Eagle Pass C. C. Winn Mavericks lassoed Laredo Nixon Mustangs 10-6 to earn first-ever Area Football Championship in The Battle of the Border
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
Over 5,000 Maverick County football aficionados witnessed the thundering Eagle Pass C. C. Winn High School Mavericks continue writing the school’s sports history books by adding the first-ever Area Football Championship with an outstanding and courageous victory over the powerful Laredo Nixon High School Mustangs 10-6 in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) 5A Region IV, Division I Area Championship on Friday, November 18, 2016 at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass, Texas.
The thunder and lightning Mavericks defense manhandled the potent Mustangs balanced ground and air offensive attack to propel the Mavs to the the 5A Area Football Championship in “The Battle of the Border.”
The thundering Mavericks offense freely moved the football across the field throughout the game, but costly turnovers such as lost fumbles limited their scoring to only 10 points, sufficient to win the game though, as standout Mavs tailback Danny Rios scored on a four yard plunge into the Mustangs end zone in the second quarter with 8:30 minutes remaining before halftime and standout Mavs place kicker Christian Rodriguez kicked the point after attempt and a 32 yard field goal late in the fourth quarter with 1:38 minutes left in the game to preserve the Mavericks historic victory.
The Mavericks historic Area Football Championship was sweet and emotional to all Maverick Nation football aficionados in attendance, but none sweeter to Mavericks Head Football Coach Eric Villasenor who was celebrating his birthday on game day and received the best birthday present in his life with his team’s extraordinary win in the Area Championship.
The Mavericks won the coin toss and deferred to receiving the football at the start of the second half and the Mustangs started the game with possession of the football.
The Mustangs took the first possession of the game at their own 39 yard line. The usually ground attack Mustangs opened play with two incomplete passes and a quarterback keeper, but the vaunted Mavericks defense led by standout safety Rene Auces, defensive linemen Carlos Tijerina and Jacob Guerra, and linebackers Albert Duran and Ernesto Villasenor shut down the potent Mustangs offense, forcing to punt.
The Mavericks offense took their first possession at their own 18 yard line and began to drive the football down the field into the Mustangs territory when the pigskin was fumbled by the Mavericks, recovered by the Mustangs defense at their own 47 yard line with 6:53 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The thunder and lightning Mavericks Defense was called upon to stop the explosive Mustangs offense. The Mustangs drove the football from their own 47 yard line to the Mavericks 9 yard line when a hard hit on the Mustangs tailback caused a fumble and standout Maverick linebacker Alberto Duran jumped on the pigskin, recovering it. The Mavericks Defense stomped the Mustangs offense from scoring with 4:53 minutes left in the first period.
The Mavericks Offense led by standout quarterback Julio Ruiz and tailback Danny Rios marched down the field from the Mavericks 8 yard line to their 43 yard line when a Mustangs defender stripped the football from Rios, recovering the fumble at the Mavericks own 43 yard line with 1:49 minutes left in the first stanza.
Once again, the talented Mavericks Defense was called upon to stomp the Mustangs offense from reaching the Mavericks end zone. The stampeding Mavericks Defense hit the Mustangs tailback very hard causing him to fumble and standout Mavs defensive cornerback Alonso Vallejo recovered the football at the Mavericks 49 yard line.
The thundering Mavericks Offense capitalized on Vallejo’s fumble recovery and marched down the Cozel Foster-Veterans Stadium with a patented 49 yards touchdown drive against the stout Mustangs defense, culiminating with a four yard plunge into the Mustangs end zone and Maves place kicker Charistian Rodriguez point after attempt was good, giving the Mavericks an early 7-0 lead with 8:30 minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Both teams exhanged possession with each team’s defense forcing them to punt. The stout Mavericks Defense held the Mustangs on their last possession of the first half at the Mavs 36 yard line to preserve the Mavs 7-0 lead at Halftime.
During the Halftime entertainment, the C. C. Winn Silver Line Dance Team performed and the thundering Mavericks Marching Band played a medley of U.S. Military music selections in honor of all U.S. Veterans and featured Eagle Pass native sons and Tejano Music recording artists Oscar G. and Brando Mireles with two songs dedicated to all Veterans.
In the third quarter, the Mavericks Offense received the first second half possession at their own 38 yard line, but were forced to punt.
The Mustangs received their first possession in the second half at their own 6 yard line with 9:23 minutes left in the third quarter. With the halftime adjustments, the Mustangs engineered a 94 yard touchdown drive against the Mavericks defense, culminating with a one yard TD run into the Mavs end zone and the Mustangs point after attempt was short and no good, giving the Mavericks a slim 7-6 lead with 5:10 minutes left in the third quarter.
Both teams exchanged possessions in the third quarter with each team’s defense stopping the offenses..
On their next possession, the Mavericks took over at their own 3 yard line and marched to their own 17 yard line when Mavs tailback Carlos Tijerina fumbled and the Mustangs recovered the football at the Mavs 17 yard line with 10:46 minutes left in the fourth quarter for a potential game winning drive.
Never fear, the thunder and lighting Mavericks Defense rose to the challenge by stopping the Pony Express offense, limiting them to a failed field goal attempt as the Mavs defense tackled the Mustangs football handler to take over on downs.
The potent Mavericks Offense capitalized on the failed Mustangs field goal attempt and engineered a time consuming drive that resulted in a 12 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Julio Ruiz to standout Tight End Jose Rodriguez that was nullified by a Mavs holding penalty. The Mavs recovered and successfully made a 32 yard field goal by place kicker Christian Rodriguez with 1:38 minutes remaining in the game, extending the Mavericks lead 10-6..
The heralded Mavericks Defense suffocated the Mustangs final possession and took over on downs at the Mustangs 49 yard line with 58 seconds left in the game and ran out the clock to preserve the school’s historic first -ever Area Football Championship.
Maverick Nation football aficionados jumped and cheered on the outstanding and historic victory of their beloved Mavericks over the Laredo Nixon Mustangs in “The Battle of the Border” in a thrilling playoff game.
Mavericks Head Football Coach Eric Villasenor commended his players and coaching staff for their dedication and outstanding play to earn the Area Football Championship, dedicating the historic victory to all of the Eagle Pass and Maverick County community. Coach Villasenor stated that the Mavericks played “with a purpose and passion” in winning the game.
With the win, the Mavericks improve to 10-2 overall in the season and will now face the potent Richmond Foster High School Falcons (12-0) in the UIL 5A, Region IV, Division I Semi-Finals Championship on Friday, November 25, 2016 at 6 P.M. at the San Antonio Northeast Independent School District’s Comalander Stadium in quest of adding another chapter to the school’s football history book.
Tickets for the Mavericks Regional Semi-Final Championship game on Friday, November 25th, will only be sold at the Gate or Ticket Booth of Comalander Stadium with cost of $7 for Adults and $3 for Students, announced Head Coach Eric Villasenor.
