(Victoria) — After a slow start, the Seguin Matadors dominated the final three quarters in blowing past Victoria East, 38-21, to win their District 13-5A opener on Friday night in Victoria.
The first quarter saw the Matadors fall behind by two touchdowns as the Titans took advantage of a pair of Seguin turnovers on downs to build a 14-0 lead after the game’s first 12 minutes. The Mats failed to register a first down in the opening quarter.
The Seguin offense would move the chains for the first time early in the second quarter. After the defense recovered a fumble near the end of the first quarter, the Mat offense would embark on an 85-yard drive that culminated in a Julius Rivera three-yard touchdown run to get Seguin on the board for the first time.
Later in the quarter, the Seguin special teams made a play. Heavy pressure by the punt rush team resulted in a three-yard punt by East that set Seguin up near midfield with a little over two minutes to go in the half. The Matadors then ran the clock down while driving down into East territory.
With the clock winding down and the Mats facing a fourth down at the East 30-yard line, quarterback Corey Dailey hit a streaking Elliot Weaver in stride at the goal line. The junior receiver hauled in the pass and took the ball into the end zone as the game clock hit zero. It was the second straight week Seguin scored on the final play of the first half. The result this time tied the game at 14 as the teams headed into their locker rooms.
The Matadors would score two four-yard touchdowns in the third quarter that ended long drives to take a double-digit lead. Ian Moreno capped the first drive with a run at the end of a 66-yard trek, and Corey Dailey ended a 69-yard drive with a run later in the quarter.
The Titans would catch a break early in the fourth quarter to cut the lead down to seven, but Seguin would respond with another long drive. After the Mat defense stopped East at the Seguin one-yard line on fourth down, the Titans recovered a Seguin fumble in the Matador end zone on the next play to make the score 28-21. The Matadors responded and took the game’s momentum right back with a 71-yard drive in nearly four minutes that ended with an eight-yard TD pass from Dailey to Daniel Pinon.
After a turnover on downs by East, Seguin kicker Gabe Hernandez booted a 29-yard field goal to put the Matadors up, 38-21. Pinon would intercept a pass on the Titans’ next drive and Seguin would run out the clock to end the game.
The Matadors more than doubled the Titans in total yards, 424-206. Dailey was 21 of 28 through the air for 238 yards with two TDs. He also added 91 yards on the ground with a score. Running backs Ian Moreno and DJ Luckey combined for 107 yards rushing. Weaver had his second 100-yard receiving game of the season, finishing with eight catches for 123 yards and a TD.
For the Seguin defense, defensive backs Kaiden De La Garza and Marcus Troy each had six tackles to lead the Mats. Linebacker Rivera had five tackles including one for loss. Defensive lineman Hunter Mica had two tackles including one for a loss.
The Matadors, winners of three straight games, will play Boerne-Champion next week at homecoming at Seguin High School. The Chargers fell 41-14 to Class 5A Division I defending state champion Smithson Valley in their District 13-5A opener on Friday. Boerne-Champion and Seguin will kick off at 7 p.m. next Friday at Matador Stadium. We’ll have the game on AM 1580 KWED and streaming at SeguinToday.com.
In other area action on Friday, Navarro fell 23-7 at home to La Vernia. And Marion lost a 52-34 shootout at Lago Vista.