Edinburg North rallies past Edinburg High for city title

EDINBURG — Edinburg North coach Roy Garza really didn’t have the words to explain what had his team trailing just five minutes into Friday night’s game against city rival Edinburg High.

For the past three weeks, Garza’s been putting heavy emphasis on trying to polish every facet of his team’s game in hopes of the Cougars turning out a clean performance. But on North’s first possession, the snap sailed over the punter, giving the Bobcats good field position at the 20.

Though Edinburg went on to take an early lead, the Cougars shook off their struggles and continued their mastery of the Bobcats, claiming the city championship in a 24-21 victory at Cats Stadium.

“It showed a lot of the character of the kids,” Garza said. “It was ugly early but we were fortunate to still get the lead…It wasn’t much. Other than that it was touch and go.”

The Cougars (7-3, 5-2) dropped Edinburg High by three points for the second consecutive year but unlike last year’s situation both teams are advancing to the postseason together for the first time since 2001.

The Bobcats will travel to Sams Stadium next Friday to take on Brownsville Hanna in a Class 5A Division I matchup. In Division II, Edinburg North will be on the road to meet Los Fresnos also on Friday.

In Friday’s game, the Cougars scored 21 unanswered points to swing the momentum in their favor after Edinburg (5-5, 4-3) went up. Quarterback Matthew Muñoz (167 yards, three TDs) tossed touchdown passes of 25, 55 and 23 yards during the second and third quarters, two of them to Danny Cardenas (four receptions, 95 yards, two TDs).

Cardenas’ 23-yard score came after the senior wide receiver kept his momentum in play after an Edinburg defender laid a hit that looked to have knocked Cardenas out of bounds. That drive was set up by Justin Escobedo’s interception off of Bobcats quarterback Steven Guerrero’s (126 yards, two TDs, two INTs) first pass attempt of the second half.

“I knew that I needed to make a play for my team,” Escobedo said of the game-changing pick. “I hauled myself down the field and I just stuck my hands out there and I got it. It was big turning point for us and I’m glad it happened.”

Though even down by two scores, the Bobcats didn’t go away quietly. They marched 80 yards on their following drive to cut their deficit to 21-13.

After the score, Edinburg had two great opportunities to get itself back in the game but the Cougars’ offense was clutch.

The first came when Muñoz weaved his way for a 33-yard gain on fourth-and-1 from the Bobcats 41, which ended with a 24-yard field goal from Alan Guajardo for a 24-13 lead with 6:19 remaining in the game.

Edinburg responded with a quick score and 2-point conversion to get to within 24-21 but on North’s following drive Muñoz hit Juan Ramirez in stride for a 9-yard completion, the exact yardage the Cougars needed to end the game.

“It was a good matchup,” Bobcats coach Joey Caceres said. “It wasn’t anything you can say that one team dominated the other. It was just one of those crosstown rival games.”

Ramiro Paez covers high school sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4470.