Cigarroa Clinches Playoff Berth
The Cigarroa football team has secured its first playoff appearance since 2006 after a 29-28 win over Roma in Week 11.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Football
Cigarroa clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2006 with a 29-28 victory over Roma in Week 11. The team had finished 0-10 in each of the prior three seasons.
Why it matters
The berth marks a sharp turnaround for a program that went winless for three straight seasons, and it gives Laredo a local playoff team to follow this postseason. First-year head coach Benny Ellison is credited with the change in fortunes.
A winless stretch of three straight seasons ended with the Week 11 win over Roma, and the team won four of its next seven games after its loss to Nixon. The first-round playoff opponent has not yet been determined.
The players
Cigarroa High School
A public high school in Laredo, Texas, whose football program competes in the local district schedule.
Benny Ellison
The first-year head football coach at Cigarroa High School, who took over the program during this rebuilding season.
The details
Cigarroa defeated Hidalgo Early College early in the season, then lost to rival Nixon the following week. The team went on to win four of its next seven games, and a 29-28 victory over Roma in Week 11 secured the playoff berth.
Timeline
Prior season: Cigarroa finished 0-10 for the third consecutive season.
Early season: Cigarroa defeated Hidalgo Early College.
The week after the Hidalgo game: Cigarroa lost to Nixon.
Week 11: Cigarroa beat Roma 29-28 to clinch a playoff berth.
Season Trajectory
Cigarroa's first playoff berth since 2006 ends a drought that began after that season and followed three straight 0-10 campaigns. The turnaround under first-year coach Benny Ellison places the program back in the postseason for the first time in nearly two decades.
The playoff berth puts Cigarroa in the postseason bracket, and fans can follow the first-round matchup once the opponent is set. The win over Roma also decided the team's place in the standings for the rest of the regular season.
The takeaway
A team that went winless for three straight seasons can rebuild quickly under new leadership, and the playoff berth shows that a turnaround can happen within a single season. Local followers of Laredo football now have a postseason team to track.
What happens next
Cigarroa will learn its first-round playoff opponent once the bracket is set.
Further reading
For more local coverage, see the Football section for Laredo high school games and playoff news.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kgns.
