EAGLE PASS EAGLES FOOTBALL GRIDIRON NEWS Eagles take nail biting thriller over Laredo LBJ 28 to 25 By: Conrado Perez, Jr. – Eagle Pass Sports Centr
EAGLE PASS EAGLES FOOTBALL GRIDIRON NEWS
Eagles take nail biting thriller over
Laredo LBJ 28 to 25
By: Conrado Perez, Jr. – Eagle Pass Sports Central
“Your best and only source for local sports news in Eagle Pass”
The Eagle Pass Eagles mentored by head coach Tom Gonzalez returned to the friendly confirms of the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 24, 2016 to tangle with the Laredo LBJ Wolves in a 7:00 PM District 29-6A encounter. This game was also designated as the Eagles Parent’s night with the Eagles varsity football players paying tribute to their respective parents during pregame festivities. The visiting Laredo LBJ Wolves under the direction of former Eagle Pass Eagles head football coach Oki VIllasenor came with a winless 0-4 season record and a 0-1 district mark while the home standing Eagles ventured in with a 2-2 season record and a 0-1 district mark.
After forcing the Eagles to punt on their first possession of the game the visiting LBJ Wolves struck quicker than the lightning around the area needing 016just 3 plays from scrimmage to tally on a 47 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Albert Garcia to wide receiver Alberto De La Torre who outran the Eagles defensive secondary into the end zone with 9:08 showing on the first quarter clock. Point after attempt failed but the Wolves held an early 6 to 0 lead over the Eagles.
Late in the opening period the Eagles orchestrated a 12 play 63 yard scoring predominately using their patented running game with quarterback Ricky Medina sprinting 16 yards to pay dirt with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter behind the blocking of the Eagles offensive line of Adrian Rodriguez, Jorge Guardado, Cody Esquivel, Jovan Garza and Isacc Castillo. Jose Riojas tacked on the point after to give the Eagles a slim 7 to 6 lead over the Wolves.
The Eagles depleted defense made their presence known forcing the Wolves to punt the ball over in their second offensive series of game Eagles linebacker Sebastian Hernandez managed to block the punt and the Eagles defense recovered at the LBJ 24 yard line to set up the offense in great field possession.
The Eagles offense quickly capitalized with a three play 24 yard scoring drive capped off with a 6 yard scamper into the end zone by slot back Jose Riojas with 10:05 remaining in the second quarter. Jose Riojas split the uprights with the point after to extend the Eagles lead to 14 to 6.
The Eagles ground oriented offense supported by their ever present Loyal Legion of fans tallied another score before halftime with a two play 70 yard scoring drive punctuated with a sensational 70 yard sprint to the promise land by the defending District 29-6A 100 Meter Dash champion speedy Eagles running back Mark Venegas who went untouched into the end zone with6:57 showing on the second quarter clock. Jose Riojas converted the point after giving the Eagles a 21 to 7 lead over the Wolves.
The Eagles stingy defense with Jesus Fernandez, Haran Rodriguez, Mario Torres, Alek Alvarez, Sebastian Hernandez, David Kypuros, Brandon Garza, Kevin Garcia, Alan Morales and company shut down the Wolves the rest of the first half as the Eagles took a 21 to 7 lead into their first half locker room.
During the halftime break the lighting from the storm coming out of Mexico began to get closer. The second half started just like the first half as the visiting Wolves struck quickly with a two play 51 yard scoring drive. After a one yard loss on first down, LBJ Wolves multi talented wide receiver/quarterback Albert De La Torre called his own number and galloped 54 yards untouched into the end zone with 11:05 showing on the third quarter clock. The two point conversion run fell short but the Eagles now had a 21 to 12 lead over the Wolves.
Forcing the Eagle Pass Eagles to punt on their first possession of the second half the Wolves offense went back to work. The Wolves with momentum seemingly having changed hands to the LBJ sideline orchestrated a time consuming and well executed 65 yard 12 play scoring drive culminating with a 22 yard blast to pay dirt by running back Miguel Luna with 3:09 left in the third quarter. Placekicker Raul Bermea tacked on the point after to narrow the Eagles lead to a 21 to 19 lead over the Eagles. At this point the game officials seeing that the lighting was now way to close to the stadium decided to call a 30 minute delay with both teams heading to their respective locker rooms for precautionary measures.
***With 3:09 remaining in the third quarter the Eagles leading 21 to 18 the game was forced to a 30 minute Lightning Delay. After a second 30 minute lightning delay school officials from both teams decided that the game would be suspended and to be resumed on Monday, September 26, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the Eagles having possession at their own 23 yard line.
The game resumed on Monday with surprisingly only about 70 real true die hard Eagles fans in the stands and the Eagle taking possession at their own 23 yard line. The Eagles offense came out very focused knowing very well the mission in hand and immediately went to their bread and butter their patented powerful running game using four different ball carriers to tote the pigskin down the field with an impressive 7 play 77 yard scoring drive with workhorse tail back Mark Venegas getting most of the carries and doing the majority of the dirty work picking up three consecutive first downs on four carries. The big play on this drive was a 40 yard scamper down to the LBJ 10 yard line by slot back Jose Riojas but it was Eagles quarterback Ricky Medina tallying the touchdown on a six yard keeper with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter. Jose Riojas remained perfect in the extra point department extending the Eagles lead to 28 to 19 over the Wolves.
To their credit the feisty visiting LBJ Wolves countered right back with an equally impressive 93 yard scoring drive also implementing their patented running game with their one-two punch of Albert De La Torre and Eduardo Santillano both of whom finished the game rushing over 100 yards in this game. Santillano exclamated the scoring drive with an 80 yard burst right through the heart of the Eagles defense and out ran the entire Eagles secondary into the end zone with 6:50 remaining in the game. The extra point attempt was blocked by the Eagles Alan Morales so the score now had the Eagles leading by the score of 28 to 25 over the Wolves.
After forcing the Eagles to punt in their next possession the Laredo LBJ Wolves had one final chance to put up either game tying field goal or perhaps even better a potential game winning touchdown. From their own 17 yard line Wolves began a very promising drive with De La Torre, Santiallano and Miguel Luna taking turns in carrying the mail which saw the Wolves drive all the way to the Eagle Pass 37 yard line. Wolves quarterback Albert De La Torre dropped back with time winding down and launched a pass to his wide receiver but Eagle Pass Eagles safety Alan Morales read it perfectly and got in front of the Wolves receiver to come away with the game saving interception at the Eagle Pass 8 yard line with 30.6 seconds left to give the Eagles their first district victory of the season by the final score of 28 to 25 over the Laredo LBJ Wolves who fought their hearts out throughout the entire game.
Eagle Pass Sports Central congratulates the mighty Eagles on their hard fought victory over the gutsy Laredo LBJ Wolves. The Eagles have an Open date next week but will return to action on Friday, October 7, 2016 for a 7:30 PM matchup against and old gridiron foe from the 1950’s and 1960’s the South San Bobcats. Eagle Pass Sports Central invites the entire community of Eagle Pass, Texas as well as all former Eagle Pass alumni in and around the greater San Antonio area to go and support the mighty Eagles.
OFFICIAL TEAM STATS:
EAGLES OPPONENT
First Downs 10 12
Att./ Yds. Rushing 43/282 39/329
Yards Passing 11 66
Total Yards 293 395
Pass att./comp./int’s 1/5/0 3/7/1
Return Yards 22 18
Punts /Avg. 3/31.6 3/34.6
Fumbles/Lost 1/1 5/0
Penalties/Yards 7/60 6/40
OFFICIAL INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE STATS:
PASSING:
#4 Ricky Medina 1 comp. 5 att. 11 yds.
RUSHING:.
#4 Ricky Medina 20 att. 91 yds. 2TD’s
#7 Mark Venegas 13 att. 108 yds. 1TD
#9 Jose Riojas 5 att. 68 yds. 1TD
#20 Ricky de Los Santos 4 att. 12 yds.
RECEIVING:
#7 Mark Venegas 1 rec. 11 yds.
OFFICIAL INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE STATS:
#55 Alek Alvarez 10 tackles 11 assists 3 tackles for a loss 1 caused fumble
Co-Player of the Week
#5 Alan Morales 6 tackles 3 assists 1 interception 1 blocked kick
Co-Player of the Week
#32 Marrio Torres 5 tackles 2 assists 3 tackles for a loss 1 fumble recovery
#8 Dee AndreTorres 4 tackles 3 assists
#88 Haran Rodriguez 4 tackles 3 assists 1 tackle for a loss
#25 David Kypuros 3 tackles 6 assists 1 tackle for a loss
#40 Brandon Garza 3 tackles 5 assists
#45 Daniel Perez 2 tackles 1 assist
#52 Angel Miranda 2 tackles 1 tackle for a loss 1 caused fumble
#54 David Santos 2 tackles 1 assist
#12 Armando Martinez 1 tackle 1 assist 1 tackle for a loss
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