EAGLES BI-DISTRICT FOOTBALL GRIDIRON NEWS
Eagles take historic comeback victory
Over the PSJA Bears 42 to 31
“A comeback for the Ages”
Eagles tally 42 unanswered points
By: Conrado Perez, Jr. – Eagle Pass Sports Central
“Your best and only source for local sports news in Eagle Pass”
The Eagle Pass Eagles varsity football team under the leadership of head football coach Tom Gonzalez ventured into the post season for the third consecutive year/ The Eagles journeyed to Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, Texas on Friday, November 15, 2019 to square off against the tough and talented PSJA Bears in a 7:00 PM UIL Region IV Class 6A gridiron encounter tor the Bi-District crown. Last season these same two teams met in the Bi-District round with the Eagles winning a nail biting overtime thriller by the final score of 34 to 28. This year the PSJA Bears came in as the number 1 seed in District 30-6A with an overall season record of 7-3 and a district mark of 6-1 while the Eagles Pass Eagles entered as the number 4 seed in District 29-6A with an overall season mark of 6-4 and a district record of 3-3 but as all real football fans know is that games are not won on paper only out on the gridiron. In one of their most sensational and historical comeback victories in their entire 100th ever season, the mighty Eagle Pass Eagles scored 42 unanswered points to defeat the PSJA Bears by the final score of 42 to 31.
The home standing Bears took the game’s opening kickoff and immediately unleashed their patented aerial show to matriculate down the field all the way deep into Eagle Pass territory where the Eagles proud and stingy “Land Sharks” defense held their ground at the five yard line and forced the Bears to settle for a 22 yard field goal by place kicker Nevin Herrera with 8:55 showing on the first quarter clock.
After the ensuing kickoff the Eagles offense took their turn and things did not go according to plan as the PSA Beas intercepted an Eagles pass attempt near the red zone and took just three plays to capitalize to the turnover with a one yard keeper by quarterback Justin Morales to culminate the short 21 yard scoring drive with 6:05 remaining in the first period. Nevin Herrera tacked on the point after to give the Bears a 10 to 0 lead early in this game.
The Bears continued their scoring assault with a well orchestrated 88 yard scoring drive capped off with a 51 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Morales to wide receiver Matrco Guajardo with 1:36 left in the first quarter. Nevin Herrera converted the point after to extend the Bears lead to 17 to 0.
In the second quarter the PSJA Bears relentless passing assault produced two more touchdowns the first of which came on a 10 yard pass from Justin Morales to wide receiver Miguel Flores with 8:07 in the first half and the second score came on a 5 yard run by slot back Ethan Castillo with 7:32 remaining before halftime with Nevin Herrera converting both point after attempts to give the PSJA Bears a seemingly comfortable 31 to 0 lead over the Eagles.
But as the old saying goes “Never count out the heart of a true Champion” with exactly 6:05 left before halftime the proud Eagles began to mount their first score of this game with a 60 yard scoring drive that was capped off with a 24 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Allan Rodriguez to wide receiver Jacob Ruiz with 2:35 left before halftime. Erick Ramirez tacked on the point after to narrow the Eagles deficit to 31 to 7. At this point the turning point of this game was produced by the Eagles defense who unleashed a relentless defensive pressure scheme that paid off when defensive back Orly Martinez recorded his first of two interceptions in this game to set up the Eagles offense with excellent field possession at the PSJA 45 yard line. With 1:35 left in the first half Eagles running back Isaac Caballero scampered 23 yards into the end zone with Erick Ramirez splitting the uprights with the point after to make the score 31 to 14 in favor of the PSJA Bars as both teams headed to their respective halftime locker rooms.
During the halftime break the Eagles brain trust installed some adjustments to both their offensive and defensive game plans that paid off as the Eagles began their historical comeback. The Eagles offense who had been held to 66 yards rushing in the first half found success via the airway with quarterback Allan Rodriguez utilizing the talents of his sure handed, swift and elusive receiving corps the likes of Dakota Kypuros, Carlos Santos and Jacob Ruiz. But it was Eagles defensive back Orly Martinez that got the scoring started in the second half when he picked off his second interception of this game and returned it 83 yards to pay dirt with 9:10 showing in the third quarter clock. Erick Ramirez added the point after to narrow the Eagles deficit to 31 to 21.
The Eagles defense with their relentless pressure coming from their front four of Charlie Schuessler, Andres Conde, MJ McGehee and Santana Martinez as well a s young reserve Tommy Cantu along with their hard hitting trio of line backers Joe Samaniego, Jacob Salinas and Saul Peralez flustering the Beers quarterback the entire second half and the proud defensive secondary unit of Kristian Barcena, David Lopez, Orly Martinez and Jose Hernandez providing blanket coverage on the Bears receivers to keep the Bears scoreless the entire second half of play.
Simultaneously the Eagles potent and explosive offensive aerial assault began to rev up its engines on all cylinders as they gave the Bears a taste of their own medicine with quarterback Allan Rodriguez flooding the airway getting great pass protection from the Eagles offensive line. The Eagles next scoring drive was 66 yards long and punctuated with an 11 yard touchdown pass from Allan Rodriguez to wide receiver Jacob Ruiz with only 9 seconds left in the third quarter. Erck Ramirez added the point after to narrow the Eagles deficit to 31 to 28.
The Eagles offense continued their dramatic comeback with a 68 yard scoring drive set up with a perfectly thrown 44 yard pass completion from Allan Rodriguez to Jacob Ruiz all the way to the PSJA one yard line where quarterback Allan Rodriguez called his own number to punch it in. Erick Ramirez remained perfect in the point after department to give the Eagles their first lead in this game over the stunned heavily favorite PSJA Bears by the score of 35 to 31.
The Eagles then closed out the scoring in this game with a 38 yard scoring drive capped off with a well executed halfback back 20 yard touchdown pass from Jacob Ruiz who took the handoff from quarterback Allan Rodriguez and rolled to his right stepped up and connected with a wide open Dakota Kypuros who hauled in the pass at the five yard line and waltzed right into the end zone with 4:44 left in the game. Erick Ramirez converted the point after to extend the Eagles’ lead to 42 to 31 over the Bears..
The Bears threatened to score late in the game driving all the way down to the Eagles one yard line where the Eagles defense inflicted a bone shattering tackle on the Bears quarterback causing him to cough up the pigskin into the end zone which was recovered by nose guard Tommy Cantu to seal the bi-district victory over the PSJA Bears by the thrilling and historical comeback 42 to 31 victory after being down 31 to 0 with a whopping 42 unanswered points. This was a complete total team effort victory as the mighty Eagle Pass Eagles played their hearts out with pride, dignity and class in a “Game for the Ages!”
Eagle Pass Sports Central congratulates the mighty Eagle Pass Eagles on their historic comeback victory over the PSJA Bears and wish each of the varsity players the very best of luck in this coming Friday’s November 22, 2019 UIL Region IV Area Round championship game against the tough Edinburg Vela Saber Cats at 7:00 PM ayt the Laredo United ISD Student Activity Center. GO EAGLES! BEAT THE SABER CATS!
GAME TEAM STATS:
EAGLES BEARS
First Downs 10 22
Att./ Yds. Rushing 32 for 121 20 for 58
Yards Passing 258 391
Total Yards 379 449
Pass att./comp./int’s 16/33/2 40/68/3
Return Yards 00 00
Punts /Avg. 5/37.6 3/38.0
Fumbles/Lost 2/2 4/2
Penalties/Yards 9/85 9/69
INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE STATS:
PASSING:
#4 Jacob Ruiz 1 comp. 1 att. 20 yds. 1 TD
#7 Allan Rodriguez 15 comp. 32 att, 2 int’s 229 yds, 2 TD’s
RUSHING:
#3 Isaac Caballero 14 carries 103 yds, 1 TD
#7 Allan Rodriguez 13 carries 18 yds, 1 TD
#21 Saul Peralez 5 carries 4 yds..
#29 Jose Hernandez 1 carry (-) 4 yds.
RECEIVING:
#4 Jacob Ruiz 8 rec. 134 yds. 2 TD’s
#5 Carlos Santos 3 rec. 23 yds.
#11 Cgc Ritche 1 rec. 8 yds.
#14 Dakota Kypuros 6 rec. 93 yds. 1 TD
INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE STATS:
#28 Joe Samaniego 13 tackles 6 assists 1 caused fumble 1 game changer 1 Big Hit
Co-Defensive Player of the Game
#13 David Lopez 9 tackles 1 assist 1 fumble recovery 1 Big Hit
#29 Jose Hernandez 7 tackles 1 assist 1 Big Hit
#44 Charlie Schessler 6 tackles 1 assist 4 tacles for a loss 1 QB Sack 4 Big Hits
Co-Defesnive Player of the Game
#12 Orly Martinez 5 tackles 5 assists 2 interceptions 2 game chamgera
1interception retyrn for a touchdown Co-Defensive Player of the Game
#34 Uriel Martinez 5 tackles 2 assists 1 caused fumble
#31 Ray Rodriguez 5 tackles
#45 Jacob Salinas 3 tackles 5 assists 1 QB Sack 1 Big Hit
#2 Kristian Barcena 3 tackles 3 assists 1 caused fumble 1 interception
2 game changers Co-Defensive Player of the Game
#55 Tommy Cantu2 tackles 2 assists 1 tackle for a loss 1 QB Sack 1 fumble recovery
#24 MJMcGehee 2 tackles 2 assists 1 tackle for a loss