CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A connection between receivers and a quarterback can be magical. That's what Miller fans witnessed Friday when the Buccaneers rallied back in the final minute to defeat Victoria West in their UIL 5A-DI round three playoff game, A Miller Miracle.
"Incredible feeling to be (13-0), undefeated still," Eathan Vela, Miller junior wide receiver, said.
An unblemished record that has never been reached in Miller's history. It took a Miller Miracle. Down 48-44 against Victoria West with 57 seconds left in the game.
"I opened it with the kickoff return," Vela said. "Then I caught two straight passes. Then we were able to get to about the 40 and Trevor Long, Corey Holmes and Broderick Taylor did the rest."
After a few plays, and 14 seconds left in the game, junior quarterback Trevor Long connected with junior receiver Corey Holmes.
"I knew if I pointed to the corner the safety was going to go and it was going to open up the middle for me," Trevor Long, Miller junior quarterback, said. "As soon as the middle opened up I just threaded it in there and Corey made the catch."
"He gave me a lot of confidence know that like I knew we could go downfield and score real quick because we have a lot of weapons on offense," Corey Holmes, Miller junior running back and receiver, said. "I just knew that we could go down quick and score and clinch the win."
A confidence that's been growing all season long.
"I mean the kids didn't flinch. They didn't panic. For us we work that drill every single day," Justen Evans, Miller Buccaneers football head coach, said. "It's just we work that drill every single day. It's just who we are. It's the pace we play at, so we've scored sometimes in 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 10 seconds."
Miller won 51-48. The defense gave up the most points they've allowed all season, but it's close battles like these that help prepare teams for the playoff road ahead.
"You don't win games in August, September, October, November, December. You win games January through July," Evans said. "That's where you win games at, and so the work that you put in, the continuity that those kids have, the time they spent with each other, the connection and the cohesion, all that stuff matters."
All that work done in the offseason matters again this Friday when Miller matches up against Brownsville Veterans Memorial. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Sam's Stadium in Brownsville. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial played Brownsville two weeks ago and fell short 17-7.
Brownsville Veterans Memorial is a team that loves to ground and pound but also proved they can throw the ball in their latest win over PSJA North, 45-28. The difference in tempo could play a factor, but both the Miller and Brownsville head coaches have confidence in their arsenal of talent and the plays they have on offense.
"A lot of those plays that we broke out against PSJA North they've been in our menu, but we've been keeping them for the right time," JC Ramirez, Brownsville Veterans Memorial football head coach, said. "This is the right time you know where your offense is clicking on the ground, but then you have the ability to throw the ball because your opponent is putting one too many kids in the box."
Only three other teams in Miller history won 13 games, 1938 (13-0-1), 1960 (13-1, State Champions), and 1963 (13-2). No Miller team has won 14 games in a season.
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