By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Del Rio’s playoff appearance streak is done.
Behind five first half touchdown passes from quarterback Andres Garcia Villarreal, the Eagle Pass Eagles put an end to the Del Rio Rams playoff hopes with a 48-14 defeat Thursday night at Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass.
The Rams finish the season 2-8 and 1-4 in district play. It’s the first time the Rams have missed the playoffs since the 2019 season, but it’s the seventh consecutive season the Rams failed to post a winning record.
The Eagles scored on five of their six possessions in the first half.
Villarreal helped get the scoring started on the Eagles’ first possession of the game when he found wide receiver Sebastian Diaz all alone down the middle of the field for a 60-yard touchdown pass. Lazaro Frausto’s extra point was blocked and left the Eagles with a 6-0 advantage.
The Eagles punted on their second possession, but that would be the only time Del Rio’s longest-standing rivals wouldn’t find the end zone in the first half.
On the Eagles’ third series, Villarreal hit Sebastian Velasquez for a 17-yard scoring strike. The point after was good and the lead was 13-0.
Del Rio scored on its next possession. After a pair of short runs, and a delay of game penalty against the Rams, quarterback Eliseo Ortiz hit Ethan Vasquez with a short pass on the left side of the field. Vasquez picked up some blocks then powered through a pair of would-be arm tackles before using his speed to go 65 yards for the score. Rodrigo Tamez added the extra point and the Rams cut the Eagles’ lead to 13-7 in the second quarter.
It took two plays for the Eagles to answer.
A 22-yard pass from Villarreal to Wilfredo Frausto moved the Eagles into Rams territory. On the next play, Villarreal aired one out to Jose Hernandez who got behind the defense and scored on a 47-yard catch and run for a 20-7 lead.
The Eagles capped their next drive with a 10-yard pass from Villarreal to Wilfredo Frausto to help stake Eagle Pass to a 27-7 lead.
Eagle Pass’ final drive of the first half began at the Eagles’ own 20-yard line but quickly moved down the field in a race against the game clock. Emilio Mendoza had a 20-yard run to get the Eagles out to midfield. Villarreal later called his own number and raced down the sideline for 34 yards to set the Eagles up inside the Rams’ 15-yard line. Three plays later, Villarreal tossed his fifth touchdown of the first half, this one four-yard strike to the back of the end zone to Diaz that made the score 34-7 in favor of the Eagles at halftime.
Offensively, Del Rio had several big plays, but the Rams weren’t able to piece enough of those big plays together to keep pace with the Eagles. Brian Natividad had a 14-yard run early and contributed a huge block that helped spring Ortiz for 12-yard gain on the same drive, but a fumbled pitch that was recovered by the Rams’ Antonio Rivera derailed that drive.
Ortiz also connected with Hector Rodriguez for a 23-yard catch and run in the second quarter, but the Rams could muster only two more yards before being forced to punt.
Villarreal kept the Eagles offense rolling in the second half.
On Eagle Pass’ first possession in the third quarter, a 38-yard pass to Diaz and two 11-yard passes to Diaz and Wilfredo Frausto set up the Eagles inside the Rams’ 10-yard line. On third and goal, Villarreal hit Velasquez for a five-yard touchdown pass to help push the lead to 41-7.
Even when Del Rio had things go right, trouble seemed to be close behind. Vasquez’s kickoff return set up Del Rio at their own 48-yard line, but after a short run Natividad had trouble with the pitch and had to fall on the ball for a three-yard loss. The Rams would eventually punt back to Eagle Pass who promptly returned the kick to its own 49-yard line.
On the first play from scrimmage, Villarreal took the snap and tossed a screen to Mendoza. The speedy back looked to be pinned in on the sideline, but he just turned on the jets and raced past a quarter of Rams defenders for a 51-yard touchdown and a 48-7 lead.
That play would be the final one of the evening for Villarreal as Eagle Pass gave most of its offensive starters the rest of the night off with about a quarter and a half left to play.
The two teams exchanged punts and then exchanged turnovers as third quarter drew to a close. Del Rio turned the ball over first as a bad exchange resulted in the ball popping loose and out of the pile before Walker Finleyson fell on the loose ball for the Eagles.
Eagle Pass didn’t hold the ball long as new quarterback Xavier Barrera saw the ball snapped over his head, chased it down and then tried to toss the ball downfield on the run only to see it picked off by Del Rio’s Jacob Ortiz at the 50-yard line.
The defensive stop helped spark the Rams as a 24-yard run by Natividad set up the Rams at the Eagles’ 24. Two plays later, Natividad had his number called again and he answered with a 20-yard touchdown run. Tamez hit the point after try and the Rams were down 48-14.
That score would be the final trip to the end zone for either team. Eagle Pass would punt on its next possession and the Rams would hand the ball off to Fermin Rodriguez four straight times for 29 yards before Jayden Mendoza carried the ball on the final play for eight yards as time expired.
—
Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
