Steers clinch district with win over Mustangs

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FARWELL — Miguel Vasquez probably didn’t need any extra motivation for Friday’s District 3-2A Division II showdown between his Farwell Steers and rival Bovina.

link Staff photo: Tony Bullocks

Bovina junior quarterback David Lara gets off pass over the outstretched arm of Farwell sophomore defensive lineman Trace Stancell during the first half of Friday’s District 3-2A Division II game at Farwell. The Steers edged the previously unbeaten Mustangs 20-14 to clinch the district championship.

The junior running back-cornerback spent part of this week in Mexico after his grandmother died on Tuesday, but he returned in time to lead the Steers to a district-clinching 20-14 victory over the previously unbeaten Mustangs.

Vasquez rushed for 258 yards on 28 carries, leading a ground game that accumulated 416 yards. He broke through the middle and raced 73 yards for a touchdown in the opening minute of the final period, one play after Steers linebacker Jesus Garcia recovered a Bovina fumble, to erase the Mustangs’ 14-12 lead.

“He’s our workhorse; we knew that all along,” Steers coach Danny Brittain said of Vasquez. “That’s a warrior’s heart right there.”

Vasquez said he was motivated by the thought of his grandmother.

“It made me work harder tonight,” he said. “I wasn’t going to give up easy.”

The Mustangs (8-1, 4-1 district) used a mostly no-huddle offense led by junior quarterback David Lara, who completed 15-of-34 passes for 236 yards. Four players caught at least three passes, with junior Bryan De La Torre grabbing four for 69 yards.

link Staff photo: Tony Bullocks

Bovina junior quarterback David Lara gets off pass over the outstretched arm of Farwell sophomore defensive lineman Trace Stancell during the first half of Friday’s District 3-2A Division II game at Farwell. The Steers edged the previously unbeaten Mustangs 20-14 to clinch the district championship.

Lara threw a 24-yard TD pass to junior wide receiver Enrique Marez to cap a 63-yard drive following the second-half kickoff to put Bovina in front for the first time.

“The boys played good,” Mustangs coach Hector Guevara said. “We just didn’t minimize our mistakes.”

In the end, Bovina couldn’t overcome three turnovers, five sacks of Lara — two by Garcia — and, of course, the heroics of Vasquez.

“I give them a lot of credit,” Guevara said of the Steers. “They came out and played well. It was a good game for our teams, for our communities and for our schools.”

Farwell (8-1, 4-0) led 12-0 early in the second quarter after a 25-yard run by junior Patrick Pena, but Bovina’s Jadon Quintana returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards for a score.

Vasquez ran 51 yards to the Bovina 2 on the Steers’ second possession of the game, and two plays later junior Jeremiah Smith scored on a 2-yard run.

The Steers play at last-place Morton next week. Brittain said they expect to play Tahoka in two weeks in a bi-district game, but said they’re determined not to look past the winless Indians.

“We don’t want to have any letdowns next week,” he said. “If we do, it could carry into the playoffs.”

Even with winless Morton remaining next week, Brittain and Vasquez both said it’s important not to have a letdown.

“We’ve just got to focus on one game at a time, and handle it every week,” Vasquez said.