Edinburg slips by PSJA in district opener thriller, 17–14
PHARR — Defense, special teams gambles, and one late kick decided it. Edinburg survived PSJA High’s fourth-quarter surge to win 17–14 on Thursday at PSJA Stadium in the District 31-6A opener.
Edinburg built a 14–0 cushion behind a steady first half from quarterback Aiden Sanchez, who guided a 10-yard rushing score and later floated a touchdown to the back of the end zone before halftime. “We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we came out and showed out,” Sanchez said. “That loss earlier this year changed everyone as a person and as men. Every game since then has been different.”
PSJA punched back just before the break when Dylan Rodriguez bought time and fired a dart that Ramsey Arroyo hauled in with a one-handed grab to make it 14–7. The Bears then opened the second half with an onside recovery, and in the fourth quarter their defense delivered the jolt they needed: Angel De La Rosa jumped a route and sprinted the distance for a pick-six, knotting the game at 14–14 and igniting the home crowd.
From there, both defenses traded stops. Twice, PSJA drove deep only to be turned away by sacks and negative plays—missed chances that loomed larger as the clock wound down. Edinburg finally broke the stalemate with a 25-yard field goal with 4:47 to play, reclaiming the lead at 17–14.
PSJA had one last possession, crossing midfield before an incompletion on fourth down ended the threat. Rodriguez finished over 140 passing yards, frequently connecting with Riley Limon and J.D. Sauceda, while Devin Hernandez and Grayson Cabrera provided timely runs. But Edinburg’s front kept relentless pressure, stacking multiple drive-killing sacks inside the red zone.
Sanchez credited the Bobcats’ composure in the closing minutes. “A lot of pressure on me and our team,” he said. “On our previous loss, it was pretty hard down on the one-yard line, and we just built off that. We came out together as a team, as a family — all to God.”
What’s next: Edinburg (1–0 district) visits La Joya. PSJA (0–1) travels to Edinburg Economedes, looking to turn Thursday’s late-game grit into a finishing kick.
