East Central snaps three-game losing streak in district opener

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Central Catholic, East Central, Harlandale, Holy Cross, Kennedy, McCollum, Memorial, Southside.

Anyone who thought Kennedy’s playoff hopes in District 29-4A were shrinking needs to re-evaluate.

The Rockets (4-2, 1-2) may have dropped their first two district games, but they came back fighting and felled   previously undefeated Harlandale (5-1, 2-1) 31-21 Friday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium. What’s more, Kennedy led from the outset.

Kennedy scored one minute and one second into the game on a four-yard pass from sophomore Eric Lira (9 of 16, 120 yards) to big-play specialist Matthew Guzman (44 yards, 2 catches). It was just the Rockets’ second play of the game.

By the end of the first quarter, the Rockets led 21-0 and the Indians were in a hole that would prove difficult to dig out of. They got no closer than seven points.

The district has been nothing if not unpredictable so far.

Before the season, no one picked Uvalde (4-2, 3-0) to lead the pack, but the Coyotes have risen to the top. Harlandale fell into a three-way tie for second with Floresville and Medina Valley (both 4-2, 2-1). Kennedy is tied with McCollum and Memorial (both 4-2, 2-1) for fifth.

Of course, the top four finishers will qualify for the postseason after the next four weeks of potential craziness unfold.

Some of that seems to have taken place Friday.

Senior back Matthew Avalos (176 yards, 18 carries) scored the Rockets’ next two touchdowns on one-yard runs. The second followed a 74-yard run from Avalos.

Harlandale scored its first touchdown with 7:35 until halftime on a seven-yard pass from Brandon Ramon (12 of 31, 206 yards) to Eddie Pedroza.

The Rockets answered with an important touchdown at the 3:50 mark, scoring two plays after recovering an Indians fumble. A 15-yard pass from Lira to tight end Isaiah Garcia extended Kennedy’s lead to 28-7.

Harlandale pulled within 14 before halftime. Ramon scored on a two-yard run 42 seconds from intermission.

The Indians also struck first in the second half. Ramon threw 11 yards to Ian Martinez (110 yards, 4 receptions) to make it 28-21 with 5:43 remaining in the third quarter.

Kevin Garduno booted a clinching field goal for Kennedy 2:21 before the end.

Harlandale’s Nicholas Martinez ran for 52 yards.

The Indians will play Memorial next Friday at Mata Stadium (7 p.m.). Kennedy travels to Southside Friday for a 7 p.m. game.

East Central 31, Corpus Christi Carroll 28

Seemingly, nothing has come easily for the Hornets this year and Friday was no exception.

It took a spurt of 17 unanswered points for East Central (3-3, 1-0) to hold off a hungry Corpus Christi Carroll team that only won one District 28-5A game last year. Although the Tigers (1-4, 0-1) scored twice late in the contest, the Hornets held them off to end a three-game losing streak and win their district opener at East Central.

East Central broke a 14-14 tie with 7:36 remaining in the third quarter when New Mexico State commit Johnathan Jackson (102 yards, 23 carries) pounded the ball in from the one-yard line to record his third touchdown of the game.

The Hornets forged ahead by two touchdowns on a 95-yard pass play to Wanya Ward from quarterback Justin Upshaw-Mendoza late in the third quarter. Little more than two minutes later, Dennis Chavez belted a 37-yard field goal to give East Central a 31-14 advantage.

Carroll scored on a one-yard run from quarterback Jesse Jones (126 passing yards, 87 rushing yards) and a 24-yard pass to Chris Gutierrez from T.J. Kassner. Both touchdowns were scored in the last 2:33.

The teams traded touchdowns in the early going.

East Central struck first on a one-yard run from Jackson. Carroll’s top rusher, Noah Lisk, tied it with 3:50 remaining in the first quarter. The Hornets limited Lisk to five rushing yards and the Tigers to 233 total yards.

Jackson dashed 32 yards for East Central’s second touchdown with 10:19 left in the second quarter. The Tigers scored 2:08 before halftime on an eight-yard run from Jones.

Javion Polk added 57 yards on 15 carries) for East Central.

Holy Cross 48, San Marcos Academy 7

Holy Cross (4-2, 3-0) breezed to victory Friday in San Marcos and is one of three undefeated teams in TAPPS District 3-II, along with Austin Hyde Park Baptist and Austin Regents (both 6-0, 3-0).

Junior Greg Scott (145 yards, 13 carries) scored the Knights’ first four touchdowns as they rolled to 48 consecutive points. He returned the opening kickoff 77 yards for a touchdown. Scott scored on runs of one, two and eight yards by the 9:20 mark of the second quarter.

Jacob Rodriguez added a one-yard touchdown run to give Holy Cross a 34-0 halftime lead.

The Knights scored on a six-yard run by  quarterback Cisco Flores and a 15-yard run by Rudy Gonzalez (69 yards, 6 carries) in the second half.

San Marcos Baptist ended the shutout bid with an 85-yard run from Christian Wilson two minutes before the game concluded. Holy Cross limited the Bears to 140 total yards.

Brackenridge 34, Edison 7

The Eagles (4-3, 2-1) bounced back from a loss to district-leading Brennan with a commanding victory over Edison (2-4, 0-2) Friday at Wheatley Heights Sports Complex.

Brackenridge built a 21-0 halftime lead. Lee Undra Terrell (61 yards, 5 receptions) caught two touchdown passes and Jordan Beasley hauled in another to stake the Eagles to the lead.

As quarterback Ramon Richards sat out with an injury, his replacement Antonio Lopez completed eight of 14 passes for 139 yards and four touchdowns. Lopez also connected with Jonathan King on a 52-yard pass play  little more than two minutes into the second half.

Sophomore Josh Leal (97 yards, 9 attempts) accounted for Brackenridge’s final score with a four-yard run. Junior Trey Mathis led the Eagles with a career-high 186 rushing yards on 20 carries. Tyrus Mathis ran 11 times for 71 yards.

Edison scored on a 50-yard pass from Jonathan Hernandez (8 of 21, 144 yards) to Francisco Gomez (86 yards, 3 receptions). Gomez also ran for 31 yards.

Brackenridge outgained the Golden Bears 507-183 and its defense produced two interceptions.

Uvalde 41, McCollum 24

Uvalde (4-2, 3-0) scored two touchdowns in the last five minutes against a pesky McCollum team to assure itself of an undisputed District 29-4A lead Friday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium.

t McCollum (3-3, 1-2) had been matching the Coyotes’ touchdowns throughout the game and closed within 24-21 with 7:01 remaining in the game. Mike Ramirez (74 yards, 18 carries) found the end one on a 24-yard run. Uvalde scored a half-minute before. The 53-yard jaunt was the third touchdowns of the evening for Zach Sanchez (227 yards, 17 attempts).

The Coyotes pulled away with a nine-yard run from Marco Blanco (167 yards, 20 carries) and a 54-yard dash from Sanchez at the 1:42 mark.

Jeff Valdez (164 yards, 8 receptions) scored McCollum’s first two touchdowns, on receptions of 59 and 55 yards from Ralph Vidal (9 of 12, 180 yards). The Cowboys were within 21-17 at halftime, thanks to a 38-yard field goal from Guillermo Carrillo.

Vidal also rushed for 62 yards.

Uvalde gained 504 total yards to McCollum’s 352. The Coyotes ran for 411. The Cowboys completed 13 of 16 passes for 207.

Austin St. Michael’s 28, Central Catholic 17

Quarterback Reed Carlton ran for two touchdowns and passed for two in leading St. Michael’s (3-2, 1-0) to victory Friday at Bob Benson Stadium. Carlton passed for 203 yards and ran for 85 for the Crusaders, who scored the game’s first three touchdowns.

The Buttons (2-4, 0-1) answered with 17 consecutive points, but never made up the deficit St. Michael’s manufactured by the first 10 seconds of the second quarter. Jacob Rodriguez (85 yards, 17 carries) scored on a five-yard run, Justin Rodriguez kicked a 25-yard field goal and Joseph Nava (90 yards, 19 carries) added a one-yard scoring run.

Nava, Jacob Rodriguez and Jimin Suh (50 yards, 11 carries) combined for 225 rushing yards as Central Catholic outgained St. Michael’s 353-302 in total yards. Nava completed 13 of 25 passes for 128 yards. The Buttons had three turnovers while the Crusaders were error-free.

Carlton ran 29 yards for the clinching touchdown with 6:35 remaining in the game.

Floresville 41, Memorial 0

Playing without its star back Gilbert Ortiz didn’t slow down Floresville (4-2, 2-1). The Tigers ran for 473 yards Friday in a District 29-4A game at Frank Mata Stadium.

Memorial (3-3, 1-2) mustered 138 total yards, equally divided between running and passing.

Alex Mermea (150 yards, 7 carries) and Koby Wilkerson (116 yards, 9 carries) each rushed for more than 100 yards for the Tigers. Mermea and Kyle Bippert each ran for two touchdowns. Mermea scored on runs of 32 and 65 yards.

Dillon Gaither added 50 rushing yards and a touchdown for Floresville. Wilkerson also completed five of 11 passes for 103 yards.

Memorial junior Alfred Ramos threw for 69 yards. Manases Cano caught two passes for 37 yards.

Medina Valley 48, Southside 0

Bradley Griggs scored three touchdowns and David Olvera threw three touchdown passes leading the Panthers (4-2, 2-1) to a District 29-4A victory at Medina Valley.

Griggs (107 receiving yards, 82 rushing yards) gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead on a 45-yard pass from Olvera (9 of 13, 212 yards). He also scored on a 17-yard run and 31-yard reception.

Southside (0-6, 0-3) was limited to 28 rushing yards and 101 total yards. Cardinals quarterback Jake Ramos completed seven of 19 passes for 73 yards. Medina Valley gained 360.

Brennan 69, Burbank 0

Six Bears scored, led by quarterback Da’Shawn Key Friday in a District 28-4A game at the SAISD Sports Complex. Key ran for 88 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 200 yards with two scores as Brennan (7-0, 3-0) remained undefeated.

Alex Hill led Brennan with 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns on four carries. The Bears compiled 589 yards of total offense.

Burbank senior quarterback Daniel Tello finished with 31 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs gained just 54 yards.