Stepp's No. 6 Game of 2025: Laredo United Delivers in Region IV After-Dark Playoff Showdown
Matt Stepp's No. 6 game of the 2025 Texas high school football season was between the Laredo United Longhorns and the Los Fresnos Falcons.
Laredo United struck the first blow as RB Juan Lopez barrelled in from a yard out to put the Longhorns up 6-0 less than three minutes into the game. The PAT was blocked by Los Fresnos and United led 6-0. The Falcons moved the ball well on their opening series, but they turned it over on downs at the United nine-yard line on a 4th-and-3.
United took the turnover and moved the ball into Falcons territory late in the first quarter, but this time the Los Fresnos defense came up with a big play with under a minute left in the quarter when junior DE Jose Frausto recovered a fumble after the United QB was sacked.
Los Fresnos went on a long march that was capped off with a 19-yard touchdown pass from QB Robert Pineda to RB Tyler Stachowiak to put the Falcons up 7-6 with eight minutes left in the first half.
United responded on the ensuing drive as their lethal combination of QB Jorge Luna and WR Colt Lozano combined for a 28-yard touchdown pass to put the Longhorns back up 13-7 with 5:25 remaining in the second quarter.
Neither team would get much offense going the rest of the quarter, but there was some controversy right before halftime as Los Fresnos got an interception return for a score in the dying seconds of the half. The play was called back due to a block in the back, which obviously didn’t sit well with the Los Fresnos sideline, but we went into the half with United leading in a defensive slugfest, 13-7.
United appeared ready to go up two scores early in the second half as they forced a Los Fresnos punt on the opening drive, but the snap bounced off the punter’s personal protector, giving United the ball with great field position. The Los Fresnos defense once again was up to the task holding United out of the end zone and forcing a field goal attempt. The Falcons defense blocked the attempt to keep the score at 13-7 with 7:02 left in the third quarter.
Los Fresnos had some juice on their next series as RB JC Fuentes capped the 80-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown run to put the Falcons back up 14-13 with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter. Once again, United had their response as they marched right back down the field taking the lead back as Luna connected with WR Roland San Miguel for a 15-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion failed and United led 19-14 with 23 seconds left in the third.
Los Fresnos responded with 7:07 left in the game as on 4th-and-goal from the United 3-yard line as Pineda found Ricardo Salazar for the touchdown pass, the two-point try failed and Los Fresnos held a 20-19 edge.
Once again, when Los Fresnos scores, United had their answer as backup RB Aaden Ochoa scored on a 41-yard touchdown run to put the Longhorns up 25-20. Luna connected with Lozano for the two-point conversion to give United a 27-20 edge with 4:29 left in the game.
Los Fresnos marched back into United territory, but with 3:05 left in the game United DB Kayden Serna picked the ball off on a deep ball at the United 16 to give the Longhorns the ball back. Los Fresnos’ defense held strong and forced a United punt giving the Falcons the ball back with 1:41 left in the game.
The Falcons marched to the United 27-yard line with under a minute left, but a 4th-and-six pass fell incomplete and Laredo United advanced to the third round and ended Los Fresnos’ undefeated run with a thrilling late-night 27-20 win.
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