Celina Flexes Championship Muscle, Rolls Past La Vega in Showdown of State Finalists
MANSFIELD — A day late but no less dramatic, two of last year’s state finalists clashed on Saturday afternoon. By the final whistle, Celina left no doubt who’s still wearing the crown.
The Bobcats, fresh off their 4A Division I championship last December, delivered a commanding 36-7 victory over La Vega, the 4A Division II runner-up. Behind Oklahoma-bound quarterback Bowe Bentley, a stifling defense, and a third-quarter explosion, Celina turned a close contest into a rout.
Early Control, Late Separation
Celina wasted little time asserting themselves. Bentley’s 39-yard strike to tight end Wyatt Villarreal set up a short touchdown run from Logan Gutierrez, and when the Bobcats’ defense swarmed La Vega in its own end zone minutes later, the lead was 9-0.
La Vega punched back in the second quarter, stringing together a 92-yard march capped by Elbert Jones’ 27-yard dash, slicing the deficit to 9-7. But Bentley answered, threading a 14-yard scoring pass to Villarreal in the corner of the end zone just before halftime. At the break, the Oklahoma commit was a perfect 10-for-10 passing with 132 yards and a score.
The Third-Quarter Avalanche
Whatever slim hopes La Vega carried into halftime quickly evaporated. Celina erupted for 17 unanswered points in the third:
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Jax Holt’s 34-yard field goal extended the margin.
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Bentley then called his own number, racing 14 yards for a touchdown after a Cameron Lucas interception.
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Moments later, defensive back Julian Mayfield jumped a pass and sprinted 40 yards for a pick-six, effectively putting the game on ice.
By the time Holt added another field goal in the fourth, the Bobcats were in full command, and La Vega had no answers. The Pirates didn’t complete a pass in the second half and were intercepted three times.
A Statement Win
With the victory, Celina (2-0) looks every bit the part of a returning champion, following last week’s 50-28 shootout win over Bellville. Bentley once again showed why he’s one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in Texas, and the defense showed it could dominate on the big stage.
La Vega (1-1), who opened its season with a 41-3 romp over Kennedale, simply couldn’t sustain momentum and watched the game unravel after halftime.
For Celina, it was more than a win — it was a reminder. Two programs that walked into AT&T Stadium last December are still on championship paths, but for now, the Bobcats are clearly a step ahead.
