Eagle Pass Eagles Blank Del Rio Rams 30-0 To Win 2017 District 29-6A Football Co-Championship
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017
The mighty Eagle Pass High School Eagles blanked arch-rival Del Rio High School Rams 30-0 in the final game of the regular season to win the 2017 District 29-6A Football Co-Championship on Friday, November 10, 2017, at Del Rio, Texas, spoiling the Rams 2017 Homecoming game. The Eagles last District Football Championship was in 1996, 21 years ago.
The Del Rio Rams won the pre-game coin flip and deferred to receive the football in the second half, allowing the Eagles to receive the opening kickoff.
The Eagles started their first possession of the game at their own 35 yard line after the opening kickoff. The explosive Eagles offense combined their ground attack led by running back Dee Andre Torres and aerial attack led by quarterback Richie Luna for a methodical 65 yard touchdown drive on Walter Leverman Stadium’s turf, culminating on a yard plunge into the Rams end zone by running back Dee Andre Torres and the point after attempt by place kicker Jose Riojas was good to take an early 7-0 with 7:17 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Del Rio Rams commenced their first possession at their own 32 yard line. The Eagles Wrecking Crew Defense led by linebackers David Kypuros, Haran Rodriguez, and Roger Ulloa dominated the Rams offense during this first possession and the entire game, shutting down the Rams potent offense. The Rams were forced to punt and the Eagles took over at their own 41 yard line.
In their second possession, the Eagles offense was stopped by the Rams defense and forced to punt.
The Rams took their second possession at their own 2 yard line. In the first play of the second possession, the Rams attempted a pass but Eagles linebacker David Kypuros leaped into the air and snatched the football for an interception and returned it two yards for a pick six, giving the Eagles an early 14-0 lead with the extra point at 11:55 minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Rams loyal fans were stunned by the Eagles dominant play early in the game while the Eagle Nation aficionados were thrilled.
Both teams’ defenses held each other’s offense on their next possessions, exchanging punts. The Eagles Wrecking Crew Defense led by defensive linemen Sebastian Hernandez, Mario Torres, Mario Torres, Moises Rocha, and David Santos, Jr. stifled and interrupted the Rams offensive scheme.
The high octane Eagles offense led by wide receivers Albert Guevara, Jose Riojas, Norby Zavala, Ralph Guerrero, and Rey Mendoza took their fourth possession of the game at their own 29 yard line. The Eagles offense engineered a patented 71 yard touchdown drive resulting in a dazzling 25 yard touchdown run up the middle of the Rams defense by running back Dee Andre Torres and and the point after attempt was blocked, extending the Eagles lead 20 to 0 with 1:56 minutes left in the second stanza.
On the Rams following possession, the Eagles Wrecking Crew defense led by defensive backs Ryan Chisum, Nico Moyeda, Kristian Barcena, Raul Lechler, and Joshua Monsivais stuffed the Rams aerial attack. Eagle defensive back Joshua Monsivais intercepted a Rams pass attempt and returned it what appeared to be a 35 yard pick six, but the referees called a personal foul on an Eagle defensive player negating Monsivais’ six points.
As a result of Eagles defensive back Joshua Monsivais’ interception, the Eagles started their fifth possession at the Rams 34 yard line with 1:39 minutes left in the second half. The Eagles offense did not waste the turnover and capitalized with a 23 yard field goal by place kicker Jose Riojas that sailed through the middle of the goal post with only 11 seconds remaining in the second period, extending further their lead over the Rams 23 to 0.
The Rams received the ensuing kickoff but fumbled the football as a result of the Eagles hard hitting Kick Off Team as time expired for halftime. The Eagles recovered the fumble at the halftime buzzard, taking a commanding 23 to 0 lead over the Rams into halftime.
The award winning Mighty Eagle Marching Band performed and entertained the Del Rio Rams Homecoming audience and the Diamond Dance Team delighted the fans with their beautiful dance routine during halftime.
The homestanding Rams received the opening second half kickoff and started their sixth possession of the game at their own 43 yard line. The Rams marched down the field to the Eagles 30 yard line, threatening to score but the mighty Eagles Wrecking Crew Defense once again rose to the occasion to stop the Rams on a fourth down and six yards forcing an incomplete pass to turn over the football to the Eagles on downs with 8:52 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Eagles initiated their sixth possession of the game at their own 30 yard line. Eagles quarterback Richie Luna picked the Rams secondary apart with precision short passes to the Eagles wide receiving corps mixed with the ground attack of reserve running back Saul Perales to orchestrate a methodical 70 yard touchdown drive, culminating with a six yard run by wide receiver Jose Riojas into the Rams end zone and the point after attempt by Jose Riojas was good to give the Eagles a dominant lead over the Rams 30 to 0 with 5:06 minutes left in the third period.
The Eagles offensive line led by Tito Villarreal, Ray Galindo, Jose Laguna, Alex Martinez, and Jorge Guardado did an outstanding job in opening holes for Eagle running backs Dee Andre Torres and Saul Perales while providing pass protection for Eagle signal caller Richie Luna.
During midway of the second half, Eagles Head Coach Tom Gonzalez gave his reserve players valuable game experience to prepare the team for the upcoming post-season playoffs.
The staunch Eagles Wrecking Crew Defense stifled the Rams offense on their last three possession of the game to preserve the shut out and seal the 2017 District 29-6A Football Co-Championship.
The Eagles improve to 8-2 overall in the season and 6-1 in District standings. The Eagles will play next week against the McAllen High School Bulldogs (4-6, 3) for the UIL Region IV 6-A,Division 2 Bi-District Championship on Friday, November 17, 2017, at 7:30 P.M. at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal congratulates the Eagle Pass Eagles on their 2017 District 29-6A Football Co-Championship and wishes them the best in the state playoffs. Go Eagles!
