Falcons hold on to defeat Redskins

DONNA — For just a minute, it looked like the Donna Redskins were going to survive.

For seemingly the entire night, they trailed the Los Fresnos Falcons. But finally, with 3:36 left, the Redskins took a three-point lead on a 60-yard touchdown run by Josh Reyna.

The Donna fans, sensing a trip to the third round of the playoffs, were as loud as they had been all night. Unfortunately for them, the Los Fresnos offense quieted them for the season.

Just 1:18 after Reyna’s score, Los Fresnos quarterback Mark Carmona found Jorge Mata for a 24-yard TD pass to give the Falcons a 30-26 lead. Their defense then held, sending Los Fresnos to a third-round matchup next Saturday against San Antonio Reagan.

Mata ended the night with 10 catches for 152 yards and the pivotal score. Despite the cold and rainy conditions, which ranged from difficult to miserable to intolerable, the Falcons’ passing game gained 206 yards.

Meanwhile, the Redskins only were able to muster 57 in the air, although QB Derrick Ramirez was able to find Eric Peña for a TD to pull Donna back to 17-13 at the break.

But on the final drive, when Donna really needed a passing game, the Redskins’ offense looked like it got stuck in the mud at Bennie La Prade Stadium.

Needing a TD in 2:18 or less, the Redskins were unable to manage even one first down. The drive was wounded severely when a snap went over Ramirez’s head, resulting in a 19-yard loss.

Just seconds later, Ramirez heaved a desperation pass down the middle of the field that fell incomplete. The Donna fans yelled for a pass interference call but none came.

Less than a minute later, the Redskins’ season was over.

“The kids fought hard. They fought like champions,” Donna coach Manny Moreno said of his team which ended the season 9-3. “They brought the pride back to Donna.”

That they did, winning the District 30-5A crown. After the game, the PA system at Bennie La Prade blared “We Are the Champions.” Maybe, in some sense, the Redskins are.

But it was Carmona, Mata and running back Danny Mendez who made sure the Falcons advanced.

Mendez, who might stand 5-foot-8 and weigh 165 pounds, looks more like the star running back’s younger and eager brother than the standout himself.

But on Saturday against the Redskins, Mendez paced the offense.

Mendez ran for 185 yards and two scores, with 110 of the yards coming in the first half. In that first half, he helped stake the Falcons to the lead. His surprisingly blunt running style, especially for someone his size, seemed to take the Redskins by surprise.

The Redskins, though, recovered from the halftime deficit on their first drive of the second half. It was also a long one.

Donna received the opening kickoff and didn’t give back the ball until 7:06 of the third quarter had passed. The drive finally ended for the Redskins when Jacob Medina scored from 7 yards out to give the Redskins a 19-17 lead.

Medina, who had been one of Donna’s best running backs since Robert Guzman was lost for the season one month ago, only gained 18 yards on the night.

That, however, certainly wasn’t the reason the Redskins were unable to advance. Instead, the true cause was what Carmona, Mata and Mendez were able to accomplish.

Brian Sandalow covers District 30-5A for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956)-683-4436.