By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Del Rio sophomore Casimiro Cardenas threw the Rams’ first passing touchdown of the season Friday night.
Minutes later, he became the third Del Rio quarterback this season to be unable to finish a game he started.
Cardenas, who started in place of injured starter Jayden Mendoza and injured backup Ivan Ramirez, injured himself midway through the first quarter when he was tackled awkwardly during a scramble. He was able to make it to the sidelines under his own power, but he would not return to the game.
Senior Zane Hughes, who has already played running back, kick returner and punt returner this season, assumed quarterbacking duties and did his best to hold his own in the 34-14 loss to the Laredo United South Panthers. The loss drops the Rams to 2-6 on the season and 1-3 in district as they head into their bye week.
While no public announcement has been made yet by the Rams coaching staff, Mendoza’s father posted on social media that Del Rio’s “QB1” would return for the team’s homecoming game Nov. 1 against Medina Valley.
Del Rio was the first team on the score board in the first quarter. After being forced to punt, Laredo’s returner muffed the ball and the Rams’ Ignacio Palacios recovered it at the South 22-yard line. On third down, Cardenas took the snap and lofted a pass into the right corner of the end zone where Hassem Mussi outleapt his defender and came down with the ball for Del Rio’s first passing touchdown of the season. Rodrigo Tamez’s kick made it 7-0, Del Rio.
United South quickly answered when Rolando Gonzalez found Jonathan Tello for a 39-yard touchdown to help tie the game at 7-7.
Cardenas’ injury occurred on the next drive. Adding insult to injury, he fumbled and South recovered at the Rams’ 21-yard line. On fourth and goal from the Del Rio 2, Gonzalez threw a quick strike to Tello for his second score of the game and a 14-7 Panthers lead.
After forcing another Del Rio punt, South’s special teams failed again when a collision between South players forced another Panthers fumble. Del Rio recovered deep in United South’s side of the field and gave new quarterback Hughes and the offense a chance to tie the game.
Del Rio failed to gain a yard on the ensuing drive, hampered by a holding penalty and nine yards in lost yardage. Tamez was sent out to try a 52-yard field goal, but his kick came up short.
South kept the ball on the ground for most of its next drive. David Gonzalez opened the drive with four straight carries as South rushed it five straight times before a Rolando Gonzalez fumble and the ensuing sack by Del Rio’s Logan Henderson and David Rodriguez forced into a second and 20 situation. But the Panthers took aim at the end zone again with the Gonzalez/Tello connection finding success for a third time and a 21-7 lead.
Del Rio’s ensuing drive was aided by a roughing the passer penalty that moved the Rams to the Panthers’ 41. Hughes then took the snap, drifted towards the right and turned upfield, weaving and powering his way through defenders. Forty-one yards later Hughes was in the end zone and Tamez’s kick made it 21-14 with just under two minutes left to play in the first half.
South made the most of that time as Gonzalez threw his fourth touchdown pass of the first half, this time to Wilian Reyes, that made the score 28-14 at halftime.
The second half was low on scoring but high on turnovers.
Del Rio’s secondary ended United South’s first two drives of the half with interceptions. The first one came at the hands of Daniel Perez and the second was a poorly thrown ball that was grabbed out of the air by Jacob Ortiz. Del Rio committed one turnover when the Rams lost a fumble in the fourth quarter.
The only points of the second half came on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Gonzalez to Tello on the drive that followed Del Rio’s fumble. The Rams would block the point after try, leaving the score at 34-14 which turned out to be the final.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
