Eagle Pass Eagles Saddle Laredo Nixon Mustangs 49-21 in District Action
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2019
The mighty Eagle Pass High School Eagles saddled the visiting Laredo Nixon High School Mustangs 49-21 in a key District 29-6A football game on Friday, October 11, 2019, at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass, Texas, improving to 5-2 overall in the season and 2-1 in District standings.
The Eagles self-proclaimed “Land Shark Defense” dominated the Mustangs offense throughout the game except for a few plays that resulted in long touchdown scores.
The Eagles offense combined a balanced ground attack and aerial display against the stingy Mustangs defense to control the game from early in the first quarter to the end for the key District win.
The Mustangs received the opening kickoff, but the Eagles defense quickly forced them to punt the football.
The Eagles started their first drive of the game at their own 45 yard line after a short Mustangs punt and the Eagles offense rapidly engineered a four play 55 yard touchdown drive led by standout freshman running back TJ Mares, culminating in a 15 yard aerial touchdown strike from quarterback Allan Rodriguez to standout wide receiver Dakota Kypuros and place kicker Erick Ramirez’s point after attempt sailed within the uprights to give the Eagles an early 7-0 lead with 8:28 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
After another Mustangs punt caused by the swarming Eagles defense, the Eagles self-proclaimed “War Eagle” offense orchestrated a quick 64 yard touchdown drive on the legs of TJ Mares and the arm of Allan Rodriguez, culminating on a sensational 31 yard run into the Mustangs end zone by freshman speedster TJ Mares and the extra point attempt was good to extend the Eagles lead to 14-0 with 2:32 minutes left in the first quarter.
On the ensuing Mustangs possession, the Mustangs managed to sneak one of their running backs through the Eagles defense and secondary resulting in a 57 yard gallop into the end zone and the point after attempt was good to narrow the score 14-7 late in the first quarter.
The Eagles offense orchestrated a methodical 80 yard touchdown drive on a coordinated run, pass, run combination on their third possession of the game, culminating on a one yard dive into the end zone by running back TJ Mares and the point after attempt was good to extend the Eagles lead to 21-7 with 8:36 minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The stout Eagles defense snuffed out a fake Mustangs punt attempt to give the Eagles offense excellent field position at the Mustangs 32 yard line on their fourth possession of the game. The Eagles balanced attack did not take long to punch the pigskin into the end zone as quarterback Allan Rodriguez found wide receiver David Kypuros all alone for the score and the point after attempt was good to extend the Eagles lead to 28-7 midway in the second quarter.
Both teams exchanged two possessions before halftime, but Eagles standout defensive end Charlie Schuessler recovered a Mustangs fumble on one possession and sacked Mustangs quarterback Austin Garcia to shut down another Mustangs drive at the end of the second quarter, giving the Eagles a 28-7 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Eagles received the second half opening kickoff and promptly went to work on orchestrating a 92 yard touchdown drive down the Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium turf, culminating on another aerial strike from quarterback Allan Rodriguez to wide receiver Dakota Kypuros for a 21 yard touchdown and the extra point attempt was good to grow the lead to 34-7 with 8:06 minutes in the third period.
The Eagles defense held the Mustangs offense on a fourth and 14 yards at the Mustangs 21 yard line to take the football over on downs, giving the Eagles offense great field position at the Mustangs own 21 yard line.
After an incomplete pass, Eagles quarterback Allan Rodriguez hit a wide open Jacob Ruiz in the end zone for a touchdown and the point after attempt was good, extending the Eagles lead 42-7 with 6:06 minutes left in the third quarter.
Eagles Head Coach Tom Gonzalez gave his reserve players an opportunity to gain valuable game experience after the Eagles took a 42-7 lead over the Mustangs.
The Mustangs managed to add two touchdowns on the Eagles reserve defensive unit, one after a long 76 yard drive on a one yard keeper by quarterback Hector Rogelio and another on a 93 yard pass from quarterback Hector Rogelio to running back J.J. Hernandez and both extra point attempts were good.
The Eagles reserve offensive unit added a seventh and final score on a short 21 yard drive resulting on a 10 yard run by Eagles starting linebacker and reserve running back Saul Peralez and the extra point was good to close out the scoring 49-21 in the game.
The Eagles next play the Laredo United South Panthers on Friday, October 18, 2019 at the Laredo United Independent School District Student Activity Complex Football Stadium in a critical District 29-6A game as the Panthers are undefeated 3-0 in district while the Eagles are 2-1. The Panthers upset the Laredo Alexander Bulldogs 41-28 on October 11, 2019. The Eagles versus Panthers game will be highly competitive and entertaining next week.
Go Eagles Baby!
