Raiders hold off pesky Bears

PHARR — Up 14 with 8 minutes to play, PSJA North thought the game was over against rival PSJA High.

The Bears had other plans as they rallied to score two touchdowns then went for a two-point conversion for the win.

But with 6 seconds left in the game, quarterback Johnny Lopez’s potential game-winning pass into the end zone was picked off by North’s Danny Gonzalez to preserve the Raiders’ 21-20 victory to close the regular season Friday night at PSJA Stadium.

“I never really felt we were going to lose it. I knew somehow we were going to pull it off, and luckily I got that pick,” Gonzalez said. “It was a hell of game. I thank God for the way I performed, and I’m happy we won.”

J.J. Rodriguez stepped it up for the Raiders, scoring two touchdowns while rushing for 156 yards on 21 attempts.

Three interceptions that were turned into Raiders TDs during the first half — to go with a fumble — made it difficult for the Bears.

“We played really well in the second and almost surprised them,” PSJA coach Mel Rios said. “We went for the win because we wanted it. It was there for the taking, and we went for it.”

The Raiders got on the board first on a Mario Guerrero 10-yard run.

The Bears’ only score in the half came during the next series with a Gilbert Espino 2-yard run at the 3:51 mark of the first quarter. Rodriguez’s two second-quarter TDs gave the Raiders a comfortable 14-point lead heading into the half.

The Bears looked to cut the deficit to 7 before the half but the Raiders’ defense stopped them cold in the red zone, forcing a costly fumble. Raiders coach Bruce Bush admits even though his defense gave them the win, his team could have done more Friday night.

“We shot ourselves in the foot when we could of made things a little more comfortable,” he said. “We were real conservative. Really we had the opportunity to put them away and we didn’t,” he said.