Rio Hondo Bobcats running back Rolando Vega, pictured during last week’s game against Grulla, scored on a 1-yard plunge in Friday evening’s victory over the Raymondville Bearkats. (Photo by T.J. Tijerina)
Special to the NEWS
RAYMONDVILLE — When the going got tough the Rio Hondo Bobcats got going.
After watching the home Raymondville Bearkats take the lead in the fourth quarter, the Bobcats dug deep and came out with a 24-13 road win on Friday night.
Trailing by one point in the fourth quarter, the Bobcats recovered a fumble and got the go-ahead score on a pass from Juan Puga to Isaiah Valladares. The nail in the coffin came when Puga hit Matthew Zuniga for a 17-yard touchdown.
“You wanna get better each week and I think we have,” Bobcats coach Rocky James said. “They (Raymondville) are a very good football team and very well coached. So we were happy to get a win out here tonight.”
Rio Hondo improved to 3-2 on the season while Raymondville’s record now stands at 1-4.
In the first quarter, Rio Hondo struck paydirt when Puga threw to Valladares down the right sideline for a 63-yard touchdown with 3:46 to go in the quarter. The point after was blocked.
Just before the half, Rolando Vega scored on a 1-yard plunge. A two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful and it was 12-0 Bobcats going into halftime.
The home Bearkats scored in the third quarter when Rolando Muniz scored on a six-yard touchdown run. The point after was good with 7:24 on the clock.
Raymondville took the lead when Romeo Rosales connected with Lupe Loya for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 9:11 left in the fourth quarter. That made it 13-12 Bearkats as the home crowd rose to its feet.
Then after Puga was intercepted, the momentum eventually swung back Rio Hondo’s way when Julio Maldonado recovered a fumble to set up Puga’s touchdown throw to Valladares.
The Bobcats will host the Lyford Bulldogs next Friday in the last non-district game before their 32-3A district games begin.
Read this story in the September 30 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
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