Patriots surge past Pace 41–14 to open playoffs
MISSION — Mission Veterans Memorial turned a tight first quarter into a runaway, powering past Brownsville Pace 41–14 on Thursday night at Tom Landry Stadium to advance in the Class 5A Division II bi-district round.
Senior RB Benji Martinez was the engine, ripping off chunk gains all night, including a 58-yard burst early in the third that broke it open. He finished with three rushing touchdowns and set up another score with a long catch-and-run.
Sophomore QB Roman Reyna added two touchdown passes — including strikes to Fernando Villarreal and Joey Hernandez — and kept Pace honest with timely keepers. “We spent all week watching film,” Reyna said. “If we executed, we’d get the dub — and we did.”
After a 7–7 start, Veterans’ defense slammed the door. Edge menace Cuauhtémoc Labastida lived in the backfield and Quinten Valverde jumped a fourth-quarter route for a pick-six that iced it. “Our defense flipped the switch in the second half,” Reyna said. “They supported the offense and that changed the game.”
Pace struck first on a 30-yard catch-and-run by tight end Brandon Salazar, but the Patriots answered with Martinez from short range and never trailed again. Veterans’ secondary smothered the Vikings’ vertical game the rest of the way, forcing hurried throws and short fields.
Reyna looked poised throughout, distributing to Hernandez, Villarreal and Fabian Ruiz while leaning on Martinez to churn clock. “They were in man coverage,” Reyna said. “We trust our athletes at receiver, so we just went out and executed.” He added later, “We’re an explosive team. We knew what we had to do when we got in the locker room.”
The win caps a 10–1 start and extends Veterans’ streak to seven. “I’m proud of all my guys,” Reyna said. “Early on people didn’t even have us top 50 — now we’re district champs.” On the program’s identity, he was blunt: “We don’t quit — we play to the fourth quarter. That’s who we are.”
With the area round on deck against the winner of Corpus Christi Miller vs Victoria West, Reyna kept the outlook measured: “One day at a time. Playoffs bring a tough opponent and high energy, but it’s still one day at a time.”
