C.C. WINN MAVERICKS FOOTBALL GRIDIRON NEWS C.C. Winn Mavericks Clinch Historic first ever Playoff Berth Out Gun the Harlandale Indians 27 to 24 By
C.C. WINN MAVERICKS FOOTBALL GRIDIRON NEWS
C.C. Winn Mavericks Clinch
Historic first ever Playoff Berth
Out Gun the Harlandale Indians 27 to 24
By: Conrado Perez, Jr. – Eagle Pass Sports Central
“Your best and only source for local sports news in Eagle Pass”
The 2016 edition of the Thundering C.C. Winn Mavericks varsity football team under the leadership of head football coach Eric Villaseñor are Playoff Bound! They continue to make this season a truly historic one as they have clinched the program’s first ever football postseason playoff berth defeating the visiting San Antonio Harlandale Indians by the final score of 0 to 0 on Friday, October 21, 2016 at the Eagle Pass ISD Student Activity Center Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial.
The play-off berth clinching victory came in front of their beloved famed Mavericks Nation who game in and game out come out in full force both at the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium and away to support their beloved Mavericks.
“This is an awesome feeling!” stated a quite happy head football coach Eric Villaseñor as he walked into the post game locker room to join the Mavericks players who were celebrating their well earned and much deserved historic victory! “People said it couldn’t be done. I am so proud of these young men; they have worked hard and fought their hearts out all season long. They truly deserve this” stated head coach Eric Villaseñor after his truly joyful post game address to the victorious Mavericks who now have sole possession of first place in the district race as Uvalde fell to Floresville on Friday night by the Arena Football League like score of 56 to 53.
The home standing Mavericks knowing well in hand what was at stake in this game took the field supported by an overflowing Mavericks Nation in attendance with their backup quarterback Michael Paniagua leading the offense in place of the hobbled regular starter Julio Ruiz who sat out this contest nursing an injury. After stopping the visiting Indians on their first offensive series of the night the Mavericks offense took the field at their own 25 yard lone and proceeded to mount an 8 play 75-yard scoring drive with quarterback Michael Paniagua connecting with wide receiver Alfonso Cardona hitting him right in stride for a 47-yard touchdown pass with 6:15 showing on the first quarter clock. Christian Rodriguez tacked on the point after to give the Mavericks the early 7 to 0 lead in this game.
The Indians countered with a 65 yard scoring drive that for a minute looked like it had been halted by the Mavericks stingy defense with an apparent interception but the Mavericks defense was penalized on the play for being off sides which gave new life and a whole new set of downs for the Indians. However, the Mavericks defensive unit of Enrique Garza, Carlos Tijerina, Victor Olguin, Jacob Guerra along with linebackers Alberto Duran, Ernesto Villasenor and Rolando Sanchez (back from an early season injury) stood their ground and forced the Indians to settle for a 22 yard field goal by place kicker Francisco Loredo with 11:17 showing on the second quarter clock to narrow the Mavericks lead to 7 to 3.
Disaster struck on the Mavericks next offensive series when they coughed up the pigskin at their own 35-yard line recovered by the Harlandale Indians and quickly capitalized on the turnover with a 3-yard keeper by quarterback Steven Benitez with 8:17 left before halftime. Francisco Loredo converted the point after to give the Indians a 10 to l7 lead over the Mavericks.
The proud Mavericks immediately answered mixing their patented running game with their passing game to orchestrate a go ahead 70-yard scoring drive with their man mountain secret weapon defensive tackle Carlos Tijerina blasting his way into the end zone from three yards out with 5:35 remaining before halftime. The point after attempt however was no good but the Mavericks now held a 13 to 10 lead over the Indians heading into their halftime locker room.
After a resounding halftime performance by the Thundering Mavericks Band who game in and game out provide a thrilling and lively performance along with the always entertaining Silverline Dance team, the Mavericks received the second half kickoff and immediately unleashed a promising potential scoring drive but surprisingly the drive stalled at the Harlandale 24 yard line as the Indians defense prevented the Mavericks from converting a fourth down and one situation and took over on downs.
After turning the ball over on downs, the Mavericks hard hitting defense along with their swarming well known secondary unites quickly got the ball back forcing a turnover when the secondary unit and line backing crew forced the Indians quarterback to cough up the pig skin with a bone shattering tackle which Mavericks linebacker Alberto Duran recovered at the Indians 27-yard line.
Once again the Mavericks offense could not take advantage of the excellent field possession and had to turn the ball over on downs. After an exchange of punts, the Mavericks engineered a 37-yard scoring drive capped off with an 8-yard blast into the end zone by Carlos Tijerina with 9:34 showing on the fourth quarter clock. Christian Rodriguez split the uprights with the point after to extend the Mavericks lead to 20 to 10.
The Indians relentless aerial assault responded with a 67-yard scoring drive culminating with a two-yard pass from Steven Benitez to his favorite target tight end Jesse Sandoval with 6:11 left I the final period. Francisco Loredo added he point after to narrow the Mavericks lead to 20 to 17.
With the famed Mavericks Nation cheering their hearts out for their beloved Mavericks the Mavericks offense countered with a well executed four play 69-yard scoring drive punctuated with a brilliant 12-yard keeper by quarterback Michael Paniagua around right end with 4:21 left in the game. Christian Rodriguez remained perfect in the point after department to extend the Mavericks lead to 27 to 17 over the Indians.
To their credit the Harlandale Indians never quit and came back to mount a 65-yard scoring drive culminating with a 20-yard touchdown strike for quarterback Steven Benitez to wide receiver Steve Ruiz with 2:57 left in the game. Francisco Loredo’s point after narrowed the Mavericks lead to 27 to 24.
The Indians attempted an onsides kick but it was recovered by the Mavericks at their own 44-yard line. Needing just a couple of first downs to run off the time o the clock the Mavericks however were forced to put to the Indians who now had an excellent chance to either knot this game with a field goal by their sure footed placekicker or perhaps even stun the Mavericks with a potential game winning touchdown, But as we have seen all year long the Mavericks rock solid defense came to the rescue as the Indians pass attempt was intercepted by Mavericks defensive back Domingo Duran with only 1:18 left in the game much to the delight of the overflowing partisan Mavericks crowd I attendance who came to witness this historic game. The Mavericks offense showed a lot of class by simply downing the ball instead of going for another meaningless score to run off the final seconds of this game. When the final second of this game ran off the scoreboard jubilation ran wild on the Mavericks side of the field for they had just made history by capturing the program’s first ever post season playoff berth as well as improving the history making overall season record to 7-1 with the hard earned and thrilling 27 to 24 victory over the San Antonio Harlandale Indians.
Although this was a total team effort with the Mavericks offense, defense as well as special teams contributing to this victory the Mavericks unsung heroes the Big Boys on the offensive line Jaime Fuentes #73 Erik Del Bosque #67, Luz Garcia #54, Emmanuel Orta #66, Mario Elizondo #77 and tight end Jose Rodriguez 82 should be highly commended for their outstanding effort in dominating the trenches to pave the way for the Mavericks running backs to run wild into the Indians secondary to the tune of 278 yards with their excellent down field blocking which you do not see much of now a days as well as providing excellent protection in the Mavericks passing game to the tune of 163 yards. Also, to be highly commended is the outstanding job turned in by Mavericks back up signal caller Michael Paniagua in leading the Mavericks offense to this historic victory. One cannot leave out the entire Mavericks defense that bent a little but did not break and enforced relentless pressure and inflicted some punishing tackles on the Indians offense all game long.
No matter whatever happens in the future, the 2016 C.C. Winn Mavericks varsity football team will forever hold the honor and distinction of being the program’s first ever post season playoff team in C.C. Winn Mavericks varsity football history! Arriba los Mavericks!
Eagle Pass Sports Central congratulates the history making 2016 Playoff bound C.C. Winn Mavericks varsity football team along with your entire coaching staff on your most outstanding achievement and wish you continued success. Eagle Pass Sports Central is proud to have the distinction of being the only local media source to have covered and written a complete and thorough game article along with the only official stats for each single game in the entire C.C. Winn Mavericks varsity football 11-year history.
OFFICIAL TEAM STATS:
MAVERICKS OPPONENT
First Downs 12 16
Att./ Yds. Rushing 41/278 31/115
Yards Passing 163 178
Total Yards 341 293
Pass att./comp./int’s 5/10/1 17/30/1
Return Yards 15 0
Punts /Avg. 2/37.0 3/36.0
Fumbles/Lost 1/1 1/1
Penalties/Yards 9/75 1/5
OFFICIAL INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE STATS:
PASSING
#15 Michael Paniagua 5 comp. 10 att. 1 int. 163 yds. 1 TD
RUSHING:
# 7 Ruben Esquivel 3 att. 15 yds.
#15 Michael Paniagua 6 att. 35 yds, 1TD.
#17 Gustavo Cabrera 2 att. 6 yds.
#21 Danny Rios 15 att. 109 yds.
#22 Omar Hinojosa 11 att. 91 yds.
#94 Carlos Tijerina 4 att. 22 yds. 2TD’s
RECEIVING:
#7 Ruben Esquivel 2 rec. 40 yds.
#11 Alfonso Cardona 1 rec. 53 yds. 1TD. …
#82 Jose Rodriguez 2 rec. 70 yds.
OFFICIAL INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE STATS:
#20 Alex De Jesus 7 solo
#31 Rene Auces 7 solo 2 assists 1 blocked kick
42 Alberto Duran 6 solo 3 assists 2 tackles for a loss 1 fumble recovery
#65 Victor Olguin 4 solo 1 tackle for a loss
#92 Jacob Guerra 4 solo 2 assists
#94 Carlos Tijerina 4 solo 3 assists
#23 Alonso Vallejo 3 solo
#13 Domingo Duran 2 solo 1 assist 1 interception
#28 Raul Gomez 2 solo
#30 Rey Vasquez 2 solo 2 assists
#32 Ernesto Villasenor 1 solo 5 assists
#56 Rolando Sanchez 1 solo
#62 Isaias Gonzalez 1 solo
#72 Enrique Garza 1 solo
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