two weeks to prepare for this game, and we came out tonight and did what we were supposed to do.”

Galvan was named the Great American Rivalry’s most valuable player in the win.

“The only way I got this MVP was because of my team,” Galvan said. “They was no way I could have gotten this without my brothers out there. They helped me out. Right now I feel great, and we are not done yet and the season isn’t done yet.”

The Cardinals are 1-0 in district play and meet Hanna next week at home. San Benito will play host to Harlingen South next week. The Greyhounds and Hawks will be in search of their first district win of the season.