(Corpus Christi, Texas)-Move over Al Bundy, Brownsville Veterans FB Bryan Chavez just made history! On Thursday night at Cabaniss Field, 16-5A Division I Brownsville Veterans Memorial High School (10-2) defeated 14-5A Division I Victoria West 74-59 in the Class 5A Division I Area Football Championships. The win puts the Chargers in the third round of the UIL State 5A DI Regional Finals for the first time in school history and they will play next Friday at Sams Stadium in Brownsville against 15-5A DI PSJA North (11-0) or 14-5A DI Corpus Christi Miller (10-1) at 6:00 p.m.

On Thursday night, it was the Bryan Chavez show. The senior scored his first touchdown in the first quarter to put the Chargers up 14-7 with six minutes left in the first quarter. The rest of his scores were unbelievable! “He’s just amazing,” said Chargers head football coach, Kelley Lee. “Just amazing.” He would add eight more touchdown scores of 1-yard, 10, 49, 35, 45, 20, 13, and four-yards. He finished the night with 451 yards rushing.

Still, Victoria West would not quit from the start. West QB Camden Repper connected with WR D’Andre Fillmore on a 65-yard scoring strike to tie the game at 7-7 all in the first quarter. The Chargers answered right back with Chavez scoring his first of nine touchdown runs to make it 14-7. Then it happened again, Pepper found Fillmore open for a 50-yard score to tie the game once again. On the ensuing kickoff, the Chargers took that possession and gave the ball to Chavez and he would break loose for first and ten at the Victoria West 8-yard line. Chavez finished that drive with a one-yard score to take a 21-14 lead. The half ended with the Chargers up 41-23.

The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers advances to the Class 5A Division I Regional finals next Friday at Sams Stadium in Brownsville for the first time in school history under head coach Kelley Lee. (HSSMImages/DeLeon)