Veterans Memorial dominates McAllen Memorial, returns to state quarterfinals
On a day the Veterans Memorial offense struggled to score in the first half, it was the Eagles defense that set the tone for the game.
The Veterans Memorial offense rewarded its defensive counterparts by scoring 28 second-half points and, meanwhile, the Eagles defense never allowed McAllen Memorial's run-heavy Wing-T offense a chance to do what it does best, eat clock and yards.
Put the two together, and Veterans Memorial finished with a dominating 35-0 victory against the Mustangs in a Class 5A Division I regional semifinal at Buc Stadium. The Eagles (12-1) will make a third straight appearance in a state quarterfinal, and will take on either Flour Bluff or Gregory-Portland at a time, date and place to be determined.
"All week they were saying that we were going to score first and if we got the ball second, we were going to have to stop them," said Veterans Memorial linebacker ER Dedase. "All week we prepared for that and that's basically what we did."
The Eagles and Mustangs traded punts and scoreless possessions in the first half, but Veterans Memorial cracked the scoreboard first as time ticked off in the second quarter. Eagles quarterback Aiden Hinojosa hit Luke Johnson for a 53-yard score with 16 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
But it was a score in the third quarter that gave Veterans Memorial the boost it needed on both sides of the ball.
The Eagles covered 60 yards in four plays capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Aiden Hinojosa to Jonathan Gonzalez with 10:27 remaining in the third quarter for a 14-0 lead. From that point on, Veterans Memorial's offense found its scoring rhythm, scoring on its next three possession and its defense simply stuffed the Mustangs' offensive attack.
"I thought it was really big," said Veterans Memorial coach Ben Bitner on the third quarter score. "Something we talk to our kids about is the last two minutes before half and the first two minutes coming out. If we can score going into half, we've got a bunch of momentum. If we can score first coming out of half then we keep that momentum, and that was really, really big for us. It thought we were playing pretty well in the first half but we weren't finishing drives, and so it was big to be able to punch one in and finish."
McAllen Memorial (11-2) recorded three first downs in the second half and rushed for 146 yards overall in the game as the Eagles defense limited the Mustangs to less than 4 yards a carry. McAllen Memorial also crossed midfield twice in the game.
"Our defensive staff ... put together a really good plan, our kids believed in it and then we were really physical and played really, really hard," Bitner said. "Not being able to let them keep going, and keep the clock and keep the ball, and win field position was huge."
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
CLASS 5A DIVISION I REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
VETERANS MEMORIAL 35, MCALLEN MEMORIAL 0
What this game means: The Eagles (12-1) win a regional semifinal for the third straight season and return to a state quarterfinal. McAllen Memorial, which won District 16-5A Division I, finishes its season at 11-2.
Friday's highlights: Veterans Memorial took a 7-0 lead late in the first half when Luke Johnson broke free for a 53-yard touchdown pass but it was in the second half where the Eagles found their scoring touch. Veterans Memorial scored with less than two minutes gone in the third quarter when Jonathan Gonzalez caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Aiden Hinojosa. That proved all the scoring the Eagles needed on a day their defense dominated McAllen Memorial's Wing-T offense. Veterans Memorial scored on its first four possessions of the second half as Hinojosa accounted for all four. He had a touchdown run, along with three TD passes to Gonzalez, Cameron De La Pena and Jace Nicolet. The Eagles defense held the Mustangs to 146 rushing yards and less than 4 yards a carry, and McAllen Memorial had one carry more than 10 yards. The Mustangs punted seven times.
Friday's stars: Hinojosa finished the day completing 14 of 21 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns as he completed passes to six different receivers. Nicolet totaled 130 yards on three catches, including the 68-yard TD and Johnson added 81 yards on three receptions. McAllen Memorial running back Max Alaniz-Choy totaled 85 yards on 18 carries.
Next: Veterans Memorial vs. Gregory-Portland or Flour Bluff, TBA
High School Girls Basketball: Veterans Memorial girls basketball Roy De La Pena surpasses 700 career wins
High School Football: A different mindset: Veterans Memorial defense shows knack for finding end zone
Len Hayward is a USA Today Sports Network Region sports director and the Caller-Times sports editor. Support more coverage like this by checking out our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Veterans Memorial routs McAllen Memorial in playoffs
