For the first time ever, Mexico’s Liga de Futbol Americano (LFA) championship game will be fought without the two-time champion Mayas. The Mexicas ended the reign of the Mayas Sunday with a 27-17 victory and will now face the Raptors in Tazón México III.
Mexicas quarterback Ricardo Quintana was superb, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for the other two. Wide receiver Guillermo ‘Billy’ Villalobos hauled in a fourth quarter touchdown pass from Quintana while Carlos Soria kicked two field goals and three extra points.
For the Mayas, quarterback Marco Garcia scored a touchdown as did running back Omar Cojolum while Mauricio Morales kicked a field goal and a pair of extra points.
After fumbling the ball away twice on two drives in the first quarter, the Mexicas took the lead as Quintana found a seam and scrambled 18 yards into the end zone to put the Mexicas in front 7-0.
Mexicas WR Guillermo ‘Billy’ Villalobos heading for a TD
Garcia responded for the Mayas on the next possession capping a drive with a 10 touchdown run himself, tying the game at 7-7.
Both defenses were playing well but Quintana led his team on another long drive, calling his own number again from two yards out to give the Mexicas a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Mayas offense continued to struggle but finally managed to get close enough for Morales to kick a 19 yard field goal late in the first half so the Mexicas went into the break leading 14-10.
The Mexicas opened the second half by forcing a Cojolum fumble deep in Mayas territory and Soria kicked his first field goal to extend the lead to 17-10.
The Mayas offense finally came untracked as Garcia connected with wide receiver Josue Martinez who scored to tie the game again, 17-17.
Quintana quieted the Mayas fans on the very next series, as he found Villalobos for an 81 yard touchdown bomb restoring the lead for the Mexicas, 24-17.
With less than two minutes to play, Soria dashed the final hopes of the Mayas with a 14 yard field goal and sending his team to the championship final for the first time.
The Mexicas will now face the Raptors in Tazón México III on April 22.