Porter needed a win or a PSJA Southwest loss to clinch a playoff berth this week.

The Cowboys received some good news late Thursday night as Mercedes defeated PSJA Southwest 52-0, clinching a postseason spot for Porter for the first time since 2008.

The Cowboys will now try to build on that momentum when they play PSJA High at 1 p.m. Saturday in a District 32-5A game at Sams Memorial Stadium. Rivera and Hanna will face off later at 7 p.m. tonight in a District 32-6A game, also at Sams Memorial Stadium.

“It feels amazing,” Porter quarterback Ernie Martinez said. “But I still feel like we need to win. I think it’s best to have as many wins as we can heading into the playoffs.”

The Cowboys could relax with a playoff berth in hand, but the team and Porter coach Tom Campos don’t want to rest. They want to finish the season strong with a victory or two, and play as if the stress is still on their shoulders.

“I think the pressure is still there,” Martinez said. “It’s the last home game for the seniors, and I don’t want to go into the playoffs losing.”

Porter again will rely on running back Jorge Gutierrez, who leads the district with 1,614 yards and 20 touchdowns on the season.

The game plan for Porter doesn’t change this week, and its ground attack should be pretty effective. The Bears allow 285 rushing yards per game, and the Cowboys gain 298 yards per game on the ground.

The team is confident and ready to face the Bears today, but Martinez did allow himself to reflect for a moment.

“It’s something that not a lot of people have done before,” he said. “It’s something I can take with me, and I know that I’ve done something that not a lot of people have done. It’s pretty special.”