Reyna, Vazquez keep Mission Veterans rolling in 44-20 win over PSJA Southwest

PHARR — The last time Mission Veterans walked off the field at PSJA Stadium, the Patriots had just been handed a 56-14 loss by PSJA North.

Mission Veterans head coach David Gilpin said that night forced his young team to make a choice.

“PSJA North gave us a wake-up call,” Gilpin said. “We’re either going to strap up and we’re going to go out there, we’re going to go toe to toe with whoever’s in front of us, or we’re going to have to go hide somewhere. And our kids made a decision to come out swinging. And they have ever since.”

The Patriots haven’t lost since.

Mission Veterans picked up its fourth straight victory Friday night, defeating PSJA Southwest 44-20 in a District 16-5A DII contest at PSJA Stadium.

Junior quarterback Roman Reyna accounted for four touchdowns, while junior running back Joseph Vazquez provided a pair of explosive scoring runs as Mission Veterans improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in district play.

Gilpin said the lopsided score against PSJA North did not tell the entire story of how his team played that night.

“Once we saw it on film and the kids understood that, ‘Hey, the score is not indicative of the way that we played. The score is the score. It is what it is,’ but they started to see, ‘Hey man, we can play at this level,’” Gilpin said. “And then they were able to come out and do that against Weslaco and Los Fresnos, and now a couple of really big district wins.”

Mission Veterans’ defense set the tone early Friday.

The Patriots drove deep into Southwest territory on their opening possession before losing a fumble near the goal line. Instead of allowing the turnover to swing momentum, the defense immediately answered.

Backed up near its own goal line, Southwest was dropped in the end zone on a quarterback keeper for a safety, giving Mission Veterans a 2-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Reyna and the Patriots took advantage of the ensuing possession.

Under pressure near the goal line, Reyna extended the play and found senior receiver Alejandro Melendez for the first touchdown of the night, stretching the lead to 9-0.

PSJA Southwest answered in the second quarter when junior Eddie Morales connected with junior Jordan Ramirez for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 9-7.

The response from Mission Veterans took just one offensive snap.

Vazquez broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run, immediately restoring the Patriots’ two-score advantage at 16-7.

Mission Veterans added another score just before halftime.

After the Patriots stopped a Southwest fake punt, Reyna moved the offense down the field and connected with senior receiver Fabian Ruiz in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Reyna then powered across on the two-point conversion to send Mission Veterans into halftime ahead 24-7.

Southwest came out of the break with life.

Senior running back Raul Garza, one of the Valley’s most productive runners through the early part of the season, finally broke through after being bottled up for most of the first half. Garza bounced outside and raced 66 yards for a touchdown to cut the Patriots’ lead to 24-13.

Gilpin said slowing Garza and Southwest’s rushing attack was the focus of the defensive game plan.

“They’re a good football team. We knew that coming in,” Gilpin said. “We knew we had to stop the run. Number four has been one of the leading rushers. He’s been Player of the Week in the Valley. He’s been a horse.”

Gilpin credited his defensive staff and players for keeping Southwest from consistently getting its running game going.

“We were really happy with our defensive game plan,” Gilpin said. “Really pleased with Coach Mendoza and his staff, what they had in place. We felt like we could do a good job at least slowing him down, and we did a pretty good job of shutting him down. He broke the long one on us there in the second half, and he’s a great running back.”

Mission Veterans answered Garza’s big play with another score of its own.

Facing fourth down later in the third quarter, Reyna kept the play alive with his legs and pushed the Patriots inside the Southwest 2-yard line. He finished the drive himself on a short touchdown run, giving him three total scores on the night.

Then Vazquez delivered another home-run play.

The junior broke free for a 79-yard touchdown, fighting through several defenders before racing into the open field for his second long score of the night.

Vazquez’s two touchdown runs covered a combined 154 yards and helped Mission Veterans build a 37-13 advantage.

Reyna put the finishing touches on his night during the fourth quarter. On fourth down, he escaped pressure, rolled right and found Melendez in space. The senior receiver turned the completion into another touchdown, giving Reyna his third passing score and fourth total touchdown of the night.

Southwest added a late touchdown after recovering a Mission Veterans fumble in the end zone, producing the final 44-20 margin.

Gilpin said the performance by his defense stood out against a Southwest team that entered the night 4-1.

“You got to give our defensive staff and our defensive boys a lot of credit tonight because they pretty much slowed down a really, really good football team,” Gilpin said. “Their two scores were both on explosive plays that you give them credit for. They made those plays. But by and large we were able to stop them, hold them and make them move the ball slowly. Just really proud of our bunch.”

The Patriots’ 5-1 start has come despite replacing most of the group that won a district championship last season.

“This is a brand-new team, man,” Gilpin said. “Roman was the only true starter. Some of the other guys played but weren’t true starters. Most of the guys were on JV. We got two sophomores and a freshman on offense tonight. We started two sophomores on defense. This is a young football team and our future looks really, really bright.”

Gilpin said the Patriots had to replace five of their top defensive players from last season, along with their entire offensive line, starting running back and four starting receivers.

“To be doing what they’re doing after we lost the players we lost — and we’re 5-1, 2-0 in district — that’s a tribute to what’s going on in the field house, in that locker room, with this coaching staff and with the group of boys that we have,” Gilpin said. “Good things are happening.”

Mission Veterans is now chasing a second straight district championship.

“Back-to-back is pretty awesome, right?” Gilpin said. “It’s not easy to do.”

The Patriots’ next test comes against one of their closest rivals, with Sharyland visiting Mission Veterans at 7 p.m. Friday.

“Sharyland is going to be Sharyland,” Gilpin said. “There’s going to be a ball game and you never take them lightly. They’re capable of stepping on that field and lighting you up at any time. Tremendous amount of respect for Coach Krell and his staff over there. I know Sharyland’s going to be ready, but so are we.”

PSJA Southwest, meanwhile, falls to 4-2 overall and 0-2 in district and will travel to face Juarez-Lincoln at 7 p.m. Thursday. Mission Veterans hosts Sharyland at 7 p.m. Friday.