Del Rio News Herald

Missed opportunities cost the Rams a district championship.

Del Rio dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone and missed three field goals as the San Antonio Southwest Dragons claimed the District 29-5A championship Friday night at Walter Levermann Ram Stadium, 16-7.

The Rams are now 7-2 on the season and 5-1 in district. Southwest remains unbeaten, 6-0 in district and 8-0 overall.

Del Rio started the game on offense and immediately set off down the field. A pitch to John Steed netted 30 yards and was followed by an 11-yard run by Josh Washington. Three plays later Washington again broke loose and raced 21 yards to the Dragons’ 29-yard line.

But for every positive play the Rams seemed to struggle to keep the momentum going. Del Rio was flagged for three false start penalties on its first drive the last of which pushed Del Rio back to the Southwest 21.

The Rams’ did have a chance to take an early lead as quarterback Michael Wancho rolled out and tossed a pass to tight end Ty Fondren in the end zone. But the ball bounced off Fondren’s hands and fell to the turf.

Jesus Sanchez eventually came on to try a 31-yard field goal, but the kick went wide left and the game remained scoreless.

Southwest tried to match Del Rio’s intensity, but the Rams’ “Wrecking Crew” defense held Dragons tailback Tre’vion Johnson in check. He was limited to 10 yards on three carries on Southwest’s first drive and forced a Dragons punt.

Del Rio’s next drive began with promise as quarterback Michael Wancho scrambled for a nine-yard gain and a first down, but another false start penalty and a sack by the Dragons’ Markell Thomas forced a Fondren punt.

Fondren’s kick went high, but a bad bounce caused it to roll back towards Del Rio’s side of the field before it was downed at the Rams’ 28-yard line.

Southwest kept the ball on the ground, as Johnson was able to pick up 12 yards on his first carry of the drive. An offsides penalty against the Rams gave the Dragons a first down at the Rams’ 11. After two three-yard runs by Johnson, another offsides penalty against Del Rio put the Dragons at the Rams’ 2-yard line.

Johnson bulled his way into the end zone from there and gave the Dragons a 6-0 lead. Jacob Saucedo’s point after try was no good and Del Rio remained down by six.

An Adrian Guerra sack derailed Del Rio’s next drive and Fondren was sent out to punt again. Another bad roll kept the ball on the Rams’ side of the field and Southwest started at the Rams’ 37.

But the Rams’ defense stiffened and a false start penalty against the Dragons put them back at the Rams’ 41, Ethan Durham broke through and sacked quarterback Felix Castillo to force a Dragons punt.

Del Rio’s next drive saw the Rams get a first down off a pass interference call against Southwest, but Washington could only pick up six yards on his next two carries and Wancho was stopped for a one-yard loss on third down.

After another Del Rio punt failed to pass to midfield, Johnson carried the ball five straight times to the Del Rio 16-yard line before a personal foul penalty against the Dragons pushed Southwest back to the Rams’ 31.

From there, Juan “Cowboy” Sanchez and Cory James stopped Aaron Kelley for no gain, helped force an incompletion, and then sacked Castillo for a 20-yard loss. The defense helped keep the Rams down only by six as the first half ended.

Southwest nearly doubled its lead on the ensuing kickoff of the second half.

Jesus Sanchez kicked off to Kelley who got in behind his blockers and shot through the left side of the wall for a 57-yard gain to the Rams’ 38 before he was brought down by Sanchez.

Johnson did the bulk of the work for the Dragons on the drive, carrying the ball six times to the Rams’ 18-yard line. The drive stalled, though, and Saucedo came on for a 28-yard field goal. The kick was good and the Dragons’ lead was 9-0.

Del Rio kept pounding away at the Dragons’ defense as Washington found some running room for a 20-yard gain to the Southwest 48-yard line. But after a long pass to Cody Brooks was incomplete, Wancho was able to scramble for six yards. Julius Anderson picked off his next pass attempt, intended for Jeff McDaniels. Anderson looked to score on the return, but the play was called back on a penalty against the Dragons.

Southwest kept right on running the ball and eating up the clock. After Joey Guzman and Johnny Sanders stuffed Johnson on third-and-6, Saucedo was sent out to punt. Guzman got the push up the middle and blocked the kick that was then picked up Sanders and returned to the Southwest 48.

Del Rio’s offense continued to find the crease in the Dragons’ defense as Josh Washington was able to pick up 28 yards and move the ball to the Southwest 16, but a two-yard loss and a pair of incomplete passes brought Sanchez out to try a 28-yard field goal. The kick was again wide and the Rams continued to trail 9-0.

Del Rio trailed as the fourth quarter began, but the Rams’ defense had forced the Dragons onto a 4th-and-13 at their own 12-yard line. Saucedo was sent out to punt and again the Rams broke the line. Saucedo got the kick off, but he was knocked to the ground by Durham. Del Rio was flagged for roughing the kicker and Southwest was given a new set of downs.

After four consecutive runs by Johnson moved the Dragons to near midfield, Southwest turned to its star back for one more carry. But this time the Rams’ defense jarred the ball loose and recovered the fumble to give Del Rio the ball at the Dragons’ 47-yard line.

On the very next play, Wancho threw a pass toward Washington on the near sideline. The ball just cleared the Southwest defenders’ hands and landed in Washington’s hands before the senior collected himself and raced 53 yards for the score. Sanchez’s point after try was good and the lead was cut to 9-7 with 8:35 remaining in the game.

Del Rio’s defense came up big again as plays by “Cowboy” Sanchez, Kevin Pierre-Louis and Cody Brooks forced the Dragons to punt.

But the Rams couldn’t take advantage. Despite benefiting for a personal foul penalty against the Dragons’ Guerra for a hit on Steed out of bounds, the Rams managed just one yard after that.

Jesus Sanchez was sent out on fourth-and-nine to try a 47-yard field goal, but the kick was left and far too short and gave the Dragons the ball back.

Del Rio’s defense looked for one more stop as the Dragons took over with just over five minutes remaining in the game. After James stopped Johnson for a two-yard loss, and Johnson bounced back for a five-yard gain, the Dragons were flagged for a false start penalty and pushed back to their own 35.

But on the very next play Castillo hit a streaking J.C. Salinas through the middle of the defense. Salinas outran the Rams defenders for 65 yards and the score. Saucedo’s kick gave the Dragons a 16-7 lead with just over three minutes remaining.

The Rams tried to mount a quick scoring drive as Wancho came out and hit Brooks for two quick passes and then Diego Cadena rushed for the first down. Wancho then scrambled for a 12-yard run and a first down. After an incomplete pass to Brooks, Wancho again scrambled for a five-yard gain before losing control of the ball and fumbling. Thomas recovered for Southwest at the Rams’ 44-yard line.

A run by Johnson and a 12-yard gain by Steven Lacivita sealed the win as Lacivita followed his big gain with two kneels to run out the clock.

After the game and after the two teams shook hands on a well-played game, Johnson walked over to where the Rams were gathered and congratulated them on a hard fought game, drawing praise from Rams head coach Steve Hoffman.

Del Rio will end its regular season next Friday night at Krueger Field in Laredo against the Laredo Martin Tigers. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

The Rams’ first playoff game will be the following week against an as of yet undertemined opponent. Playoff game site and time has not yet been determined either.

Share | Save | Mail | Print

Serving Del Rio and Val Verde County since 1929

A Southern Newspapers publication.