San Benito Greyhounds running back Arturo Coronado runs through the Weslaco East defense Friday. Also pictured is quarterback Jesse Jimenez getting hit in the backfield during Friday evening’s physical matchup versus the Wildcats. (Photos by Vince Galvan)
By PETE BANDA
Special to the NEWS
WESLACO – In another game that came down to the wire, the San Benito Greyhounds were unable to pull out a last second comeback effort against the Weslaco East Wildcats on Friday night in Weslaco.
Despite the late game heroics by the Greyhound defense and backup quarterback Dillon Castillo, San Benito fell short by the final score of 14-9. The loss gives the Greyhounds their third district defeat and gives them just an outside shot at a playoff spot.
The game started out as a defensive struggle with neither team getting it into the endzone in the first half. San Benito did manage a short field goal right before the intermission for a 3-0 lead. The first half was full of controversial calls as two possible Greyhound touchdowns were negated by a fumble right at the goal line and a “holding in the endzone” penalty.
Despite the questionable calls, the ’Hounds clearly had the momentum going into halftime. The second half proved to be a little different, especially the third quarter in which the Greyhounds ran only three offensive plays for three yards. The San Benito defense, however, played with the tenacity San Benito fans have grown accustomed to, only allowing two scores to the very dangerous Weslaco East offense despite being on the field 10 out of 12 minutes in the third.
As usual, the ’Hounds picked their game up to another level when the fourth quarter came after looking to be out of it after three quarters of play. Down 14-3, workhorse Arturo Coronado and fellow back Raul Luna found another gear in them that the Wildcats could not match.
Led by the running back tandem and backup quarterback Castillo, San Benito put together by far their most impressive drive of the game, marching 80 yards down the field to score their first touchdown of the game on the legs of Coronado, who hit paydirt from four yards out. A failed two-point conversion made the score 14-9 in favor of the Wildcats with just three minutes left.
In an inoperable turn of events, San Benito managed to recover an onside kick to keep their hopes of a victory alive. On the final drive of the game, the Greyhounds came up one yard short on a fourth down play to end the game for the Greyhounds.
Despite their third district loss of the season, San Benito still holds an outside shot at the final playoff spot and will have to win out their remaining games to keep those hopes alive.
Read this story in the Oct. 14 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
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Your right Richard it’s only a game. I’d be the first to admitt if I were coach I’d probably end up with only 15 players going both ways on my roster before the season started who are willing to play for The Love Of The Game. The rest would either quite or would be voted off the team. I’d rather make a fool of myself loseing with those players than loseing with 30 players. The reason professional football players make mistakes is because they are not perfect and in a world of inperfections you’ll find those few that will always strive for the possible to be perfect and will be perfect.
These are 15 16 17 year olds that play for the love of the game. Will they fumble drop passes, and have penalties called on them,.. Of course they will. If you haven’t noticed professional players do it all time as well. It is so easy to blame the coaches. It is just part of the game….after all it is a game…
Spencer Gantt must go! No head coaching experience.
well this boys play real good all year long now we have to win the least 3 games this wouldnt happen if we had good coaches thats what we need to win distric next year NEW COACHES GO HOUNDS ALL THE WAY