Still Dancing: Chargers Complete Comeback, Upset Miller to Punch Ticket to State Semifinals

BROWNSVILLE — History made.

For the first time in two decades an RGV high school football team is headed to the state semifinals, with the Brownsville Veterans Chargers punching their ticket with a thrilling 35-28 victory over the Corpus Christi Buccaneers on Friday at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville.

The victory sends the Chargers to the Class 5A DI state semifinals for the first time in program history, while also becoming the first team since the 2003 Port Isabel Tarpons to make it to the elusive round.

They’ll take on Smithson Valley in the fifth round at 7 p.m. Friday at Buccaneer Stadium in Corpus Christi.

“I’m just speechless right now,” Montoya said. “I’m very emotional right now. I just dedicate this win to my parents and the Brownsville community. Nobody thinks much of us. I want to help us make a name for ourselves. I do this for them. I do this for our seniors. I’m just so proud of my team right now.”

Things didn’t go the Chargers’ way during the opening half, turning the ball over three times en route to a 14-0 hole at the break.

The Buccaneers dealt another blow to the Chargers’ fifth round hopes just seconds into the second half, with Corey Holmes taking the opening kickoff 80 yards to make it 21-0 early in the third.

“The message after we went down was to keep doing what we were doing” Trillo said. “We knew we had to stop our mistakes and keep driving and playing with the same mentality we had been playing with.”

The Chargers weren’t ready to go down without a fight, getting on the board with 4:18 left in the third on a two-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Storm Montoya to make it 21-7.

The Buccaneers answered with another haymaker by Holmes, this time catching a ball off a deflection in the endzone for his second touchdown to give Miller a 28-7 lead heading into the final period.

Holmes score would be the last time the Buccaneers’ would find the end zone, with the Chargers’ defense and offense taking turns making plays during the fourth.

First up was Montoya once again, breaking a 15-yard touchdown run with 9:44 left to make it 28-14.

Next up was the defense, with defensive back Eroz Pineda picking off Miller’s Trevor Long to set up the Chargers inside enemy territory.

Brownsville Veterans capitalized on the turnover, with Montoya scoring his third touchdown of the night to make it a one score game with 7:46 remaining.

A forced punt by the Chargers defense gave their offense the ball back with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.

Cool and collected, Montoya marched the Chargers 50 yards down the field for the game-tying score, capping the drive with his fourth rushing touchdown of the night to tie the game 28-28 with 1:51 remaining.

Montoya finished the game with 16 carries for 111 yards and four touchdowns, also adding 81 yards through the air.

“We had a never give up mentality,” Montoya said. “We had a lot of determination to win this game. We wanted this for our seniors and our community, so I had to do my part.”

While Montoya got the Chargers back into the game, it was Trillo who came up with the three biggest plays of the night to close out the game.

The senior do-it-all athlete jumped on a loose ball with just over a minute left in the game to give his team the ball back for the go-ahead score.

Five plays later, it was Trillo again coming up big, powering his way into the end zone from 20 yards to give the Chargers a 35-28 with just 25 seconds left.

On the games final play, Trillo went toe-to-toe with Miller’s Jaedyn Brown, breaking a pass intended for the senior in the end zone to secure the win.

“Coach actually let us call that last play,” Trillo said. “We knew we had the blockers. He trusted us and my blockers did everything for me to be able to just walk in. We just had a different game plan going into the second half. Coach hyped us up. We all came out and made plays and hit them in the mouth.”

The victory marks the first time the Chargers have advanced to the state semifinals, joining only four other RGV teams to accomplish the feat.