By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
One big play gave Rams fans hope that Del Rio would pick up its first win of this football season.
Instead, Midland Christian scored 22 unanswered points to send the Rams into their bye week with a 0-5 record thanks to a 47-20 loss Saturday afternoon in Midland.
Del Rio is now in the midst of an eight-game losing streak dating back to last season. The last time the Rams lost eight straight was in 1998 when the team went 0-10
The last time the Rams opened a season with five straight losses was the 2017 campaign. They finished 2-8 that year.
The Rams trailed 13-0 in the first quarter after Midland quarterback Blake Pruitt opened the game’s scoring with a seven-yard touchdown and then hit Will Schorlemer for an 89-yard touchdown pass about four minutes later.
Del Rio cut the lead in half when Jovahn West scored on a 10-yard pass from Zack Taylor. Rodrigo Tamez’s kick made it 13-7 with 24 seconds left in the opening quarter, but the Midland Mustangs would add to their lead when Owen Floyd scored on a 73-yard run as time expired in the first, giving his team a 19-7 advantage headed into the second quarter.
The Rams took to the skies again in the second quarter with Taylor finding Alan Dobbins for a 30-yard scoring strike. It was Dobbins’ first of the season and marked his full return from an injury that limited his participation the past two weeks. Dobbins would finish the game with four catches for 55 yards and the score to lead Del Rio’s pass catchers.
Midland would answer with a 15-yard touchdown run by Dawson Bullard with less than a minute left in the first half, sending the two teams to halftime with Midland Christian ahead, 25-14.
Del Rio started the second half off with a bang after Zane Hughes took the opening kickoff two yards deep in the end zone, sprinted left, found a seam to the right and outraced the Mustangs’ special teams to the end zone for a 102-yard kickoff return touchdown. A two-point conversion attempt failed, and the Rams trailed by just five points, 25-20.
Midland wouldn’t have any part of a Rams’ comeback, though.
The Mustangs got their double-digit lead back when Pruitt threw a perfect pass just over defensive back Bradan Ludemann’s head and into the hands of Owen Floyd for a 23-yard touchdown. Pruitt then hit Schorlemer for the conversion to put Midland ahead, 33-20.
Del Rio’s next drive went awry when the exchange between Taylor and Hughes hit the turf. Taylor tried to pick the ball up, but he wound up losing control of the ball and it popped into the air and into the hands of Midland’s Zanden King who returned it 23 yards to the end zone to help the Mustangs grab a 40-20 lead.
Midland capped the game’s scoring with less than four minutes left to play when Pruitt was able to evade Del Rio’s defense and scored on a 65-yard run. Mason Horton belted the extra point, and put Midland up 47-20, which proved to be the final.
The Rams will have a bye this week before beginning play in District 30-6A Friday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Laredo Student Activity Complex against the Laredo LBJ Wolves (4-1). The Wolves’ last game was a 42-14 win over La Joya on Sept. 23.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
