Eagle Pass Winn Mavericks Lassoed By Floresville Tigers 28-20 in Key District 29-5A Football Contest
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017
The thundering Eagle Pass C. C. Winn High School Mavericks were lassoed by the Floresville High School Tigers 28-20 in a key District 29-5A football contest on Friday, November 3, 2017, at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass, Texas, falling to 3-6 overall in the season and 2-2 in District 29-5A standings.
The Floresville Tigers won the pre-game coin toss and elected to receive the football in the second-half.
The Mavericks received the opening kickoff and returned it to their 19 yard line. The Tigers defense held the explosive Mavericks offense to three and out, forcing a punt.
The Tigers started their first possession at the Mavericks 37 yard line after a short punt that went off the foot of the Mavericks punter. The stampeding Mavericks defense led by linebackers Ernesto Villasenor and Miguel de los Santos were called on early in the game to stop the potent Tigers offense. The Mavericks defense rose to the challenge, stopping the Tigers and forcing them to punt.
The Mavericks second possession started deep in their own territory at the two yard line following the Tigers punt. The Mavericks offense led by quarterback Ethan Johnston went to work. After getting a first down to get out of their own goal line area, the Mavericks struck a lightning quick 76 yard touchdown pass up the middle of the field from quarterback Ethan Johnston to wide receiver Jose Blanco and the point after attempt by place kicker Ernesto Fuentes was good to take an early 7-0 lead with 8:37 minutes remaining in the first quarter, stunning the Tigers defense.
The Tigers received their second possession at their own 20 yard line and marched down to the Mavericks 36 yard line wher the Mavericks defense forced an incomplete pass on fourth and six yards to go to regain possession of the football.
The Mavericks offense took over at their own 36 yard line for their third possession of the game. The Mavericks offense combined their ground attack led by running back Luis Rodriguez and passing led by quarterback Ethan Johnston to march 74 yards down the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium turf culminating on a two yard dive into the Tigers end zone by running back Luis Rodriguez and the point after attempt by Ernesto Fuentes was good to take a 14-0 lead over the Tigers with 2:59 minutes left in the first stanza, delighting the Maverick Nation aficionados.
The Tigers third possesion of the game began at their own 41 yard line after a short Maverick kick. The Tigers offense led by quarterback Darian Mayberry combined for a passing and ground game attack and engineered a methodical 59 yard touchdown drive resulting in a one yard plunge into the Mavericks end zone by running back Salih Williams and the extra point was good to narrow the score 14-7 with 36 seconds remaining in the first period.
The Mavericks started their fourth possession of the game at their own 25 yard line, but the Tigers defense stopped the Mavericks and forced a punt.
The Tigers began at their own 20 yard line in their fourth possession of the game, but Maverick defensive back German Velasquez intercepted a Tigers pass at their 35 yard line and returned it to the Tigers 5 yard line but a Maverick personal foul penalty returned the football to the 20 yard line with 9:12 minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Mavericks offense went to work combining a ground and aerial attack, culiminating on an eight yard touchdown run by wide receiver Luis Olvera but the extra point was blocked by the Tigers to extend their lead to 20-7 with 7:06 minutes left in the second period.
The Tigers fifth possesion started in good field position at their own 44 yard line after a short Maverick kick. The Tigers orchestrated a 54 yard touchdown drive culminating with a one yard touchdown dive by running back Kane Numera and the point after attempt was good, narrowing the score 20-14 in favor of the Mavericks with 2:36 minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Mavericks took a 20-14 lead into halftime.
The Mavericks Silver Line Dance Team and the Thundering Maverick Band entertained the loyal Maverick Nation fans in attendance during halftime.
In the second-half, the Tigers took the opening kickoff with good field position at their own 45 yard line after a short Maverick kick. The Tigers engineered a patented 55 yard touchdown drive culminating with a 32 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Darian Mayberry to wide receiver Colton Payne and the point after attmept was good to give the Tigers their first lead in the game 21-20 with 9:37 minutes remaining in the third quarter, stunning the die-hard Maverick Nation aficionados.
During the second-half, both teams’ defenses took over the game and limited their opposing offenses from scoring until midway through the fourth quarter the Tigers offense managed to score a touchdown after a short 39 yard drive on a five yard run into the Mavericks end zone by running back Salih Williams and the extra point was good with 5:59 minutes left in the fourth period, taking a commanding 28-20 lead over the Mavericks.
The Mavericks offense was shut down by the Tigers defense during the second-half to seal the key District 29-5A victory for the visiting Tigers. The Mavericks played hard and valiantly but came shy of a win. The game was hard fought by both teams and thrilling to the final whistle.
The Mavericks final game of the regular season next week is against the Uvalde High School Coyotes on Friday, November 10, 2017, at 7:30 P.M. at Uvalde, Texas. The Mavericks will seek to defeat the Uvalde Coyotes in order to earn a post-season state playoff berth. Go Mavericks!
UPDATE: Winn Mavericks Qualify For Post-Season State Football Playoffs
The Eagle Pass Winn Mavericks have earned a 2017 Post-Season State Football Playoff Berth representing District 29-5A on Friday, November 3, 2017 as a result of the District games played on November 3rd and their outcome. The top four District 29-5A teams that have qualified for the 2017 UIL Post-Season State Playoffs are the San Antonio Southside Cardinals with a 4-0 District record and 7-2 season record; the Floresville Tigers with a 4-0 District record and 7-2 season record; the Uvalde Coyotes with a 2-2 District record and 5-4 season record; and the Eagle Pass Winn Mavericks with a 2-2 District record and 3-6 season record. Eliminated from the state playoffs are the San Antonio McCollum Cowboys with a 0-4 District record and 0-9 season record and the San Antonio Harlandale Indians with a 0-4 District record and 0-9 season record.
The Winn Mavericks will represent District 29-5A in the 5A Division I bracket. The Mavericks bi-district championship opponent will be the Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles who currently have a 9-0 season record and 4-0 District record. The Mavericks versus Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles playoff game will be determined next week and announced to the public.
