Eagle Pass Eagles tame Laredo United South Panthers 19-10 during Homecoming

By: Ricardo E. Calderon
Copyright 2013

The Eagle Pass High School Eagles won their first game of the season against the much improved Laredo United South High School Panthers by a score of 19 to 10 during Homecoming festivities on Friday, October 4, 2013, at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass, Texas, improving to 1-4 overall in the season and 1-1 in District 29-5A competition.

During the halftime 2013 Homecoming festivities, Chris Perez and Sandra Mendoza were crowned as Homecoming King and Queen representing the Softball Team while Carmelo Casas and Brianna Carreon were crowned Prince and Princess representing the Student Council Club and Pedro Gonzalez and Bethanny Vielma were crowned as Duke and Duchess representing the Cheerleaders.

In the first quarter, the Eagles and the Panthers exchanged possessions with both teams’ defenses controlling the game and the offenses struggling with interceptions and fumbles. The Eagles fumbled the football on a drive at the Eagles 37 yard line with 9:58 left in the first stanza recovered by Panther linebacker Marco De Luna. The Panthers failed to capitalize on their excellent field position courtesy of the De Luna fumble recovery as Eagles standout defensive back R.J. Ruiz intercepted a Panthers quarterback Isaac Cabello pass at the Eagles 31 yard line with 9:18 left in the first period, returning possession of the football to the Eagles. The Eagles similarly failed to capitalize on Ruiz’s interception having to punt the ball over to the Panthers with 7:42 left in the first quarter. Late in the first period, the Panthers took over at the Eagles 44 yard line after an Eagles punt by Ty Chisum and drove to the Eagles red zone but the stout Eagles defense held the Panthers to only a field goal attempt as time expired in the first period.

At the beginning of the second quarter, the Panthers got on the scoreboard on a 19 yard field goal by Panther kicking specialist Ricky Velasquez to give the Panthers an early 3 to 0 lead with 11:58 left in the second period.

The Panthers were driving in the second quarter when standout Eagles outside linebacker Armando “Mando” Lopez intercepted an Isaac Cabello pass and ran it back for a 53 yard pick six touchdown and the point after attempt was good by Eagles place kicker Jerry Gonzalez to give the Eagles a 7 to 3 lead with 5:47 left in the second stanza, a lead the Eagles would never relinquish the rest of the evening. Late in the second quarter, the Isaac Cabello-led Panthers offense was driving on the Eagles and knocking at the door when Eagles outside linebacker Armando Lopez once again intercepted a Panther pass to stop the Panthers drive. The Eagles took a 7 to 3 lead into halftime during Homecoming festivities.

In the third-quarter, the Panthers received the opening kick-off but the stingy Eagles defense held them to three and out forcing the Panthers to punt. The Panthers punt slipped off the punters’ foot giving the Eagles outstanding field position on their first second-half possession at the Panthers 24 yard line with 9:59 left in the third period.

The Eagles offensive machine went immediately to work driving the football to the Panthers three yard line facing a fourth down and goal with 7:18 left in the third quarter. The Eagles called time out and Head Coach Tom Gonzalez discussed with Offensive Coordinator Javier Cardenas what offensive play to call and after a brief conference gave the play to Eagles signal caller Ty Chisum. Chisum lined up the Eagles at the Panthers three yard line and barked a hard count snapping the football and handing it off to standout Eagles running back Jesse Sanchez who carried several Panthers defenders with him into the end zone for an Eagles touchdown and the point after attempt by Eagles place kicker Jerry Gonzalez was good giving the Eagles a 14 to 3 lead with 7:15 left in the third quarter.

The Panthers took the ensuing Eagles kick-off and marched down the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium turf for a 77 yard touchdown drive culminating on a 19 yard Quarterback Isaac Cabello keeper into the end zone and the extra point was good to narrow the score 14 to 10 with 4:06 left in the third quarter. The Panthers would just not go away without putting a fight.

The Eagles received the ensuing Panthers kick-off at their own 30 yard line but went three and out having to punt the football. The Eagles punt attempt was disastrous as punter Ty Chisum took a high snap from center and fell on his knees at the Eagles own 19 yard line with 3:30 left in the third quarter. The Panthers took over with excellent field position at the Eagles front door driving to the Eagles three yard line but a Panthers penalty pushed them back to the 13 yard line. The Eagles mighty defense rose to the occasion one more time as standout Eagles defensive back DeShawn Franklin intercepted a Panthers pass in the end zone to deny the Panthers the potential go ahead touchdown with 2:01 left in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, both the Eagles and Panthers exchanged possessions early in the quarter with each teams’ defenses dominating the action. The Eagles put together an offensive drive marching to the Panthers 15 yard line and settling on a 25 yard field goal by Eagles kicking specialist Jerry Gonzalez taking a 17 to 10 lead over the Panthers with 9:02 left in the game.

The Eagles pinned the Panthers at their own three yard line after a Ty Chisum punt with 3:37 left in the game. The mighty Eagles defense recorded a sack of Panthers quarterback Isaac Cabello in the end zone for a saftey and adding two points on the scoreboard to give the Eagles a 19 to 10 lead with 3:31 left in the game. Eagles defensive back Chris Flores and linebacker Rick Cisneros wrapped up Panthers quarterback Isaac Cabello in the end zone and then the rest of the Eagles defense joined in.

The never say die Panthers made a valiant final drive to the Eagles red zone when Eagles defensive back Jesse Mata intercepted a Panthers quarterback Isaac Cabello pass at the Eagles one yard line to kill the Panthers hope of another score with 45 seconds remaining in the game and sealing the Eagles hard fought Homecoming victory over the much improved Laredo United South Panthers by the final score of 19 to 10.

The stout Eagles defense deserves a lot of credit for this victory as their tenacious and swarming pressure caused the pass happy Panthers to suffer five interceptions at critical moments during the game. The Eagles offense continues to improve each week but still lack consistency and needs to score more points as the Eagles face the meat of the District 29-5A competition in coming weeks.

The Eagle Pass Eagles improve to 1-4 overall in the season and 1-1 in District 29-5A play. The Eagles next play the Laredo Lyndon Baine Johnson Wolves on Saturday, October 12th, at 7:00 P.M. at the Laredo United Independent School District Student Activity Complex in another important District 29-5A matchup.

A photo gallery of the Homecoming event can be found here.