By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
SAN MARCOS—San Benito senior kicker Francisco Barrientos had a historic night, making six field goals to lead the Greyhounds to a come-from-behind 32-28 non-district win over the Odessa Bronchos at Rattler Stadium last Friday night.
Barrientos made two 20- and 40-yard kicks that gave SB a scoring edge twice in the first half. He also extended his team’s lead in the third quarter with 38- and 40-yard kicks. Angel Garcia held the ball on each kick.
“I kept my composure each time, stayed focused on my kicks and my holder, and forgot about everything around me,” Barrientos said. “I’m glad we won. We played well and kept fighting to stay in the game. We’re leaving here with a win.”
According to the University Interscholastic League, the record for most field goals in a game is eight, set in 1923 by Milton Davis of Livingston, who made them via drop kicks.
Barrientos’ six FGs outpace any Class 6A or 5A kicking records by two. These feats were accomplished three times in 1981 (Lake Highlands), then twice more in 2024 (Smithson Valley) and 2023 (Port Neches-Groves).
“He is a kid who is even-keeled in that he doesn’t think about missing or making his field goals; he just goes out there and does his thing off the field, and it shows,” SB Head Coach Dan Gomez said after the game.
Barrientos also plays soccer and was part of another historic SBHS feat six months ago as a junior — the team’s first area championship.
In football, however, he helped the ’Hounds’ secure their third win in five games. That win now exceeds their win total from when SB had back-to-back two-win seasons.
The loss dropped Odessa to 2-3. It’s also the first time in three years that SB has won two consecutive games, since beating Harlingen and Los Fresnos.
The SB defense was also incredible against Odessa, as Barrientos noted in his post-game interview.
Of the four SB defensive plays that led to turnovers, the first came in the first quarter and opened the game with a score.
’Hound linebacker Pedro Suarez forced Odessa quarterback Phillips Carrasco to fumble at midfield. Linebacker Luke Gonzales recovered the ball but fumbled after an Odessa tight end caught up to him in stride.
However, alert linebacker Josh Castillo recovered the ball, bounced his way, and scooted in for an eight-yard TD on a fumble return. Barrientos made the point-after attempt at the 8:12 mark.
Odessa scored on its second offensive drive, set up by a special teams kickoff return to the ’Hounds’ 29-yard-line. The Bronchos scored on fourth-and-fifth on a 25-yard pass from Carrasco to Brillyant Adams.
The Bronchos tied the ’Hounds with a PAT less than two minutes off the first-quarter clock.
Barrientos then scored the next two SB touchdowns, giving SB a 13-7 advantage. With 3:32 before halftime, Odessa then took its first lead on a Carrasco 25-yard pass to Eric Rodriguez and a follow-up PAT.
On the ’Hounds’ next drive, the Bronchos intercepted quarterback Robert Lozano, whose pass trajectory was affected just as he was hit while throwing the ball.
Thanks to SB’s defense, Odessa couldn’t take advantage, using little time off the clock as QB Carrasco had two incompletions and was sacked by Ramon De La Rosa. With 29 seconds left before halftime, the ’Hounds moved the ball from their 37.
Quarterback Lozano had two run plays and as many passes to receivers Raul Villanueva and Sonny Ratliff, all resulting in positive yardage to the Odessa 23-yard line. Barrientos booted his third field goal, this one from 40 yards, to give SB a 16-14 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Barrientos made 38- and 40-yard field goals, giving SB its widest margin, 22-14.
The one-score lead was enough to keep the game’s drama going as Odessa got on the board on its second and third drives, one set up by a long kickoff return.
Starting at the SB 49, all the Bronchos needed was four plays, including a 23-yard pass from Carrasco to James Lomax, to score. Odessa’s two-point conversion run was halted by SB defender Suarez, but the team still trailed 22-20.
Odessa’s second scoring drive began after a SB punt. Once again, Odessa scored on four plays, culminating in Carrasco’s 53-yard jaunt down the SB sideline. This time, Carrasco’s team converted his two-point run attempt for a 28-20 lead with 38 seconds left in the third quarter.
Barrientos kicked his sixth field goal from 31 yards out, keeping the team within reach at 28-25.
The SB defense then shut out Odessa for the rest of the game, forcing a turnover on downs on one drive and, on the next, recovering a fumble by defensive back Adam King off QB Carrasco (nine-of-29 and 163 yards passing).
The turnover on downs set up SB’s go-ahead scoring drive, which began at the Odessa 25-yard-line. The ’Hounds scored their first offensive TD when running back Gabriel Garza scampered for 19 yards.
Barrientos’ PAT closed the scoring with 5:43 left.
King’s fumble recovery with just over five minutes to play led to SB’s win after three offensive first downs, as Ratliff once again shared quarterback duties with Lozano (13-of-23 for 136 yards passing).
Offensively, SB gained more than 320 yards. Garza and Ratliff combined for more than 120 rushing yards.
The ’Hounds have a bye week and then begin District 32-6A play by hosting the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers on Friday, Oct. 9.
HOW DISTRICT FOES FARE
No district teams went through their non-district schedule unscathed, as each has at least one loss going into district play, which begins next week.
The PSJA North Raiders and Veterans Memorial each have a 4-1 record. San Benito shares a 3-2 record with the Harlingen Cardinals and Los Fresnos. The PSJA Bears are 2-3.
The Raiders lost to Edinburg Vela (42-20), and Veterans Memorial fell to Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon Tigres (63-10).
The Cardinals lost to Corpus Christi Miller (29-28) and Midland High (44-7), while the Falcons fell to Mission Veterans Memorial (35-31) and Vela (49-42).
The Bears have lost to Mercedes (20-10), McAllen (35-0), and Weslaco (31-28).