Speights scores four, lifts McAllen Memorial past PSJA Memorial in 42-38 thriller

ALAMO — With the game on the line and less than two minutes remaining, McAllen Memorial went back to what it does best.

Run the football.

Senior running back Braxton Speights scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the night with 10 seconds remaining, capping a late go-ahead drive and lifting the Mustangs past PSJA Memorial 42-38 in a District 16-5A DI thriller Thursday night.

The victory moved McAllen Memorial to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in district play, giving the Mustangs back-to-back wins after snapping a three-game skid with a 75-49 victory over Rio Grande City.

For Speights, Memorial’s difficult early-season schedule helped prepare the Mustangs for exactly the kind of game they found themselves in Thursday.

“You know, I’m really proud of us,” Speights said. “The losses, they’re three pretty good teams. McHi, Weslaco — they’re fast and physical. Los Fresnos is Los Fresnos. Obviously, each game didn’t come out how we wanted it, but I feel like each game we learned a lesson. At the end of the day, that’s why you play the hard teams, to learn lessons and prepare yourselves for close games like this where you have to grind it out a little bit.”

McAllen Memorial struck quickly.

Junior receiver Izaiah Gonzalez caught a slant and broke free for the opening touchdown before PSJA Memorial answered with a touchdown pass to senior receiver Matthew Garza.

Speights put Memorial back in front with his first rushing touchdown, but Garza scored again to make it 14-14.

Senior running back Oscar Jasso provided the next explosive play, breaking loose for a 75-yard touchdown run to give Memorial a 21-14 advantage.

“This offense is capable of great things, and we knew we had to come in here and score,” Jasso said. “We knew we had to execute for the team and get the job done.”

Jasso said he and Speights continue to push one another despite sharing carries in Memorial’s crowded backfield.

“We’re always taking accountability for one another,” Jasso said. “He tells me what I need to get better at, and I tell him what he needs to get better at. And we always talk about blocking too, just to get those good blocks so we both get good runs.”

PSJA Memorial answered again when sophomore Leo Maravilla broke a tackle and turned a completion into a touchdown to tie the game at 21.

Memorial responded before halftime. Following a long return by junior Vincente Valdez, Speights took a pitch approximately 30 yards for his second touchdown, sending the Mustangs into the break ahead 28-21.

The Wolverines flipped the game in the third quarter.

Junior quarterback Joshua Bautista finished PSJA Memorial’s opening possession with a short rushing touchdown to tie the game at 28. Senior running back Onesimo Perez later powered in from four yards out, giving the Wolverines their first lead at 35-28.

PSJA Memorial outscored the Mustangs 14-0 in the third quarter.

Jasso said the message on Memorial’s sideline remained simple.

“Keep our head high and just go out there and have fun and score,” Jasso said.

Speights answered early in the fourth, breaking tackles on his way to his third rushing touchdown. The extra point tied the game at 35 with 9:21 remaining.

Memorial never moved away from its rushing identity.

“I feel like we’re a running team,” Speights said. “We’ve been a running team for like 20-plus years. We go into games expecting them to know we’re gonna run, and we don’t want that to matter. We’re gonna do what we do.”

Speights said having Jasso beside him also makes it difficult for defenses to focus entirely on stopping one player.

“With me, I know they’re gonna have eyes on me, but I just try to grind out as much yards as possible,” Speights said. “At the end of the day, I have number three right next to me that can go ahead and make a play too. So it’s never too much pressure or anything. It’s just, you know, just gotta do what you gotta do for the team to win.”

PSJA Memorial put together a lengthy fourth-quarter possession before Memorial’s defense kept the Wolverines out of the end zone.

Senior kicker Gael Maravilla still delivered, drilling a 42-yard field goal from the right hash despite a low snap and difficult hold to give PSJA Memorial a 38-35 lead with 1:53 remaining.

That left the Mustangs one final opportunity.

Memorial took over near midfield with 1:48 left and two timeouts. On the first play, Valdez came around on an end-around and raced down the sideline before being brought down near the PSJA Memorial 12.

The Mustangs leaned on Speights from there, working the ball down to the 2-yard line as the clock continued to run.

With 10 seconds remaining, Speights took another sweep, cut inside and crossed the goal line for his fourth touchdown of the night.

The extra point made it 42-38.

PSJA Memorial had one final desperation play following the kickoff, but Memorial kept the Wolverines out of the end zone to secure the win.

Speights said the Mustangs are beginning to come together after entering the season with several younger and less experienced players.

“We’ve kind of had a lot of new guys, a lot of younger guys, so we’ve kind of pulled each other along,” Speights said. “But now we’re kind of putting it together, and I feel like it’s shown the past two weeks.”

The Mustangs have scored 117 points over their last two games and worked their way back into the District 16-5A DI race.

PSJA Memorial falls to 2-4 overall after pushing Memorial to the final seconds.

McAllen Memorial returns home to face Mission at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, while PSJA Memorial travels to face Rio Grande City at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.