Eagle Pass Winn Mavericks Stampede Uvalde Coyotes 34-18 in Non-District Rivalry
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
The thundering Eagle Pass Winn Mavericks stampeded the Uvalde Coyotes 34-18 in a non-district rivalry game on Friday, September 3, 2021 at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass, Texas, improving to 2-0 in the season.
The Mavericks wrecking crew defense led by linebackers Jaime Barrientos and Jose Pablo Ramos, defensive ends Michael Hernandez and Victor Alonzo, defensive tackles Adrian Morales and Juan Estrada, and defensive backs Juan Martinez, Jonathon Martinez, Alejandro Picazo, Almikar Ramos, and Fernando Franco stifled the potent Coyotes offense on their first possession of the game, forcing them to punt.
The Mavericks explosive offense led by quarterback Abraham Rodriguez, running back Jeremiah Robinson, wide receivers Alan Vielma, Eric Martinez, and Alan Roli Jimenez, halfback Patrick Solis, and offensive linemen Erick Flores, Hector Saldana, Jimmy Joe Lopez, , Jose Reyes, and Jorge Martinez engineered an 80 yard touchdown drive on their first possession, culminating on a three yard keeper into the end zone by quarterback Abraham Rodriguez and the point after attempt failed on a bad snap to give the Mavericks an early 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Coyotes second possession was muzzled by the Mavericks defense, forcing a punt.
The Mavericks second possession was aided by a personal foul against the Coyotes on the punt return, giving the Mavs the football at the Coyotes own 37 yard line. The Mavericks offense quickly capitalized on a combination of runs and passes, striking paydirt on a 25 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Abraham Rodriguez to wide receiver Alan Vielma with a beautiful over the shoulder catch in the Coyotes end zone and the point after attempt by place kicker Amilkar Ramos sailed through the uprights for a 13-0 lead with 5:34 minutes remaining in the first quarter, stunning the Coyotes.
The Coyotes changed quarterbacks on their third possession, calling on sophomore Brodie Carnes to spark their offense, and orchestrated a touchdown drive culminating with a 17 yard pass from Carnes to wide receiver Martyn Malic into the Mavericks end zone and the point after attempt was good, narrowing the score 13-7 in favor of the Mavericks with 3:17 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Mavericks linebacker Jaime Barrientos pounced on a Coyotes fumble, recovering the pigskin at the Coyotes 28 yard line with five minutes remaining in the first half but the Mavs were unable to capitalize on the turnover turning the ball over on downs.
Both teams’ defenses settled down late in the first quarter and throughout the second quarter, shutting the offenses down for the remainder of the first half with the halftime score 13-7 in favor of the Mavericks.
At half-time, the loyal Maverick Nation football aficionados were entertained by the Winn Thundering Mavericks Band and Silver Line Dance Team. The Mavs band performed their U.I.L. Contest routine.
In the third quarter, the Coyotes scored on a 39 yard field goal by place kicker Martyn Malic to narrow the score 13-10 with 7:07 minutes in the third period.
Th Mavericks bounced back with a 75 yard touchdown drive of their own, culminating with a nine yard keeper into the Coyotes end zone by quarterback Abraham Rodriguez and the extra point sailed left, giving the Mavericks a 19-10 lead with 5:41 minutes remaining in the third-quarter.
On the Coyotes second possession of the second-half, the Coyotes were marching down the field with momentum to the Mavericks 20 yard line when Mavs defensive end Michael Hernandez swept a pass attempt and returned it for an 80 yard pick six touchdown, quickly swinging the momentum of the game to the Mavs and quarterback Abraham Rodriguez converted the two point attempt with a three yard scamper, extending the Mavericks lead 27-10 over the Coyotes with 2:45 minutes remaining in the third quarter—shocking the Coyotes and their fans.
The Mavericks wrecking crew defense held the Coyotes to a 40 yard field goal attempt on their next possession, but a bad snap and an errant pass by the field goal holder resulted in an interception by Mavericks free safety Juan Martinez at the Mavs’ 23 yard line with 1:22 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Mavericks engineered a 77 yard touchdown drive after the interception on a pounding ground game with runs by running back Jeremiah Robinson and quarterback Abraham Rodriguez, including a 41 yard romp by Rodriguez to the Coyotes six yard line, culminating on a one yard keeper into the end zone by quarterback Rodriguez with 10:17 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the point after attempt by place kicker Amilkar Ramos was good, extending the Mavs lead over the Coyotes to 34-10.
The never say die Coyotes marched down the field for an apparent 52 yard touchdown drive resulting in a 26 yard pass score from quarterback Brodie Carnes to Martyn Malic, but a false start penalty on the Coyotes negated the touchdown pass and the Mavericks stout defense held the Coyotes on fourth and 20 yards to go to turn over the football to the Mavs with 7:00 minutes remaining in the game.
The Mavericks brought in freshman quarterback, Johnathan Salayandia, to gain valuable game experience late in the fourth quarter. Salayandia ran the football well on several plays, showing potential, but on a Coyote blitz threw an errant pass that was intercepted by Coyote safety Elijah Carroll who returned it for a 25 yard pick six touchdown with 1:40 minutes remaining in the final period and the two point conversion was good, narrowing the score 34-18.
The feisty Coyotes attempted an on-side kick but an alert Maverick special teams player recovered the football. Mavericks starting quarterback Abraham Rodriguez returned to the game to run out the clock and secure the Mavericks’ hard-fought 34-18 victory over the Coyotes.
The Mavericks will host cross-town rival Eagle Pass Eagles next week in the renewal of the local rivalry after being suspended last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mark your calendar for September 10, 2021 and purchase your tickets early for the Mavericks versus Eagles football game as it promises to be another exciting game for the mythical City Championship.
Roll Mavericks Roll!
