By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
This was the game the Del Rio Rams needed.
The Rams (1-2) scored on each of their six first half possessions and rolled to a 58-6 win over the Laredo Martin Tigers (0-3) Thursday night at Shirley Field in Laredo.
Del Rio wound up scoring on all but two of its possessions as they controlled all three phases of the game – offense, defense and special teams.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Rams dating back to the end of last season. It also gives Del Rio a boost of momentum as the Rams head into their final non-district game next week against Southwest Legacy.
Del Rio stuck to its run game early on with Elian De La Paz and quarterback Zack Taylor able to get the Rams out to midfield, but after a penalty moved Del Rio back to the 50-yard line, Taylor hit Corbin Farrar near the sideline and the speedy wide receiver did the rest, zipping past the Martin defense for the touchdown. Julian Rivera’s point after try gave the Rams a 7-0 lead.
After holding the Tigers to negative-3 yards on Martin’s next drive, the Rams needed just two plays to return to the end zone as freshman Zane Hughes, who made his varsity debut last week against Odessa High, took a delayed handoff and raced 47 yards to the end zone. Rivera’s kick put the Rams up 14-0.
Despite losing the ball on a punt, the Rams were able to regroup and force a turnover on downs. Del Rio was able to move the ball down the field, boosted by a 31-yard pass from Taylor to Alan Dobbins, but the drive stalled when Taylor was sacked by Martin’s Alejandro Escalante that pushed the Rams back to the Tigers’ 19.
Rivera came on and nailed a 36-yard field goal to put Del Rio up 17-0 early in the second quarter.
Del Rio’s defense came up big again as Luis Lee blocked a Martin punt and recovered the ball at the Tigers’ seven-yard line. On Del Rio’s next offensive play, Taylor found Dobbins for a seven-yard touchdown pass. Rivera’s kick made it 24-0 in favor of the Rams.
Del Rio continued to find success with its passing game on its next drive. A 19-yard pass to Farrar kept the drive alive and allowed Taylor to eventually reconnect with the junior pass catcher for a seven-yard scoring strike. Rivera’s kick sturkc the upright and left the Rams up, 30-0.
The Rams capped the first half of play with one more score as Taylor threw his fourth touchdown of the first half, this time on a 46-yard bomb to Dobbins as time expired in the half. Rivera’s kick sent the teams to the locker room with Del Rio ahead, 37-0.
On Del Rio’s final touchdown of the half came with a penalty as the Rams were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for spiking the ball. The penalty was assessed on the second half kickoff, but it didn’t slow the Rams down.
Dobbins caught the kickoff at his own five yard-line, picked up a couple of blocks and his speed did the rest, racing 95 yards for the touchdown. Rivera’s kick was on target again, and Del Rio’s lead grew to 44-0.
Del Rio forced another Martin punt and went right back to work on offense. It took three plays to return to the end zone as the Rams’ first team offense scored their seventh touchdown of the game when Taylor lofted a 26-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Vasquez. Rivera’s sixth successful point after try made the score 51-0 in favor of Del Rio.
For the remainder of the third quarter, and the rest of the game, Del Rio used its second team offensive and defensive units against the overmatched Tigers.
Martin found success against the Rams’ second units. The Tigers’ first drive after the Del Rio change netted Martin 46 yards but ended with a turnover on downs.
Martin got the ball back when Chris Dillard intercepted a De La Paz pass. That turnover led to Martin’s only score as quarterback Dominique Valadez spun his way past the Rams defenders and raced 39 yards for the touchdown. The failed point after try left Martin down 51-6.
But Del Rio had one more trip to the end zone to make. This time it was Hughes, who was back as a kick returner, who collected the ensuing kickoff and used his speed to zip through Martin’s pursuers and sprint 77 yards for the touchdown. Rivera’s kick made it a 58-6 game.
Martin nearly added another score to its tally, but twice the Tigers were denied at the Rams’ one-yard line. The first time it was Del Rio’s Andrew Villarreal who stopped Adam Moncada at the line of scrimmage. The second time, the Rams defense as a whole teamed up to keep Moncada out of the end zone.
Del Rio looked to run the ball out of the end zone to finish off the game, but when quarterback Adriel Perez fought for two yards, a Martin defender became agitated during the play, appeared to kick Perez while he was on the ground and then dragged him several yards by his leg before being restrained by his teammates.
The ensuing unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Martin gave the Rams a first down and sealed the Del Rio victory.
The Rams return to action Friday, Sept. 17, when Del Rio hosts Southwest Legacy at 7 p.m. at Walter Levermann Ram Stadium.
