GUARDADO’S LAST-SECOND BOOT LIFTS CORONADO PAST MONTWOOD, 27-24

By PREP1 Sports October 2, 2026 | Quarles Brooks Thunderbird Stadium - El Paso, Texas There was no overtime needed. No extra possession. No second chance. Just one kick—and Myles Guardado delivered. With the clock winding down Friday night at Quarles Brooks Thunderbird Stadium, Guardado calmly split the uprights on a 25-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Coronado Thunderbirds into a wild celebration after a dramatic 27-24 victory over the Montwood Rams. Blue Water Healthy Living It was the kind of finish that makes Friday night football special. And for Coronado, it capped a remarkable turnaround. The Thunderbirds improved to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in District 1-6A, winning their fourth consecutive game after opening the season 0-2. Montwood dropped to 0-6 overall and 0-2 in district play. ONE KICK. ONE MOMENT. ONE WIN. The game-winning field goal was the final punctuation mark on a night in which neither team was willing to give an inch. Guardado's 25-yarder came with the entire game riding on his leg, and the Coronado kicker delivered when it mattered most. Blue Water Healthy Living Montwood quarterback Davion Hurell kept the Rams within striking distance throughout the night, throwing for 281 yards and three touchdowns in the 27-24 defeat. Blue Water Healthy Living But Coronado's defense made enough plays to keep the Thunderbirds alive—and was especially disruptive in the trenches. The Thunderbirds finished with four sacks, their highest single-game total of the season. MaxPreps.com Offensively, Coronado produced 319 total yards, including 237 on the ground and 82 through the air. THE THUNDERBIRDS ARE FLYING What's happening at Coronado is becoming difficult to ignore. After losses to El Dorado and Odessa to open the year, the Thunderbirds have ripped off four straight victories: Burges. Del Valle. Socorro. Montwood. And the last two have come by exactly three points—first a 38-35 thriller over Socorro, followed by Friday's 27-24 heart-stopper against Montwood. MaxPreps.com That's four wins. That's a 2-0 start in district play. And that's a team suddenly playing with confidence. But the schedule isn't getting any easier. NEXT UP: EASTWOOD Coronado now turns its attention to one of the biggest tests on the District 1-6A schedule. The Thunderbirds travel to face Eastwood on Friday, October 9, at 7 p.m. MaxPreps.com After surviving Montwood on the final kick, Coronado will head into that matchup riding its longest winning streak of the season—and carrying plenty of momentum. Friday night, the Thunderbirds needed one final play. Guardado provided it. Coronado 27. Montwood 24. Game over. Thunderbirds win. Photo: Sammy Espinoza SJE Photography | PREP1 Network