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Top-ranked Falcons survive scare
from Vikings at Leo Aguilar Stadium
BY MIKE
GONZALEZ
The
Brownsville
Herald
Big plays proved to be the difference between survival and a
monumental upset.
Top-ranked Los Fresnos (4-0 in District 32-5A, 7-0 overall) narrowly
prevented itself from a huge disappointment and remained unbeaten
with a 32-22 win over Pace at Leo Aguilar Stadium on Friday night.
The Vikings (2-2, 2-5) pressured Falcon quarterback Jeremy Springer
all night long and were able to rattle him a little. The senior was
only 10-for-25 and was picked off once in the end zone, but like
most good signal callers, Springer still hurt Pace in more ways than
one. The senior threw for 243 yards and four touchdown passes. Wide
receiver Jorge Mata was a huge factor and Springer’s favorite target
as he caught five passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
Even though the defense was pushed around as well, the unit led by
Jeremy’s twin brother Justin Springer, came through in the fourth
quarter with two separate stops in the red zone. The first was a
forced fumble recovered by Justin Springer at the 15 with under five
minutes left followed by a stop as time was expiring. The Falcons
efforts paid off as they didn’t allow Pace to cut the lead and go
for an onsides kick. The middle linebacker also put the Vikings in a
hole by getting a key sack with under a minute left.
For Los Fresnos coach Scott Ford, whose team is now tied with
Weslaco for first place in District 32-5A, it’s a win he’ll take
while tipping his hat to the Vikings.
“I’ve got as much respect for coach (Rene) Medrano than any other
coach I’ve faced,” Ford said. “He always has his team’s prepared to
play.”
Jeremy Springer got things rolling in the second play of the game as
he found tailback Luis Campos down the field for a 62-yard touchdown
just 50 seconds into the game for a quick 7-0 lead. The Vikings gave
their first indication that this was not going to be a blowout by
responding with an 11-play, 80-yard drive culminated by Alex Garza’s
one-yard plunge to tie the game at seven still in the first quarter.
After the Falcons added another touchdown off Campos’ one-yard
scamper, Pace went back to work and put together another time
consuming drive. On the first play of the second quarter,
quarterback Juan Mendoza connected with Andres Martinez in the
corner for a 17-yard touchdown. The extra point gave the Vikings a
14-13 lead.
That lead didn’t last long thanks to the arm of Jeremy Springer. The
lefty went back to work and connected two more times with Esia
Rivera (3 catches, 25 yards, one down) and Mata on a 55-yarder for a
25-14 halftime lead.
The Vikings still did not go away.
On the second play from scrimmage at the start the second half,
Mendoza (16-30, 282 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) found
Mario Rios (7 receptions, 160 yards, 1 TD) on a fly pattern for a
52–yard touchdown and a successful two-point conversion cut the lead
to 25-22 in the Falcons favor. The momentum was squarely on the Pace
side. To top it off, Los Fresnos lost Campos for the rest of the
game after he suffered a neck injury after the kickoff return. Later
on, the senior was seen walking under his own power.
Ford said the injury is day-to-day, but he anticipates his tailback
will return next week. Danny Mendez picked up the slack and came up
with some key runs. With under nine minutes remaining, Jeremy
Springer made his last big play as he found Mata one last time for a
31-yard touchdown to give the Falcons the cushion it turned out they
needed for the win.
It was a tough blow for the Vikings, who are still in the thick of
the playoff picture. That’s why Garza takes the defeat as a
positive.
“Everybody expected a blowout, but we kept it close,” Garza said.
“We came together as a team.”
mgonzalez@brownsvilleherald.com
Posted on Oct 21, 06 | 12:14 am |
