Coronado Completes Double Digit Comeback for First District Win

The Caprock Longhorns started off strong with a huge kickoff return that set them up for an early score. Quarterback Juan De La Cruz took the snap and lunged for the end zone but fumbled the ball. Fortunately, offensive lineman Adrian Benavidez recovered it, securing the touchdown just 56 seconds into the game and giving the Longhorns a 7-0 lead.

A series of turnovers on downs for the Mustangs put the Longhorns back on the field, hungry for more. Caprock's Juan De La Cruz connected with Jayden Acosta-Lewis for a 45-yard touchdown. After a successful two-point conversion, the Longhorns led 15-0. Coronado did nothing again on offense, and Caprock's De La Cruz struck again, throwing a 40-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Apodaca, extending their lead to 22-0 with 56 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Mustangs needed to respond—and they found one. Coronado's running back, Demarion Finch, broke free for a 48-yard run, setting up the Mustangs at Caprock's 1-yard line. Finch then powered through for their first score of the night. After a missed extra point, the Mustangs trailed 22-6.

A while later, the Longhorns drove down to Coronado's 5-yard line. Running back Xavier Vargas took the snap and powered through the line to score. A successful extra point put the Longhorns up 29-6 with 1:56 left in the first half. But Coronado was determined to respond before heading into the locker room. From the Longhorns' 13-yard line, Vazquez lobbed a pass to Dom Parrish for a touchdown. The extra point by Dylan Corley brought the score to 29-13 at the half.

Almost immediately after the second-half kickoff, the Mustangs took control of the field for the rest of the night. A lengthy drive culminated in a quick 9-yard handoff to Demarion Finch for a touchdown. Another failed two-point conversion left the Mustangs trailing 29-19. As the clock ticked down, a determined push down the field brought the Mustangs back into the red zone. Isaiah Vazquez took the snap and powered through for a touchdown, narrowing the original 22-point deficit to just 3 points.

The Longhorns struggled to find their rhythm. After a third-down stop, the Longhorns attempted to punt, but a muffed snap disrupted the play. Trying to prevent the Mustangs from scoring an easy touchdown, the punter wisely threw the ball out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety for Coronado. The Mustangs trailed by one point in the 4th quarter after they trailed by three touchdowns earlier in the contest.

With less than eight minutes left in the game, Coronado was determined to secure a win. A lengthy and successful drive brought the Mustangs to the 7-yard line, where Vazquez connected with Finch for his third touchdown of the night. Caprock's punter's attempt to keep a Mustang touchdown off the board backfired as Coronado took the lead. The extra-point attempt to extend the lead to seven points fell short, leaving the Mustangs ahead by five, 34-29.

Caprock had one last chance to clinch the game. A series of first downs advanced the Longhorns to their 37-yard line. However, a pass intended for Fabian Alvarado was intercepted by Coronado linebacker Trae-Anthony Thompson, sealing the victory for the Mustangs.

Head Coach of the Coronado Mustangs, Andrew Roy, talked about how the resilience and challenges the team has faced have led them to this hard-earned victory after the game. Watch the interview here:

After overcoming a whopping 22-point deficit in the first quarter, Coronado celebrated their second win of the season. The Mustangs will next face the Amarillo High Sandies at Dick Bivins Stadium on October 24. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.