BROWNSVILLE – At today’s practice, the Cowboys had a different feeling. For every player on the team, it’s the first time they’ve tasted varsity victory.

“Big relief,” said Porter head coach Carlos Uresti. “That’s something we spoke about for about a year now. It’s one thing we wanted to address right off the bat. Glad to get it out of the way and move on to the rest of the season.”

Porter had lost their last 22 games.

That was until Friday night when the Cowboys corralled Port Isabel 14-3.

It was a win that meant so much to so many on the team.

“It felt amazing,” said sophomore quarterback Kevin Garcia. “It was just tears of joy pouring out of my eyes. I just couldn’t hold the happiness in, the excitement. Especially for the seniors on this team, to finally get a win.”

Seniors like Troy Perez, a 4-year letterman that remembers the last time the Cowboys won a game.

In Friday’s opener, Perez injured his knee.

But instead of sitting down, Perez stepped up. The senior defensive tackle wanted to be on the field as the Cowboys ended their long drought.

“They didn’t pull me off,” said Perez. “I didn’t want to get pulled off because I knew if I was pulled off, that we were going to have trouble on the defensive line. That’s why I toughed it out and ended up going back in.”

Perez and the Cowboys defense held the Tarpons to just 3 points and 100 yards.

On offense, Porter got their ground game going. Garcia and Ulises Guzman each ran for over a hundred yards and each had a score.

“Couldn’t work as one,” said Guzman. “We fixed it and just worked together. Everything came through.”

“It was crazy,” said Garcia. “The game was intense. It was 14-3. Should have been 21. It was an intense game, but we pulled through together.”

And together, the Cowboys will move forward, looking for their first win streak since 2015.

“We addressed it and now it’s on to district,” said Uresti. “I keep saying these kids know we can do something special if we really get our minds to it.”