Patriots Hold the Line: Mission Veterans Surges Past Sharyland 28–16 in Defensive Battle
MISSION — In a turnover-strewn district opener that swung repeatedly on defense and field position, Mission Veterans Memorial outlasted Sharyland, 28–16, on Friday at Tom Landry Stadium, sealing the result with a methodical fourth-quarter drive and two critical goal-line stands.
Mission Veterans led 14–7 at halftime after a bruising first half defined by sacks, strips, and short fields. The Patriots opened the scoring with a quarterback keeper and later added a fourth-down touchdown pass over the middle to make it 14–0. Sharyland answered before the break with a touchdown to cut the margin to 14–7 and went into the locker room with momentum.
The Rattlers carried that energy into the second half, leaning on a two-back set and downhill runs to move the chains. A mix of pitch plays and inside zone calls set up a short touchdown to tie the game 14–14 midway through the third quarter.
The Patriots responded immediately. Quarterback Roman Reyna scrambled twice to keep the drive alive, then powered his way across the goal line on a short keeper to put Mission Veterans back in front 21–14. But Sharyland’s defense struck back, forcing an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone for a safety to narrow the deficit to 21–16 and give the Rattlers a spark heading into the fourth.
Just when it seemed momentum had flipped, the Patriots’ defense took control. Sharyland drove deep into the red zone twice in the final quarter, but Mission Veterans delivered the plays of the night — stuffing a fourth-and-goal run at the 1-yard line and later intercepting a pass in the end zone to preserve the lead.
On the ensuing possession, Mission Veterans bled the clock with a series of screens, inside runs, and a crucial fourth-down completion to sustain the drive. Reyna finished it himself, keeping on a short run for his third rushing touchdown of the night to make it 28–16 with just under four minutes remaining.
Sharyland’s offense never threatened again, as the Patriots’ defensive front closed the game with pressure and sure tackling. In a five-team district where every game carries playoff implications, Mission Veterans starts 1–0 after surviving a defensive slugfest and protecting the goal line when it mattered most.
Sharyland, which moved the ball effectively between the 20s but struggled to finish drives, falls to 0–1 in district play and will look to regroup at home next week.
