Eagle Pass Eagles Stun District 30-6A Champion Pharr San Juan Alamo Bears 34-28 in Overtime to Clinch Bi-District Football Championship
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018
The high flying Eagle Pass High School Eagles stunned the homestanding District 30-6A Champion Pharr San Juan Alamo High School Bears 34-28 in Overtime to clinch the 2018 University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region IV, 6A, Division II Bi-District Football Championship on Friday, November 16, 2018, at PSJA Stadium in Pharr, Texas in what will be remembered as one of the most storied victories in the history of the Eagles Football Program.
From its opening kickoff to its dramatic end in Overtime, this game was a barnstormer as both the Eagles and Bears battled mano-a-mano from beginning to the end with the Eagles outlasting the Bears to garner the coveted Bi-District Football Championship.
The Eagles storied “Land Shark Defense” made a strong statement in the opening possession of the game as it stopped the explosive Bears offense on a fourth and five yards to go at the Bears own 49 yards line to take over on downs, allowing the Eagles self-proclaimed “War Eagle” offense to start its first possession at the Bears 49 yard line and quickly taking only four plays to score the first touchdown of the game on a sensational 29 yard aerial bomb from quarterback Ritchie Luna to wide receiver Rey Mendoza and place kicker Erick Ramirez’s point after attempt was good to give the Eagles an early 7-0 lead.
The potent Bears offense quickly regrouped and engineered a touchdown drive of their own, culminating with a two yard dive into the Eagles end zone by tailback J.R. Vasquez and the extra point was good to tie the game 7 to 7 in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Bears managed to tally a 42 yard field goal that hit the crossbar of the goal post and bounced in for the three points, giving the Bears their first and only lead in the game against the Eagles at 10-7.
The Eagles took the ensuing kickoff and in three quick plays punched the Bears end zone on a dazzling 28 yard touchdown scamper by freshman running back Jose Hernandez and Erick Ramirez tallied the point after attempt to regain the lead for the Eagles over the Bears at 10-7 with 9:48 minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The mighty Eagles defense stifled a promising Bears drive by forcing a fumble and recovering it as defensive lineman Moises Rocha pounced on the loose pigskin at the Bears own 45 yard line.
The thunder and lightning Eagles offense took only a few plays to light up the scoreboard again with a 22 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ritchie Luna to wide receiver Rey Mendoza and Ramirez extra point sailed down the middle of the goal post to extend the Eagles lead over the Bears 21-10 with 7:02 minutes left in the second period.
After both teams’ defenses dominated each offense during the middle of the second stanza, the Bears orchestrated a touchdown drive of their own, culminating on a 14 yard scamper into the Eagles end zone by tailback J. R. Vasquez and the extra point was was good to make it a close game 21-17 at halftime in favor of the Eagles.
After a thrilling first half, everyone knew that this Bi-District Football Championship game was going to come down to the final wire with one team being victorious and the other defeated. But nobody expected the game to be decided in Overtime.
In the second half, both the Eagles and Bears made adjustments during halftime seeking an advantage to prevail in the game.
After both defenses stifled their opposing offenses, the Eagles managed to strike a blitzkrieg touchdown on a surprising 78 yard pass down the sideline from quarterback Luna to wide receiver David Lopez for a quick six and Ramirez added the extra point to increase the Eagles lead over the Bears by 28-17 with 5:44 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The never say die PSJA Bears battled back late in the third quarter and early fourth quarter to tally a 23 yard field goal to shorten the Eagles lead over the Bears to only 28-20.
Just as the Eagles were marching down the field for another long drive or potential score in the fourth period, the Bears intercepted an Eagles pass attempt, killing the drive and giving excellent field position to their offense. The Bears struck gold on a 50 yard touchdown aerial bomb from quarterback Trey Guajardo to wide receiver Miguel Flores and their two point conversion attempt was good as tailback J.R. Vasquez strolled into the end zone for the two points, tying the game at 28-28 a piece with 2:17 minutes remaining in the game. Both teams had an opportunity to win the game late in the fourth quarter before regulation time, but neither team could put the game away within regulation time.
So, the game went into Overtime with both teams’ aficionados biting their nails as nerves hit them as to whether their team would win the game and prized Bi-District Championship.
The Eagles lost the Overtime coin flip and took to their offense to try to win the game. The Eagles lighting quick scoring offense stunned the Bears defense by scoring on only the second play of overtime on a beautiful 20 yard aerial connection from quarterback Luna to wide receiver Oscar Castillon, but the snap went over the point after attempt holder’s head causing the the point after attempt to fail and to give the Eagles only a six point lead with the Bears having a final shot at pulling the game from under the Eagles with a touchdown and an extra point.
The formidable Eagles Land Shark Defense was asked one final time to stop the dynamic Bears offense and Lord and behold the Eagles defense succeeded in putting the Bears desperate attempt to pull out the game be denied, sealing the historic victory over the Bears and clinching the Bi-District Championship while leaving the Bears and their aficionados stunned.
The Eagles and their aficionados jumped in jubilation and joy in having won the thriller in Pharr, Texas by outlasting the homestanding Bears.
The Eagles improve to 9-2 overall in the season and will now play the winner between the Brownsville Hanna Golden Eagles and the Weslaco East Wildcats next week for the Area Championship.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal congratulates the Eagle Pass Eagles, coaching staff, parents, and aficionados on their extraordinary Bi-District Football Championship over the PSJA Bears and representing our community with dignity, respect, and sportsmanship.
AREA CHAMPIONSHIP
The Eagles will face the Brownsville Hanna Golden Eagles in the Area Championship on. Friday, November 23, 2018 at 3 P.M. at the University of Incarnate Word Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. All loyal Eagle Nation aficionados from Eagle Pass, San Antonio, San Marcos, Austin, and all over Texas are encouraged to attend and cheer the Eagle Pass Eagles to victory.
