Eagle Pass Eagles rally in second-half to defeat C.C. Winn Mavericks 28-7 in 8th Annual City Football Championship
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
Copyright 2013 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The home-standing Eagle Pass High School Eagles scored 28 unanswered points in the second-half to rally from behind to defeat cross-town rival, C.C. Winn High School Mavericks, 28-7 in the Eighth Annual City Football Championship on Friday, November 8, 2013, at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass, Texas, earning their eighth consecutive City Championship since the series began in 2006.
The visiting C.C. Winn Mavericks’ offense scored a touchdown in the first quarter on an 11 yard TD sprint by standout Mavericks quarterback Juan Elizondo with 5:25 remaining in the initial stanza and the point after attempt by Mavericks kicking specialist Dante Valdez was good to give the Mavericks a 7 to 0 lead, which stood until half-time. The stout Mavericks defense blanked the Eagles explosive offense during the entire first-half taking the slim 7 to 0 lead into half-time.
In pre-game activities, the Eagle Pass Independent School District honored and recognized Maverick County veterans during American Veterans Day festivities at midfield during presentation of the colors by the C.C. Winn 93rd Junior Reserve Air Force Officers Training and the playing of the national anthem by the mighty Eagle Pass Eagles Marching Band.
State Representative Alfonso “Poncho” Nevarez, District 74, presided over the official coin toss between the Eagles and Mavericks at mid-field with the Mavericks winning the toss and electing to defer to receiving the football in the second-half. The Eagles were awarded the football in the opening kick-off courtesy of the Mavericks election.
The classic fictional City Football Championship game was one of two distinct halves with the Mavericks dominating momentum in the first-half while the Eagles bounced back and controlled the second-half to earn the hard fought victory 28-7.
With a Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium filled to capacity, the Eagles received the opening kick-off but the stout Mavericks defense led by linebackers Steven Garcia, George Andrade, Justin Diaz, and Chris Aranda dominated the Eagles offensive line forcing the Eagles to punt on their first possession of the game.
The Mavericks received the first punt of the game from the Eagles hoping to march down the field for a touchdown but the stingy Eagles defense led by linebackers Armando “Mando” Lopez, Rudy Valdez, Chris Flores, and Julian Castaneda stifled the potent Mavericks ground game forcing the Mavericks to go three and out and punt.
On the Eagles second possession, standout quarterback Ty Chisum led the Eagles offensive coog down the field when suddenly standout Mavericks defensive back Carlos Cerezo intercepted a Chisum pass intended for standout Eagles wide receiver R.J. Ruiz giving Mavericks excellent field position at the Eagles 45 yard line with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter, bringing to their feet the thousands of loyal Mavericks Nation football fans in attendance.
The Mavericks lethal ground attack offense led by standout quarterback Juan Elizondo marched down the field punching the football into the end zone on a sensational 11 yard touchdown sprint by Mavericks quarterback Juan Elizondo with 5:25 remaining in the first quarter and the point after attempt by Mavericks kicking specialist Dante Valdez split the uprights, giving the Mavericks a momentous 7-0 lead in the game to the delight of the booming Mavericks Nation fans.
The Eagles explosive balanced ground and air attack took the ensuing kick-off at the Eagles eight yard line and orchestrated a drive down to the Mavericks 29 yard line facing a fourth down and nine yards with 1:01 left in the first quarter, but the thundering Mavericks defense stifled the Eagles offense forcing them to throw an incomplete pass as the Mavericks took over on downs with 58 seconds remaining in the first period.
In the second quarter, the Mavericks went three and out and punted the football to the Eagles. The Eagles offense struggled and was forced to punt to the Mavericks with Mavericks punt returner Carlos Cerezo fumbling the punt but recovered his own fumble at the Winn 32 yard line with 9:16 remaining in the second quarter. The potent Mavericks ground attack offense led by standout running back Deion Alonso, Chris Aranda, and David Garza and anchored by the massive offensive line led by Kevin Canizales, Marcelino Olivarez, Adrian Botello, Miguel De La Cruz, and Reymundo Riza marched down the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium turf to the Eagles 38 yard line. The Mavericks offensive guru got greedy and decided to go to the air to get a second score, but standout Eagles safety Kevin Chisum intercepted Mavericks quarterback Juan Elizondo’s aerial bomb at the Eagles 20 yard line with 5:32 remaining in the second quarter, killing the Mavericks drive to the promise land.
The Eagles balanced air and ground attack marched down the field led by their wide receiving corps of standout R.J. Ruiz, Alex Martinez, Olexis Gutierrez, and Chris Perez to the Mavericks 31 yard line when suddenly a Maverick defensive back snatched Eagles quarterback Ty Chisum’s aerial attempt for an interception with 4:12 remaining in the second quarter, stifling a potential tying drive of the Eagles.
The stout Eagles defensive line led by Rolando Fernandez, Jesus Fernandez, Alex Hinojosa, and Gus Perez stuffed the Mavericks potent ground game forcing the Mavericks to punt the football to the Eagles with 14 seconds remaining before half-time. The Eagles ran the clock out and the Mavericks took a slim 7-0 lead into half-time with the cheering thousands of loyal Mavericks Nation fans smelling an upset and a possible first victory over the cross-town rival Eagles.
The Thundering Mavericks Marching Band and Silverline Dance Team performed majestically during half-time festivities to the delight of the Eagle Pass Eagles fans. The Mighty Eagles Marching Band and Diamond Dance Team similarly performed an encore routine to the approving Eagles fans. Meanwhile, the Eagles and Mavericks coaching staffs delivered important inspirational messages and went over key adjustments during half-time with their players.
In the third quarter, the Mavericks received the opening second-half kick-off hoping to add to their lead at their own 33 yard line. The Mavericks running back was stripped of the football and standout Eagles defensive back R.J. Ruiz recovered the football at the Mavericks 36 yard line with 9:45 remaining in the third stanza, giving the Eagles excellent field position and a lucky break.
The Eagles offense anchored by explosive linemen Leonardo Lopez, Tito Sanchez, Iram Gaytan, Alexander Mason, and Juan Gonzalez took to the air as Eagles quarterback Ty Chisum hit standout Eagles wide receiver Alex Martinez on a 27 yards touchdown pass with Martinez breaking three would-be Maverick tacklers to break into the end zone with about eight and a half minutes remaining in the third-quarter, tying the classic game at 7-7 amidst the roaring thousands of loyal Eagles fans.
The Mavericks received the ensuing kick-off at their 44 yard line after a nice runback by Maverick kick returner Deion Alonso with 8:24 remaining in the third period. The stifling Eagles defense stuffed the Mavericks ground attack offense forcing the Mavericks to go three and out and punt the football to the Eagles.
Eagles standout punt returner R.J. Ruiz received the Mavericks punt and zig-zagged his way eluding six or seven would-be Maverick tacklers and returned it for a dazzling 90 yard punt return touchdown with 5:47 remaining in the third-quarter, but most importantly, giving the Eagles a 13-7 lead as the extra point was no good with the several thousand home standing loyal Eagles fans cheering in approval. The R.J. Ruiz punt return touchdown was unquestionably a momentum changing play in the game, renewing the Eagles confidence and pressuring the upset-minded Mavericks.
The Mavericks received the ensuing kick-off at their own 26 yards line. The reinvigorated Eagles defense led by defensive backs Kevin Chisum, Jesse Mata, R.J. Ruiz, and DeShawn Franklin blanketed the Mavericks wide-receivers forcing the Mavericks to go three and out and punt the football.
The Eagles received the football and were marching down the field when suddenly they lost the football on a fumble as the Mavericks scooped-up the loose football at their own 25 yards line, stopping the Eagles drive. The Mavericks failed to capitalize on the fumble recovery and went three and out and punted back to the Eagles.
The re-energized Eagles offense took over the football with 1:31 remaining in the third-quarter and engineered a patented touchdown drive culminating in an eight yard touchdown scamper by Eagles quarterback Ty Chisum and the two point conversion attempt was good on a three yard run by Eagles running back Mark Venegas with 11:29 remaining in the fourth quarter, giving the Eagles a 21-7 lead in the classic game.
The Mavericks received the ensuing kick-off at their own 20 yard line and began their drive going to the air as time was ticking off the clock and being 14 points down, but standout Eagles defensive back R.J. Ruiz snatched a Maverick quarterback Juan Elizondo pass for an interception at the Mavericks own 22 yard line with 10:14 remaining in the fourth period, giving the Eagles excellent field position.
The Eagles offense rewarded R.J. Ruiz’s outstanding play in the game by calling his number on a Ty Chisum touchdown pass to Ruiz with 7:12 remaining in the Eighth Annual Menudo Bowl classic and the point after attempt by Eagles place kicker Jerry Gonzalez was good to give the Eagles a commanding 28-7 lead over the Mavericks.
The never say die Mavericks battled to get back into the game during the fourth quarter but the suffocating Eagles defense did not allow the Mavericks to muster any touchdown drives. The Eagles attempted a school record 48 yards field goal by Eagles kicking specialist Jerry Gonzalez with 1:26 remaining in the game but Gonzalez’s kick was long enough but wide right to the chagrin of the loyal Eagles fans. The Eagles ran out the clock to end the game and seal the hard-fought 28-7 Eighth Annual City Football Championship and the coveted fictional Menudo Bowl.
The Eagle Pass Eagles finished the regular season with a 4-5 record and 4-2 in District 29-5A standings securing a berth in the 2013 UIL Region IV-5A Bi-District Championship against the Edinburg North High School Cougars next week at a date, time, and place to be designated under the helm of Head Coach Tom Gonzalez.
The C.C. Winn Mavericks finished the season with a 2-8 overall record and 1-5 in District 29-5A action under rookie Head Coach Eric Villasenor, who unquestionably has set a new competitive mark on the surging Mavericks football and athletics program.
With UIL re-districting due in February of 2014, the Eagle Pass Eagles and C.C. Winn Mavericks may have played their last game in the same district unless the Eagle Pass Independent School District waives the enrollment figures as the Eagles are expected to be placed in the new 6A classification with over 2200 students and the Mavericks are expected to be classified in the new 5A category (formerly 4A) with less than 1900 students. Both the Eagles and Mavericks will continue playing each other every year, but their game may not be counted as a District game but the growing legend of the fictional City Football Championship and Menudo Bowl will continue in the sports history annals of Eagle Pass, Texas.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal congratulates the Eagles and the Mavericks on an outstanding game this year and good sportsmanship during the game.
