Sub-4A Roundup
The chomp is back!
Grulla quarterback Reymond Penablanca scored from one yard for the go-ahead score with 35 seconds left in the game as the Gators beat the Port Isabel Tarpons 27-26 on Friday night in a key District 32-3A contest at Joe Sanchez Stadium.
The win comes a week after the Gators (5-2, 1-1) lost to La Feria 42-13.
“PI’s a good ball club and we were in a dogfight all night,” Gators head coach Abel Gonzalez said. “But I’m proud of the way the guys bounced back after that loss to La Feria. The kids showed character tonight and I’m very proud of them.”
Leading 21-20 with about six minutes left in the game, the Gators relinquished the lead when PI (4-3, 1-1) scored with 1:45 left in the game for the 26-21 lead.
Grulla returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 40 and made their way down field to set up Penablanca’s game-winning score.
The drive was highlighted by a bomb from Penablanca to Jose Martinez to the seven-yard line. Martinez had a big night catching two TD passes earlier in the game. Eddie Gallegos provided the other score on a 25-yard pick-six.
ZAPATA 77, PROGRESO 0: At Zapata, the Hawks scored early and often in a rout of the Red Ants.
Zapata (3-4, 1-1 district) led 35-0 at intermission and bounced back from a loss at Port Isabel last week.
“We heard the scores after our game so we’ve got a little life now,” Zapata head coach Mario Arce said. “So we’ll see how things go.”
For the Hawks, Zapata got big games from quarterback Manuel Salinas (205 yards rushing, 6 TDs) and running back Mike Alvarez (183 yards, 3 TDs)
Progreso falls to 0-7, 0-2 respectively.
District 16-A Division I
BEN BOLT 30, LA VILLA 13: At Ben Bolt, the La Villa Cardinals let a close game slip away in the second half as they fell to the Badgers.
La Villa (2-6, 0-1 district) trailed 14-7 at intermission against the high-powered Badgers. But running just eight plays in the second half proved costly for the Cards.
“They (Ben Bolt) controlled the ball,” La Villa coach Eugene Garza said. “We’re trying to see what we can do to fix things. We’ve gotta get ready for Kenedy and Charlotte.”
For the Cards, Ricky Cantu and Isaias Martinez notched rushing scores.
