Eagle Pass Eagles Rally In Second-Half To Defeat Laredo Alexander Bulldogs 31-20 In Key District 29-6A Football Game
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017
The mighty Eagle Pass High School Eagles rallied with 21 unanswered points in the second half to defeat their District 29-6A nemesis Laredo Alexander High School Bulldogs 31-20 on Friday, September 22, 2017 at Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium, overcoming a 20-10 halftime deficit. The Eagles improve to 3-1 overall in the season and 1-0 in District 29-6A.
The visiting Laredo Alexander Bulldogs won the pre-game coin toss and elected to defer to the second-half.
The Eagles took the opening kickoff and started their first possession at their own 39 yard line. The Eagles only took a few plays combined with power rushes by running back Dee Andre Torres and quick short passes from quarter back Richie Flores to wide receivers Jose Riojas, Norby Zavala, and Albert Guevara to march down the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium turf to the Bulldogs 15 yard line. Eagles running back Dee Andre Torres scampered 15 yards around the right sideline for the first touchdown of the game and the point after attempt by place kicker Jose Riojas was good to give the Eagles an early 7-0 lead over the Bulldogs with 10:03 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs took their first possession at their own 30 yard line and engineered a 70 yard touchdown drive culminating with a 38 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Connor to wide receiver Albert Laurel, Jr. and the point after attempt was good to tie the score 7-7 with 5:56 minutes remaining in the first stanza.
Both teams’ defenses shut down their opposing offenses for a series of three possessions each, turning into a defensive battle during the remainder of the first period.
In the second quarter, Eagles punter Jose Riojas pinned the Bulldogs on their own four yard line with a booming 56 yard punt. The Bulldogs orchestrated a patented 96 yards touchdown drive resulting in a 25 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Connor to wide receiver Albert Laurel, Jr. and the extra point attempt failed, giving the Bulldogs a 13-7 lead with 5:59 minutes left in the second quarter, stunning the Eagles aficionados.
On their next possession, the Eagles offense stalled and was forced to punt the football to the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs took possession at their own 20 yard line and took only three plays to strike a 67 yard touchdown run by wide receiver Mark Gonzalez around the left end as an Eagles defender missed a shoestring tackle in the backfield and the point after attempt was good to increase the Bulldogs lead 20-7 over the Eagles with 3:00 minutes remaining in the first-half of play.
The Eagles took their next possession at the Eagles 32 yard line and marched down to the Bulldogs 20 yard line where the Bulldogs defense forced them to attempt a 37 yards field goal by Eagles place kicker Jose Riojas, who nailed the 37 yard field goal down the middle of the uprights to narrow the score 20-10 with only three seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Eagles went into halftime trailing 20-10 against the Bulldogs.
At halftime, Eagles Head Coach Tom Gonzalez and staff made key adjustments to the Eagles offensive and defensive schemes for the second half of play.
Also at halftime, the Eagle Nation aficionados were entertained by the Eagle Pass High School Diamond Dance Team and the mighty Eagle Marching Band.
In the third quarter, the Bulldogs took the second-half kickoff and started their first possession at their 11 yard line. The Eagles wrecking crew defense played more aggressive and intense than the first half and forced the Bulldogs to punt after going three and out.
The Eagles received the football at the Bulldogs 42 yard line and the Eagles explosive offense started executing with greater intensity than earlier and engineered a quick touchdown, culminating in a one yard dive into the Bulldogs end zone by running back Dee Andre Torres and the point after attempt by place kicker Jose Riojas was good to close the score to 20-17 in favor of the Bulldogs with 9:06 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Eagles wrecking crew defense led by linebackers David Kypuros, Haran Rodriguez, Roger Ulloa, defensive linemen Sebastian Hernandez, Moises Rocha, Mario Torres, David Santos, Jr., Manny Rodriguez, and defensive backs Darwin Lechler, Ryan Chisum, Eric Heredia, Raul Lechler, Kristian Barcena, and Nico Moyeda shut down the Bulldogs potent offense during the entire second-half of play with determined and aggressive playing.
The Eagles orchestrated a patented a 49 yards touchdown drive on their following possession resulting in a 23 yards touchdown pass from quarterback Richie Luna to wide receiver Jose Riojas and Riojas’ extra point attempt was good to give the Eagles a 24-20 lead over the Bulldogs with 6:13 minutes remaining in the third stanza.
The remainder of the third and fourth quarters became a defensive battle with the Eagles wrecking crew stopping six Bulldogs second half possession to shut down their scoring machine.
The Eagles offense used their ground game led by workhorse running back Dee Andre Torres to eat up valuable time while moving the ball down and up the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium turf. The Eagles engineered a short 43 yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter highlighted by a gutsy 34 yard touchdown run by running back Dee Andre Torres and the point after attempt by place kicker Jose Riojas was good to extend the Eagles lead 31-20 over the stunned Bulldogs with 1::51 minutes left in the game.
The Eagles stout defense shut down the Bulldogs on their last possession to seal the key District 29-6A victory.
The Eagles next play the Laredo LBJ Wolves on Thursday, September 28, 2017, at 7 P.M. at the Laredo United Independent School District Student Activity Complex in another pivotal District 29-6A game.
