By RAUL GARCIA JR. | The Mercedes Enterprise

MERCEDES — Head Football Coach Roger Adame had the formula for his first round UIL Texas Football Playoff victory over Floresville at home Friday night.

He used his high octane offense and suffocating defense to defeat Floresville 41-34.

The win for the Tigers marks the program’s ninth playoff win in program history.

“This is our second post season win in three years,” Mercedes Head Coach Roger Adame said.

Mercedes (6-1, 3-1) will face Leander Rouse (8-1, 7-0) in the second round. The game time and date for the second round meeting is still to be determined.

The gridiron chess match tested Adame and the Tigers as they had to overcome the Floresville running game that seemed to march back to the end zone after every Tiger touchdown. The game saw multiple lead changes as Floresville started the scoring frenzy early in the game.

But it didn’t take to long for the Tigers to spark its scoring of its own with some big gains and defensive take aways.

To set up the Tigers second score and first lead of the game Sophomore Allan Gonzalez recovered a fumble inside the end zone and carried the ball 85-yards before being pushed out of bounds in the red zone.

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Also scoring for the Tigers were Michael Cisneros, Tyrell Trevino, Josiah Cantu and Miguel Jimenez.

Trevino scored his second touchdown to give the Tigers a 20-17 lead heading into the halftime break.

The Tigers scoring didn’t stop as Josiah Cantu took one to the house speeding past multiple defenders showing off his speed. The Tigers defense had intercepted a Floresville pass early in the second half to set up the Cantu score.

Shortly later into the game, Tigers Cornerback Simon Aguilera brought Tiger fans to their feet as he rumbled down field to position the Tigers for another score. On their next play Cisneros shot a short pass to Wide Receiver Joseph Rocha who blasted his way for a 15 yard gain to give the Tigers a goal line stance. The Tigers would not score after a flurry of penalties would push them back 33-yards before settling for a punt on fourth down by Cisneros.

The Tigers defense went back to to work, and they would go on to force another turnover, but Floresville counted stripping the ball the very next play and finding the end zone two plays later with a short run to take the lead.

Jimenez would strike back scoring the Tigers two final touchdowns of the game before the Tigers defense stopped Floresville’s chances of wining.

“Defense wins game,” Adame said after the game.”