Mission Vets Isn’t Punching Up Anymore. This Is Just Who They Are.

Mission Veterans 35, Los Fresnos 31

First it was the wounded dog.

Then, after Thursday night’s win, David Gilpin told CBS 4/NBC 23’s Megan Murray, “We’re punching up now.”

I’m not sure that fits anymore.

I think they’re just punching.

Mission Vets took the 56-14 loss to PSJA North, answered by beating Weslaco, then handed Los Fresnos its first loss while scoring a season-high 35.

Four games in, the perception after PSJA North doesn’t match this team anymore.

Los Fresnos made them earn it. Tyler Stachowiak ran for an unofficial 148 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, Evan McChesney kept creating outside the pocket, and the Falcons’ defensive front had stretches where they got real push against Vets.

Roman never looked sped up.

The play-calling fits him. Move the pocket, let him extend a snap, use his legs when it’s there. And when Vets needed one drive to win it, Reyna went 4-of-5 for 63 yards on a 66-yard march.

Fabian Ruiz caught two touchdowns. Carlos Abrego finished two drives on the ground. Alejandro Melendez came up with the 38-yard catch that put Vets inside the 5 late.

There are more places to go with the football now, and up front Vets has enough size to lean on people without asking Roman to create something every snap.

Defensively, Vets brought some real edge. Cory Garza was one of the Patriots finishing tackles, but the bigger thing was how rarely the first blue jersey arrived alone. Vets was flying to the football, closing from the second and third levels and making Los Fresnos earn just about everything through contact. First downs felt hard-earned. Big hits, gang tackles and that constant swarm kept the Falcons from ever getting too comfortable. And when Los Fresnos did break through and put points on the board, Vets kept answering right back.

Los Fresnos still found explosives and still got to 31, but when McChesney got one last shot to win it, Vets got off the field on fourth down.

Four games in, you can see the shape of this team now.

And the biggest thing is none of this feels fluky anymore. Vets isn’t living off busted plays or waiting for Roman to make something crazy happen. They’ve got a quarterback they trust, size up front, guys making plays around him and a defense that can take a shot and keep coming.

That travels.

Especially once district starts.

They’re disciplined, they know what they want offensively, and there isn’t much wasted football.

Give Los Fresnos its flowers too.

The Falcons came in riding a 19-game regular-season winning streak, took a lead into the fourth and made Vets deal with Stachowiak, McChesney and their athletes all night.

That makes the win better.

Gilpin told RGVSports afterward there was “absolutely no doubt” when his offense got the ball back needing a touchdown.

That trust showed up in the biggest possession of the night.

PSJA North showed Mission Vets where it had work to do.

Weslaco showed they could answer.

Los Fresnos showed that answer might be who they are now.

Mission Veterans 35. Los Fresnos 31.

Gilpin called it punching up.

After Weslaco and Los Fresnos back-to-back, I think Mission Vets has shown us its actual weight class.