By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Laredo United scored nearly everyway possible in the first half to put Del Rio in a hole the Rams could never dig their way out of.
The visiting Longhorns scored a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown, a kickoff return for a touchdown, an interception return for a touchdown on their way to a 35-7 halftime advantage that turned into a 45-14 final. The win keeps United perfect in District 30-6A while Del Rio drops to 2-8 overall and 1-3 in district with two games left to play.
United wasted little time finding the end zone, scoring the team’s first touchdown on a 64-yard pass on the third play of the game to take a 7-0 lead.
Del Rio found itself having to punt after its first possession, but the Rams coverage team couldn’t contain United’s punt returner as he found some running room down the near sideline and scored on a 68-yard return to help post the Longhorns to a 14-0 lead.
The Rams’ second possession began on a promising note as the run game found success. Fermin Rodriguez shouldered the bulk of the runs, but an 11-yard run by Eliseo Ortiz moved Del Rio to the United 34-yard line. On second down from the United 16, Ortiz took the snap and tried to pitch it to Zane Hughes, but the pitch was high and wide and Hughes was never able to get control of the ball. United scooped it up and returned it to their own 41-yard line to get back in business.
On the very next play, however, United quarterback Atzel Chavez tried for another big pass, but Del Rio’s Alan Dobbins snatched the ball out of the air and gave the Rams the ball back at their own 16-yard line.
But it was United’s defense that would strike again as Rolando San Miguel intercept Ortiz and returned it for a touchdown to help United’s lead climb to 21-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, Alan Dobbins was able to catch the ball on the fly, utilize his blockers and use his speed to outrun United to the end zone for Del Rio’s first score of the game. Rodrigo Tamez added the extra point to cut the lead to 21-7.
United found its way back to the end zone on its next possession as Chavez capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown run. The big play of the drive was a 43-yard pass that got the Longhorns to the Del Rio six-yard line. The score was now 28-7 early in the second quarter.
The Longhorns caught a break on their next drive. A sack by Del Rio’s Moses Fernandez forced a United punt, but the ball struck a Rams blocker down field and United recovered to give them the ball at the Rams’ 44. United was able to work the ball down to the one-yard where a pair of quarterback sneaks resulted in Chavez scoring on a one-yard push to put the Longhorns up 35-7 with 11 seconds left in the first half.
The second half presented its own problems for the Rams. While the Rams were able to find the end zone on a three-yard run by Rodriguez, capping Del Rio’s first possession of the second half, Del Rio would lose starting quarterback Ortiz to injury, opening the door for sophomore Jayden Mendoza.
Mendoza’s first possession ended with a fumble that United recovered. Three plays later, Chavez hit on a 29-yard touchdown pass to help increase United’s lead to 42-14. The fumble was two the Rams would lose in the second half.
The second fumble resulted in United hitting on a 31 yard field goal try to increase the Longhorns’ lead to 45-14.
The Rams went back to Rodriguez on their next possession as he carried the ball seven times on the ensuing drive. Mendoza got the chance to showcase his scrambling and running but the drive eventually stalled at the United 12. Tamez came on to try a 29-yard field goal, but his kick sailed wide and left the score 45-14 in favor of United.
The miss would be the Rams’ final attempt to score as United kneeled to run out the clock and remain undefeated in district play.
Del Rio returns to action Friday, Oct. 27, when the Rams host the Laredo Alexander Bulldogs for homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Walter Levermann Ram Stadium.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
