EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso still has one Texas high school football team alive in the state playoffs, it just so happens to be a school that is some 652 miles away that is led by an El Pasoan. The Marlin Bulldogs, coached by Ruben Torres, beat Crawford 26-6 in the Class 2A, Division I Regional Finals in Belton to advance to the State Semifinals (Final 4).
Torres, who was a head coach at Ysleta and El Dorado, is in his first season with the Bulldogs. He has led a complete turnaround at Marlin, who just four games in 2020, and two games in 2019 before Torres arrived on campus.
In addition to Torres, El Paso native Brandon Mugrage is an assistant of the coaching staff.
Marlin will play Hawley next week with the winner advancing to the State Championship Game.