Mercedes is a perfect 4-0 against Pace since September of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Tigers will take on the Vikings at 7:00 p.m. Mercedes will come into the contest with an undefeated record on the line.
Mercedes is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They breezed past Porter to the tune of 69-0 on Friday. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Tigers' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 300th, while the Cowboys are ranked 977th).
Frankie Salinas
| 09/26/25 @ Sharyland | 142 |
| 10/31/25 vs Porter | 112 |
| 08/28/25 @ Edinburg | 65 |
| 09/05/25 @ Donna | 57 |
| 10/24/25 vs Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Southwest | 55 |
Robert Sanchez continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 107 yards and four scores on only six carries, while also picking up 64 receiving yards and one TD. His longest reception was for an impressive 55 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per catch total. Mercedes also got help from Frankie Salinas, who showed off his sure hands for 112 receiving yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Mercedes was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 299 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 185 rushing yards in eight consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Pace didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Lopez on Thursday, but they still walked away with a 33-28 victory.
Pace's win came from a few key players Mercedes will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Isaac Solis, who threw for 146 yards and three touchdowns. His passing game has become a key predictor of Pace's success: the team is 2-1 when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 2-4 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Juan Hernandez, who picked up 43 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Mercedes' record now sits at 9-0. As for Pace, their record is now 4-5.
Friday's contest will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Sanchez and Damian Majano. Sanchez just won't slow down this season and has run in 20 touchdowns while averaging 115.2 rushing yards per game. Majano has been a dominant force too and has run in 9 touchdowns while averaging 95.9 rushing yards per game.
Everything came up roses for Mercedes against Pace when the teams last played back in November of 2024, as the squad secured a 48-21 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
