By: Iran Perez/MyUniversalSports.com

Photos by: Adrian Hernandez/MyUniversalSports.com

What looked to be an entertaining rivalry game between the Weslaco Panthers and the Mercedes Tigers turned into a quick route. The Panthers used an aggressive offensive game plan to blow out the Tigers 42-6 at the new Bobby Lackey Stadium on Thursday night.

It was Week Zero of Valley High School Football but the Panthers looked in midseason form scoring in their first four drives of the game.

The Tigers looked impressive in their opening drive taking the ball all the way down to the Panthers own 23 yard line but on fourth down with six yards to go for a first down Mercedes decided to go for it with a screen pass that only garnered them three yards and were forced to turn the ball over on downs.

Three plays later Weslaco’s QB Randy Lopez who is coming off an injury plagued junior campaign connected with speedy wideout Raul “RC” Cervantes for a 76-yard bomb that put the Panthers up 7-0 with 6:26 left in the first frame. From then on it was all Weslaco.

The Panthers defense did not allow the Tigers to get going on offense and on the Panthers sixth drive of the game Weslaco’s stellar running back John Rojas cut down the Mercedes sideline heading north for a 90 yard touchdown with 7:57 left in the third quarter to put the Panthers up 35-0.

The Tigers would put up a score of their own when QB Esteban Gonzalez plunged it in from two yards out to make it 6-0 and the Tigers would miss the extra point to make 35-6. Weslaco would tack a late touchdown to give them the 42-6 victory and give them a (1-0) record going into next week’s matchup versus the always dangerous Alice Coyotes on Friday night in Weslaco.

The star of the night for Weslaco was tough running back Rojas who finished the night with 138 yards rushing and one touchdown.

The Tigers (0-1) will regroup and travel to La Feria to take on the 3A Lions in La Feria next Friday night.

Side Note: the exact number was not given but at least nine players were ejected from the game from both Weslaco and Mercedes combined. The ejections occurred after the players scuffled twice. Once after Mercedes lone touchdown and again on the ensuing extra point miss.

Stay tuned to MyUniversalSports.com for game photos!