(Harlingen, Texas)-In District 32-6A, after severe weather rolled over the City of Harlingen on Friday afternoon, and much of Cameron County, causing the 29th edition of Bird Bowl to be postponed till Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff, the Harlingen South Hawks (5-0, 2-0) did the unthinkable. They manhandled the Harlingen Cardinals, defensively, winning 28-21 in the annual Bird Bowl game. “Can you believe this,” as first-year head football coach, Israel “Izzy” Gonzalez watched his team intercept a pass for a pick six late in the fourth quarter. TASO Officials ruled the return no-good. Several plays later, the Cards fumbled and the Hawks would score to make it 28-21. The Cardinals managed a late score, but it would prove to be too late as the Hawks student section went wild, chanting to their opposing Cardinals student section, “why so quiet, why so quiet.”High School Sports Magazine’s Game of the Week proved to be one heck of game and finish.

HSSM’s No. 5-ranked Cardinals dominated the opening quarter with RB Izaiah Bell scoring on a three-yard plunged to give the Cardinals an early 7-0 lead on their first drive of the afternoon. With Boggus stadium packed with more than 10,000 fans, who weathered the 100-degree heat, the Cardinals would strike again. Senior quarterback Joe Lopez spotted Aiden Sandoval for a 52-yard bomb down the sidelines to make it 14-0, still in the first quarter. The Harlingen Cardinal student section chanted to the Hawks student section, “Why so quiet, Why so quiet.”

Then it was the Hawks turn to shine on offense. Back-to-back botched punts from the Cardinal’s 15-yard line gave the Hawks great field position on two possessions leading to 14 points. Harlingen South senior QB Xander Casarez found WR Elias Ledesma in the corner end-zone. His leaping catch over the Cardinal defender was good for a 20-yard touchdown. On the Cardinals next possession, the Hawks defense, led by LB Levi Ince held the Cardinals and forced them to punt again. The punt would go out bounds for 15-yards giving the Hawks great field position at the Cardinal 31-yard line and another score.

Senior Jeremiah Rivera scored his biggest points of the day with 11:04 left to play to give the Hawks a 21-14 lead. Hawks head coach Gonzalez looked at one of his staff members with plenty of amazement. With time ticking and things seem to look brighter for the Hawks, the Cardinals were intercepted by DB Devin Montemayor. A few plays later the Cardinals took possession again, with the Cards fumbling and Hawks junior LB Ethan Garza rambling into the end-zone to make it 28-14. “Can you believe this,” Hawks head coach Gonzalez told one of his coaches. The Cards would score one more time. Hawks had pick-six touchdown called back in the 4th quarter.

The No.4 Hawks will travel to play No.3 San Benito on Friday at Bobby Morrow Stadium while the Cardinals will meet undefeated No.6 Weslaco (5-0, 3-0) at home.

2 thoughts on “Bird Bowl 2021: Not This Time! Hawks Win 28-21 Over Cards…”
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