Bobcats win bi-district battle over Chargers, advance to area for first time in 15 years
EDINBURG — One year ago, the Edinburg Bobcats were bounced from the bi-district round of the playoffs at the hands of the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers.
On Thursday, the Bobcats got their get back by returning the favor with a 24-13 victory over the Chargers at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg to send EHS into the area round for the first time since 2010.
Edinburg improves to 7-4 overall and will meet the winner between Eagle Pass and San Marcos in next week’s area round, while Brownsville Veterans ends its year with a 7-4 record.
“What a great environment. These kids deserve it, they played hard,” first-year Edinburg head coach Joe Peña said about his Bobcats after the win. “Hats off to Brownsville Vets. They’re a great ball club. It was a great game. It’s what we wanted and it’s what we got.”
The Bobcats are a senior heavy team who have been knocking on the door of the second round of the playoffs the previous three years with no answer.
Finally, Edinburg’s senior group kicked the area round door down by securing the program’s first playoff win in 15 years on Thursday against a team with tremendous postseason success in recent years in Brownsville Veterans.
“It feels like a curse and we broke it,” receiver Jude Vega said. “I couldn’t do it without these guys — my teammates, my coaches, everyone here. It was a team effort and I give all glory to God.”
The Bobcats trailed the Chargers 13-7 midway through the third quarter before ripping off 17-straight points and forcing three fourth-quarter turnovers defensively.
Edinburg quarterback Aidden Sanchez kept plays alive with his legs to hit open receivers downfield, running back Tyler Galvan found running room behind the Bobcats’ offensive line, and kicker Chris Barrera was money when called upon with three minutes left in the fourth quarter to make it a 24-13 game with a 21-yard field goal.
“Going into halftime, Coach (Peña) made some adjustments and said this isn’t over. We got two more quarters and we’re going to fight,” Vega said. “We showed the grit we have and overcame adversity.”
Vega was on the receiving end of a 20-yard touchdown from Sanchez late during the third quarter to give the Bobcats a 14-13 lead. TJ Hamman and Nate Peña were on the receiving end of Sanchez’s two other touchdown passes in the first and fourth quarters, respectively.
Defense has been the Bobcats’ calling card all season and they were flying to the football and laying the wood when they got there to slow the Chargers’ ground game.
Edinburg’s defensive line of Esteban Damian, David Garza, Diego Gonzalez and Uziel Flores set the tone in the trenches and controlled the line of scrimmage. Their play up front allowed linebackers Orly Martinez, Moises Hernandez and RJ Ramirez to roam free at the second level while the Bobcats secondary stepped up in run support.
Damian and Garza recovered fumbles, and Martinez came up with an interception in the fourth quarter and nearly returned it for a Bobcats touchdown.
“It feels great getting this done with this group that I’ve been with since 8th grade,” Damian said. “Our defense was just on fire today. We had great pass rush, great tackling, great play in the secondary. The whole defense came together and played as one.”
