By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
For the second straight year, Del Rio’s football season has come to an end in San Antonio.
Taft’s devastating ground game scored 42 first half points and knocked the Del Rio Rams out of the playoffs with a 42-7 Bi-District round win Friday night at San Antonio’s Gustafson Stadium.
The Raiders (9-2), the District 30-6A runners-up, advance to the Area round for the second straight year. Del Rio (4-7) falls in the first round for the second straight year.
After stopping the Rams on their first possession, Taft used a big pass to Jayden Aleman to set up a two-yard run by quarterback Justice Hurt to set the Raiders up 7-0.
The Rams tied the game at 7-7 on a touchdown pass from Zack Taylor to Zane Hughes followed by a Rodrigo Tamez extra point.
Taft returned to its ground game on the next possession as Hurt and running back TJ Andrews took turns pounding the ball against the Rams defense. A 26-yard run by Hurt moved the Raiders into Del Rio territory. After Braden Ludemann was able to break up a Hurt pass attempt, Hurt came up big again to move his team to deeper into Del Rio’s side of the field.
Hurt would cap the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to help the Raiders to a 14-7 lead.
The Rams benefited on the ensuing kickoff as Taft tried for an onside kick, but Del Rio was unable to recover the ball. To make matters worse for Taft, one of its players was called for targeting and ejected, setting the Rams up at the Raiders 35.
But the Rams couldn’t move the ball on their next three plays. On fourth down Del Rio tried for a fake punt, but the Rams were stopped short and Taft got the ball at their own 26-yard line.
On the next play from scrimmage, Jamel Criswell took the handoff on an end around and raced 74 yards to the end zone for a 21-7 Taft advantage near the end of the first quarter.
After another Del Rio punt, Taft found the end zone again, this time on a touchdown pass from Hurt to Criswell that put the Raiders up 28-7.
Del Rio’s troubles continued on its next drive. The Rams lined up to punt, but the snap to Corbin Farrar sailed over his head. He was able to recover and tried to run it for a first down, but he was stopped at the Rams’ 3-yard line. Hurt would score on the next play, and the deficit grew to 35-7.
The Rams got decent field position on its next drive after a solid return by Angel Martinez, then picked up 11 yards on a pass from Taylor to Alan Dobbins. But after a pass to Martinez lost three yards, Farrar punted the ball away and pinned the Raiders at their own 2-yard line.
The Raiders got out of the shadow of their end zone on the first play as Andrews broke loose for a 42-yard gain. Four plays later, Hurt broke loose down the sideline and raced 57 yards for his fourth touchdown of the first half and a 42-7 Raiders lead.
The second half saw the Raiders use backups at both the quarterback and running back positions. Taft never returned to the end zone, but they kept the ball on the ground and chewed up clock.
The Rams were able to find some success on the legs of freshman Zane Hughes. Hughes had a 28-yard reception that gave the Rams a chance at a field goal, and then he picked up a first down on Del Rio’s second to last possession of the game. He also picked up two more first downs on the Rams’ final possession.
Del Rio was one of two District 30-6A teams to lose in the Bi-District round. Laredo United fell to San Antonio Brennan. However, district champions Laredo United South outlasted San Antonio Harlan and Eagle Pass defeated San Antonio Marshall in overtime to advance to the Area round.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
