(Seguin) — Seguin and Laredo United lit up the scoreboard for more than 120 points at Matador Stadium, but it was the Longhorns who came away on top at the end in a 62-59 victory Friday over the Matadors on Seguin Athletic Hall of Honor night.
The Matadors gave the Longhorns short fields on their first two possessions thanks to fumbles and United took advantage to take an early 14-0 lead, but the Mats struck back with big plays to push in front at the end of the first quarter. Seguin fullback Holt Haas took the ball to pay-dirt from 22 yards out for the Matadors first score and Nik Henry flew by the Longhorn defense like the track star he is for a 78-yard catch and run score. After two-point conversions following each score, Seguin lead 16-14 at the end of the first quarter.
The Mats would cough up the ball again in the second quarter leading to another United score as the Longhorns pulled ahead 35-22 late in the second quarter. A Devin Hall five-yard TD run for Seguin put an end to the scoring at the half with United up, 35-30.
The fireworks continued in the third quarter when United capped off a 65-yard drive to start the second half with a TD, but Hall would take the ensuing kickoff back the other way 78 yards to bring the Matadors within 42-38. Seguin running back John Jackson put the Mats back in front at 45-42 with a nine-yard rushing score with about two minutes left to go in the quarter.
The Longhorns came back with a score on a 22-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Atzel Chavez Jr. to receiver Christian Saldana to make it 49-45 United with 28 seconds remaining in the third. The Longhorns would then recover a loose ball on the next kickoff and score again on a 15-yard TD pass from Chavez to Alek Leven to go up 55-45 early in the fourth quarter. Seguin rushing scores by quarterback Corey Dailey and Jackson would be sandwiched around another Chavez TD pass and United would hold on for the win.
Jackson had another 200-yard rushing effort for Seguin despite the loss totaling 233 yards on the ground on 23 carries to go along with two touchdowns. Henry lead Matador receivers with four catches for 130 yards hauling in two TD passes from Dailey.
Former Matador student-athletes Alex Bothe and Kelly Lamb were inducted into the Seguin ISD Athletic Hall of Honor before kickoff. Bothe and Kelly both graduated in 2010 and starred for the Seguin volleyball and softball teams.
The Mats fall to 0-3 on the season. Seguin will start District 12-5A play next Thursday night when they travel to Kyle Lehman to battle the Lobos. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and we’ll have the game for you on KWED. Our pregame show will start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on AM 1580 and streaming at SeguinToday.com.