Los Fresnos wins District 32-5A title

BY MIKE GONZALEZ
The Brownsville Herald

Nothing was going to stop Jeremy Springer from getting the big prize. Nothing.

Under the spotlight, the senior stepped up like a true leader that rode the Falcons on his back to the District 32-5A crown with a thrilling 42-39 win over Weslaco in front of a capacity crowd at Bobby Lackey Stadium.

Springer was responsible for 337 yards total, four touchdowns and no turnovers. The 6-foot-4 signal caller went 11-of-18, for 199 yards, two touchdowns to receiver Jorge Mata and added 138 on the ground on 23 carries, both season highs and scored twice. Even without key starting cornerback/backup tailback Danny Mendez and Luis Campos, who was lost in the third quarter to a high ankle sprain, nothing was going to prevent Springer and the rest of the Falcons their first district title as a Class 5A. Nothing.

“For the district championship, anything goes. I don’t care if I have a broken arm or a broken leg,” Springer said. “Whatever we have to do.”

Oddly enough, the left-hander really showed his poise after Campos went down and the offense was entirely on his shoulders. After a relatively below-average first half, Springer got hot in the second half as he connected on six of his last seven passes, including both of his touchdowns passes to Mata.

“In the first half, I was throwing slow balls a little wobbly, but in the second half, I was determined to show everyone I’m a leader,” Springer said.

Head coach Scott Ford said Campos (15 carries, 76 yards, one touchdown) will be examined today and is questionable for next week against PSJA High.

Los Fresnos (7-0 in District 32-5A, 10-0 overall) will face the Bears in the Class 5A Division I bi-district game next week with a time and place to be determined today. As for Ford, it’s his second district championship with the Falcons and second perfect mark with the program.

“It feels great,” said Ford, who received two separate Gatorade baths. “(The game) was everything it cracked up to be. The kids reached in and will have (district title) for the rest of their lives. It was a helluva football game.”

Weslaco (6-1, 8-2) put up quite a fight behind the running attack of Mishak Rivas, who put on another spectacular performance. The junior rushed for 271 yards, five touchdowns on 18 carries. Rivas had season highs 271 yards, five touchdowns on 18 carries.

“I give all the credit to Mishak Rivas,” said Los Fresnos linebacker Justin Springer. “He’s a helluva player.”

The high-powered Panther offense ended the night with an astounding 600 total yards, but the Falcon defense did just enough to prevent Weslaco from getting some more points on the board. In a game where punts and field goals were a dead issue, Los Fresnos managed to keep the Panthers off pay dirt in three of four possessions after Rivas schooled the Falcon ‘D’ for three touchdown runs on Weslaco’s first three possessions.

Also missed was a key extra point in the first quarter, that had Weslaco head coach Tony Villarreal go for two-point conversions the rest of the night. Out of four attempts, the Panthers only managed to convert one.

A big part of that was a blocked extra point, which Justin Springer got to in the first quarter that only gave Weslaco a 13-7 lead instead of 14-7. Though the two-point failures was the difference point wise, Villarreal felt the first onside kick, which the Panthers almost got, was the most critical play of the game.

“It got them off guard,” Villarreal said. “I would’ve milked the clock, but it came down to who had the ball last.”

The back-and-forth battle continued all the way into the fourth quarter with Los Fresnos claiming to a 35-27 lead after trailing 27-21 at the half. Rivas scored is final touchdown of the night on a 25-yarder to cut the margin to 35-33 after the failed two-point conversion. Villarreal called for a surprise onside kick and almost got it, but the Falcons recovered at their won 34-yard line. Three plays later, Jeremy Springer found Mata (6 receptions, 145 yards, 2 touchdowns) on a perfect throw for a 33-yard touchdown, which proved to be the game-winner for a 42-33 lead with 5:25 left in the game.

Weslaco answered quickly on a four plays on a 40-yard touchdown throw from Dylan Deleon (7-of-14, 161 yards, touchdown) to big Pepe Cabrera with 3:51 left. This time Los Fresnos expecting onside, Justin Springer was there for the recovery. One first down later, Los Fresnos wrote history and its perfect regular season mark. As for how long the Falcons will enjoy the district title.

“Till tomorrow,” said Justin Springer. “Now it’s time to think about the playoffs.”

mgonzalez@brownsvilleherald.com

Posted on Nov 11, 06 | 12:44 am