By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Del Rio High senior Luis Pablo Galaviz wasn’t about to let Laredo Alexander spoil the final homecoming game of his high school career.
Behind an offensive line that included Jacob Hernandez, Anthony Huizar, Julio Gamez and Diego Garcia, the bruising tailback rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown and added 83 yards on four catches to propel the Rams to a convincing 28-7 win over the Laredo Alexander Bulldogs (1-3 in district) Friday night at Walter Levermann Ram Stadium.
The win was significant for the Rams in many ways.
First, it sends the Rams to the postseason for the second consecutive season. It was also the first for Del Rio at home this season, and it put the Rams in control of their own destiny in their quest for a district championship.
Del Rio is 4-4 overall and 3-1 in district with two games left to play. Laredo United South defeated Eagle Pass, 39-34, Friday night to take sole control of first in district at 4-0 and drop Eagle Pass into a tie for second with Del Rio at 4-1.
The Rams will travel to Laredo Friday, Oct. 29 to face United South. Del Rio will then close the regular season Saturday, Nov. 6 at home against Eagle Pass. If the Rams run the table and win both games they would finish 5-1. United South would need to beat LBJ to finish tied for first, but the Rams would own the head-to-head to take the number one seed.
Laredo United, which had its bye this week, sits in fourth place at 2-2. They have Laredo Nixon next week and then close the regular season against Laredo Alexander.
Laredo LBJ is 1-3 in district after beating Laredo Nixon Friday night, 23-14. Nixon drops to 0-5.
The Rams and Bulldogs fought to a scoreless first half, but Del Rio nearly broke the scoreless tie late in the first half as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Alexander put the Rams into first and goal at the Alexander nine-yard line.
Galaviz had an eight-yard run to put the Rams at the doorstep, but three straight runs, including a fake field goal that turned into a run, resulted in zero points for Del Rio.
The third quarter belonged to the Rams. Del Rio scored all four of its touchdowns in the third quarter as the Rams held the Bulldogs to negative-eight yards of offense in the period.
The first Rams touchdown came on a 10-yard pass from Zack Taylor to Jovahn West that capped a six-play drive for Del Rio. Galaviz did most of the damage, picking up 40 yards on three carries.
After an Alexander punt, the Rams nearly made it 14-0 when Taylor hit Galaviz on a screen pass and the shifty runner zipped, dodged and outran the Bulldogs defense 82 yards to the end zone. However, an illegal block penalty against the Rams brought the play back to the Alexander 36-yard line. Two plays later, Galaviz got his touchdown on a 22-yard run to the left side of the end zone to make it a 14-0 game.
Following another Bulldogs punt, the Rams went right back to work. This time it was Taylor who found the end zone, stretching the ball in on a tough two-yard run to push the lead to 21-0.
Del Rio’s defense helped contribute to the Rams’ final touchdown as Ricky Torres recovered an Alexander fumble to set Del Rio up at the Alexander 13-yard line. Three plays later, Taylor crashed into the right side pylon following a nine-yard run as time expired in the third quarter to send the Rams to the fourth up 28-0.
All four extra points were kicked by freshman Rodrigo Tamez.
Del Rio would recover another Alexander fumble, this time it was Manuel Padilla doing the honors, to help keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard.
Alexander would eventually find the end zone when Gael Rodriguez scored on a two-yard run with just over six minutes left to play to cut the Rams’ lead to 28-7.
But that would be as close as Alexander would get as the teams played out the remainder of the game.
Prior to the game, representatives of San Felipe High School and the original Del Rio High School gathered on the field to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the consolidated of the Del Rio and San Felipe school districts. Several of them then led the Rams onto the field through the team’s inflatable tunnel.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
