By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
Last Friday Night, the San Benito Greyhound Varsity Football Team made the road to the postseason much easier by beating the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers 17-14 in San Benito’s District 32-6A opener at Bobby Morrow Stadium.
San Benito won its third straight game, bringing its record to 4-2. Veterans, which has lost to SBHS three times in four years, now shares SBHS’s overall record.
Like last season against the Chargers, the ’Hounds came from behind in the final moments of their game to seal the victory. Facing second-and-goal from the two-yard line, quarterback Robert Lozano threw a perfect play-action pass to an open Austin Najera, who lined up as an eligible wide-out.
With running back Gabriel Garza and fullback Ezra Lozano in the backfield, Veteran defenders expected a run and crowded the middle, but QB Robert Lozano’s bootleg faked to Garza, rolled out to his left, and found an open Najera in the end zone.
After the kickoff, Veterans started at its own 19 and were forced to throw. Quarterback Jake Saenz threw four incomplete passes, and three runs moved the team to the SBHS 41-yard line with three seconds left on the clock.
The game ended when a gang of ’Hounds stopped Saenz in his tracks as he was about to pass.
Saenz had only one 26-yard completion. His team rushed for 245 yards on 34 carries.
The SBHS defense once again rose to the occasion at key moments.
Leading up to the game, defensive linemen Adrian Loa and Ramon De La Rosa said practices gave the team a chance to fine-tune their assignments.
“The seniors have been playing together since our freshman year, and we just click. More importantly, we trust each other,” Loa said. “And if someone gets past us, we know our secondary has our backs.”
MORE OFFENSE
The ’Hounds started where they left off a couple of weeks ago facing Odessa. The offense gained more than 300 yards, mostly on the ground.
They were ahead 10-0 by the second quarter. After Veterans deferred the kickoff to the second half, SBHS took the opening possession and scored.
San Benito Head Coach Dan Gomez and his offensive coaches opted to start junior Sonny Ratliff (16 carries, 84 yards) at quarterback for the entire first half. He and running back Carter Green (nine carries, 97 yards) started out like gangbusters, getting all the calls on that initial seven-minute drive, but stalled after a holding penalty.
It began to look like the Odessa game as trusted senior kicker Francisco Barrientos was called upon once again to salvage the drive. He responded by kicking a 38-yard field goal at the 5:38 mark.
Veterans earned only two first downs, complements of SBHS defenders such as Ramon De La Rosa, who made a couple of run stops, and Peter Buenrostro, who was in on a pass incompletion.
However, Chargers’ punter Pedro Zamora mishandled the snap. The ’Hounds’ second possession began at their opponent’s 30-yard line. Five successful running plays later, SB’s Ratliff scored a seven-yard touchdown. Barrientos added the point-after-kick, building a 10-0 cushion with 10:07 left before halftime.
Veterans avoided a first-half shutout, responding with a 12-play drive. The team also converted a couple of third downs.
The Chargers had only one negative-yardage play, due to tackles by SB defenders Najera and lineman Roland Cortez and fullback Chris Alvear. The drive, however, ended on senior running back Erik Gallegos’ 36-yard run up the middle with 3:46 left before halftime.
The ’Hounds continued to pound away at the Chargers’ defensive scheme via the run, with quarterback Ratliff, Garza, and Green, who turned in a 38-yard run, leaving tacklers in his wake.
SBHS introduced the pass for the first time in the game on a play to receiver Jason Lopez, but the team was penalized again for holding. Barrientos’ 31-yard field goal attempt was then blocked, closing the half.
For the first time this season, the passing attack was an afterthought as SBHS coaches emphasized the run.
Garza led all SBHS rushers with 112 yards on 14 carries. Ratliff and Robert Lozano combined for 17 yards on four-of-seven completions, with the pass to Najera coming at the most opportune time.
Ratliff fumbled early in the fourth quarter, but the SBHS defense forced a punt that eventually set up the game-winning drive.
SBHS now plays the Los Fresnos Falcons, who lost to the PSJA North Raiders, 41-3, last Friday. The Falcons are 3-3 on the season.
The game begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Leo Aguilar Stadium.