Falcons defeat Panthers in OT to advance

By ARMANDO GARZA
Special to the NEWS

WESLACO — Revenge can sometimes be a good thing.

The Los Fresnos Falcons can attest as they made up for a first-round loss to Weslaco last season by winning a 28-21 thriller over the Panthers on Friday night in their Class 5A Division-I bi-district bout at Bobby Lackey Stadium.

The Falcons (8-3) will now face Laredo United, a big winner over Donna, in the Area round next week. Weslaco’s season is done at 7-4.

This game had all the makings of a barnburner and it turned out to be just that. The game was broadcast on local digital over-the-air television (UIL rules allow sold-out playoff games to be aired on television) and thousands of viewers got a great show.

Weslaco struck first by cashing in a fumble with a TD pass from Robert Lopez to Bryan Guerra before the Falcons responded with a score on a Javier Cruz to Brandon Colon strike to tie the game at 7 early in the second quarter.

The Panthers retook the lead when they took to the air again. Lopez rolled out and found Sonny Olvera on a nice 25-yard TD hookup. Los Fresnos looked poised to answer, but a fumble proved costly as Weslaco kept its 14-7 lead going into the locker room.

After intermission there was plenty of drama.

Los Fresnos came back to tie the game again when Cruz hit Colon on a 40-yard bomb. It was another huge outing for Colon, a 6-4 Division-I college prospect.

In the fourth quarter, the Panthers went up again when Osiel Gonzalez ran in a 15-yard score as they went up 21-14 with nine minutes to go in the game.

But as they did all night, the Falcons didn’t waver. Cruz hit Nick Alegria for a 27-yard TD on a 4th & 13 play to knot the game at 21.

It got interesting at the end when Weslaco tossed an interception to give the Falcons the ball at midfield with under 30 seconds left. But Los Fresnos missed a 48-yard field goal at the end of regulation as the game went to overtime.

Enter the Falcons’ playmakers.

Cruz, who was sensational with over 200 yards rushing, scored in the extra period on a seven-yard dash. On Weslaco’s chance to answer, the Falcons’ Alegria recovered a fumble to end the game, send the Falcons to the second round and throw the Falcon Faithful into a frenzy.