(Corpus Christi, Texas)-Get ready McAllen, the Bulldogs are playing football on Thanksgiving Weekend! At Phil Danaher Stadium, the McAllen Bulldogs (7-5) defeated San Antonio Southside (10-2) 21-0 in the University Interscholastic League Class 5A Division I Area Championships on Thursday night. With the win, the 15-5A Division I Bulldogs will play host to 14-5A Division I Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“This is amazing,” said McAllen High School head football coach Patrick Shelby. “We are in the third round.” Yes, it was amazing for the Bulldogs on Friday, despite the 50 degree weather, but Bulldogs fans watched their Cinderella team shutdown a team that had posted ten wins this season. McHi running back Jayden Herrera scored two touchdowns and WR Christian Echazarreta took a bomb on a fake punt pass from punter, Max Alvarez to put the Bulldogs into the third round for the first time in a long time. It was then-head coach Tony Harris who led the Bulldogs to the regional championships back in 2001 against SA Marshall.
The Cardinals played without its starting quarterback, Gary Hernandez, who sustained a leg injury in their win over Victoria East last week. The Cardinals elected to go with LB Jake Montoya and his inexperience showed as he was chased down repeatedly by junior DT Salomon Arroyo, DT Heriberto Baleras, and SS Derrick White throughout the night.
The Bulldogs will now face Corpus Christi Veterans, led by QB Elijah Durrette (2,695 yards passing 31 TDs; 608 yards rushing), RB Jayden Castaneda (1,060 yards rushing), and WR Alejandro Guerrero (810 yards receiving). The Eagles defeated Edinburg Vela on Friday 14-7. Defensively, the Eagles are led by twins DE/DT Joshua and Jaredh Frayre (6’2 230lbs), who have both combined for 11 quarterback sacks, along with LB Homar Barrera-Lopez (4 QB sacks). The Eagles have outscored its opponents 454-202 points this season and are coming off a fourth round loss to Flour Bluff in 2021.
