Tarpons hand Bearkats first loss of 2011

RAYMONDVILLE — In order to right the ship, Port Isabel needed to do what Port Isabel does best.

The Tarpons lost two of their first three games to open the season and head coach Monty Stumbaugh knew his young squad would have to grow up sooner or later.

On Friday at Burnett Stadium against the Raymondville Bearkats, the Tarpons depended on a couple of old PI trademarks to get back on the win column.

The Tarpons rushed for 312 yards and forced two Raymondville turnovers, including an interception return for a score, as they picked up their second win of the season with a 27-21 victory.

"I told them (team) we’re Port Isabel," Stumbaugh said. "And that means something. When you wear that blue and white jersey, you gotta represent. That’s who we are and you have to be proud of it. You gotta be proud of Tarpon football."

Indeed the Tarpons looked like an energized group as the offense cruised to a 430-yard effort and the defense forced one fumble and had one pick on the night.

"We just wanted to come out and play like we’re capable of playing," Stumbaugh said. "We missed some tackles last week and I was having nightmares all week about that.

"But we made some stops when we needed them and I think we came in here and did what we needed do. That’s a very good Raymondville team and I think we played very good tonight."

After a lackluster first half, the scoreboard lit up after halftime.

PI (2-2) and Raymondville (3-1) exchanged scores to open the second half.

After the Bearkats tied it on a five-yard score by Jesse Valladares, PI came back and scored on a 41-yard strike from sophomore QB Isaiah Martinez to junior running back Javier Vela.

PI tacked on another score when Vela picked off Raymondville QB Alex Montalvo on the Bearkats’ 40 and returned it for the score.

Ever the explosive bunch, though, Bearkat ball carrier Valladares broke free on an 80-yard TD run to bring the home team to within 20-14.

PI added a score in the fourth on a one-yard run by Martinez to make it 27-14 but Raymondville responded.

On their ensuing possession, the Bearkats marched 64 yards down the field and scored when third-string QB Raiden Vallez hit Alder Figueroa on an 11-yard TD pass to close the gap again, 27-21.

Raymondville made a crucial stop with about 4:00 left to play but the Bearkat couldn’t do anything on offense as PI forced the Bearkats to punt.

"It’s always tough when you lose that first one," Raymondville head coach Joe Gonzales said. "You’re always going to run into obstacles and today PI was just ready to play. We just have to regroup and get ready for Rio Hondo next week."
Raymondville played most of the way without starting QB Josh Cantu, who got injured on the fifth play of the Beakats’ first possession. Montalvo and D.J. Quiroga split duties under center the rest of the way.

Port Isbael had the game’s only score in the first half when quarterback Isaiah Martinez scored from six yards for the 7-0 lead after the PAT.

The Bearkats had their chances in the first half to take control of the game.

Raymondville’s first possession reached the Port Isabel 27 and ended with the Bearkats turning the ball over on downs.

After letting the Tarpons go 73 yards the other way for the lone score of the first half, the Bearkats got the ball back and looked good advancing to the Tarpon 21. But a fumble thwarted any momentum Raymondville had built at that point.

On PI’s next drive, Raymondville forced a Tarpon fumble and the Bearkats put together another impressive drive. But as Raymondville reached the Tarpon 15-yard line, it failed to convert on a fourth-and-five and it gave the ball back to PI.

The Tarpons, also moving the ball well all night, reached the Raymondville 14 and opted for a 31-yard field goal on a third-and-nine with six seconds left in the half but came up short.

Raymondville’s fourth possession of the first half ended with Alex Montalvo taking a knee and ending the half.

Raymondville played most of the way without starting QB Josh Cantu, who got injured on the fifth play of the Beakats’ first possession. Montalvo and D.J. Quiroga split duties under center the rest of the way.