Sabercats pounce Greyhounds, claim Bi-District Championship

PJ Rivera scored two times in the Bi District Championship between the Sabercats and San Benito Greyhounds. Photo By Jared De Los Santos | Edinburg Daily Review

By RAUL GARCIA JR | Edinburg Daily Review

The game between the undefeated Edinburg Vela Sabercats and visiting San Benito Greyhounds was locked in a 7-7 tie until midway into the second quarter of the first round 6A Division II Texas High School Football Playoffs.

Both teams were there for one thing, and that was to win and advance to play another day. Heading towards the midway mark of the game both teams struggled to find the end zone as the defense for both teams continued to hold off every offensive attack.

Sabercats pounce Greyhounds, claim Bi-District Championship
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Ultimately, the Sabercats would go on to advance to the second round of the playoffs after capitalizing on their defense efforts and putting a stop to the Greyhounds season with a 7-17 victory at Richard Flores Stadium.

The Sabercats will face the winner of San Antonio Taft and Del Rio in the area round.

Everything changed in favor of the Sabercats after the Greyhounds decided to punt on fourth down and the Sabercats special teams blocked the punt to put them in striking distance.

And again the Greyhounds would hold the Sabercats from finding the end zone, but they would take the lead with a field goal and pull away to a 7-10 lead. Sabercats kicker Job Juarez connected on the field goal from 28-yards out to give the Sabercats the edge.

It was Senior Joshua Garcia who had blocked to punt and helped change the momentum of the contest in favor of the Sabercat’s.

Vela would once again hold off an offensive Greyhounds attack and keep their 7-10 lead at the half way mark of the contest.

Senior PJ Rivera would find the end zone for the second time of the night to lift the Sabercats to 7-17 lead in the third quarter. Also, later in the game Rivera would take a long run to the house from deep inside their own 10-yard line, but the play would be called back for a holding penalty on the offense.

And the rest of the game San Benito looked for ways to catch up but the Sabercats defense went on to finish the second half with two interceptions and strong defense holding the Greyhounds to short yard gains.

Justin Navarro, Miguel Ybarra and Ryan Rodriguez each came up big with interceptions in the contest.