The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team kicked off its first-ever spring game Thursday with a 17-5 victory over the Orange team in front of 3,562 fans at Brownsville Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Freshman quarterback Atzel Chavez Jr., a Laredo United alum, impressed as the starter for the White team. Chavez completed 9 of 15 passes for 110 yards and added 24 rushing yards on five carries. His five-yard run late in the second quarter set up the first touchdown of the day, giving the White team a 10-3 lead.
One of Chavez’s key receivers was freshman Christian Sabsook, an Air Force transfer, who made four catches for 71 yards on five targets.
The White team extended their lead in the second half when freshman Jayden Paluseo, a Flour Bluff High School graduate, connected with graduate student Justin Kimber, a Louisiana Monroe transfer, on a 31-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 17-5.
Orange team scored first with a 36-yard field goal from redshirt freshman Jordan Melucci, a UTEP transfer, early in the first quarter.
After 15 minutes of scoreless play, freshman Troop O’Neal, a Tulsa transfer, kicked a 36-yard field goal for White, tying the game at 3-3.
Orange responded with a safety from freshman Aaden Benjamin, a Houston-native from Shadow Creek High School, late in the third quarter to pull within 10-5.
The Vaqueros will play their first-ever regular season game on Aug. 30 against Sul Ross State at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium.
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