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PAINT ROCK - Last week started with an open date for the Grandfalls-Royalty Cowboys.
But Coach Dwayne Lee had heard about this undefeated, unscored on team from out there in South Central Texas somewhere.
He and the Buckholts coach cut a deal to meet on neutral territory for a showdown between early season undefeated six-man football squads at Paint Rock 30 miles out of San Angelo.
It started at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19.
When it was over, Buckholts no longer was undefeated and unscored upon.
Grandfalls just keeps on rolling. It was their fourth victory in a legendary season that seems to be following on the 1996 glories where the Cowboys won their district championship and went deep into the playoffs.
This week, the Cowboys ride on Saturday, Sept. 27, in Midland where they face Midland Trinity at 3 p.m.
Against Buckholts, Grandfalls did a lot of running against a team absolutely no one had been able to run against. This team had won three games and was considered the best in its area against the run..
Remember, six-man football is played on an 80-yard gridiron rather than the 100-yard field 11-man is played on.
With that in mind it is hard to ponder how the Cowboys Roy Vasquez could rack up 171 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries; And how Alfonso Marquez was able to collect 127 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries; And how Danny Santiago could possibly round up 118 yards on eight carries all against a team that had yet to give up a touchdown this season. On defense Jimmy Ramirez lead the way with 20 tackles in the game. Grandfalls' running game averaged 13 yards a carry.
"We played well against Buckholts," said Head Coach Dwayne Lee. "They were a very will rounded team with a lot of speed."
Playing two undefeated teams in consecutive weeks is not recommended.
The Fort Stockton Panthers are not a team coaches willingly pick for a homecoming game. This team is undefeated in three games. It is scoring an average of 30 points in the first half of each game it has played in 1997. This is no toothless Panther, despite the pre-season pick to finish fifth in their six team league. Panther '97 is off to its best start in a decade.
Coach Larry Hanna believes his 2-1 Lobo Pack is ready. The Lobo popped the previously undefeated Eagle from Pecos last week. This week they meet a snarling Panther in Monahans for the Mean Green Homecoming at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night, Sept. 26.
The Big Green is improving week to week since that opening loss to Big Spring on the road. The improvement is coming from every Lobo, and the Green defenders are beginning to understand Hanna's version of the 43 defense. It's visible in the way the Lobo swarms to the ball and the way it hits.
Says Hanna: "We've made a lot of improvement overall. We're playing a much better brand of team defense.
"A lot of kids are in on tackles. We're not giving up the big plays. We're defending the pass real well. that part of our game. You have great defense that comes together and you can do it."
The coach likes the Lobo kicking game: "Brandon Stephens is punting the ball very well. We've had coverage on kickoffs and punts. The extra point portion of our game (the Pecos victory) came around better than it has been."
His offense: "We've driven the ball very, very well. Our throwing game is going to be better. We want to throw when we want to instead of when we have to."
Hanna's thoughts on the Homecoming opponent Friday:"Fort Stockton is a much improved team over last year. I think this is the year they've been looking for."
Wing-T - They like to run and that includes quarterback Steven Cordero. Good offensive line. Tackle Aaron Hernandez is 6-4, 265. James Matcett is the best pass receiver with five catches. They don't pass much.
Basic Defense
Multiple sets working essentially with four down linemen and three backers. Corner's are defensive ends. All multiples of the Panther defense seem designed to stop the run immediately. If they can't do that, they can be burned. But so far, they're doing it which is good because the secondary is (let's be kind) weak. The Panthers have excellent defensive tackles. Run right at them. They like to slide and hit which is hard with the play in front of them.
Warning
This football team is undefeated. It is undefeated because it is a good team. Running back Jacob Vasquez leads District 4-4A runners with 585 yards rushing, averaging 12.3 yards a carry with 22 touchdowns. In three games, he has six touchdown runs of 40 or more yards. Tailback Scott Fish has 197 yards for the year, 105 yards and three touchdowns last week. In the first half of each game this season, the Panthers average 30 points.
1997 Record
3-0 (best Panther start since 1987)
Last Week
Fort Stockton 48, Lamesa 12 (It was Fort Stockton's homecoming)
1996 Record
4-6
Prognosis
Fifth in six-team District 4-4A ahead of Pecos and behind Sweetwater, Andrews, Lake View and Big Spring..
Coach
Phil Lopez, second year at Fort Stockton.
If you waited til the kickoff to head down to the concession stand for your peanuts and Cracker Jacks at Friday night's, Sept. 19, game you came back to a score board which read 14-zip with 5:24 left to play in the first quarter.
The Loboes were all over the Pecos Eagles, bringing the Pecos dream of an undefeated season to a nightmarish 27-13 halt.
"We are really proud of how far we have come on defense," said Head Coach Larry Hanna. "We killed drives and momentum."
Monahans capitalized on a turnover and momentum to jump out to a quick 14-point lead.
"It was important to get a good start in an emotional game like this," said Hanna, "big breaks made a big difference in the game.
"They made some great plays like the fumble recovery in the second half. We gave them the momentum and that was scary. They missed the PAT which helped us get some of the momentum back."
The Loboes overcame the turnover to rally back and win the game 27-13 against a very tough Eagle team.
"This is probably the best Pecos team they have had in a long time. Coach (Mike) Belew has them playing that Mojo Mentality football. They never gave up, said CoachHanna
The Loboes, now 2-1, will face the Ft. Stockton Panthers this week for Homecoming.
The Eagles first possession led to a blocked punt recovered by junior defensive end Ruben Sanchez. Mark Thompson capitalized on the turnover with a one yard touchdown run followed by Joel Najar's kick.
Pecos found themselves in the same situation they faced on their previous drive. After a three-and- out and facing fourth down three times due to penalties and a short punt the Loboes were once again in striking distance of the end zone.
On the first play of the drive running back Robin Hanna found a 26-yard hole made by the devastating offensive line. Six yards later, quarterback Brandon Stephens fell into the end zone with a one yard run. After the Najar kick the Loboes were on top 14-0 with 5:24 left in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter the Loboes lost a critical fumble on their own 46-yard line with 10:06 remaining in the half.
Pecos took advantage of the field possession to put together an 11-play drive capped off by a Richard Gutierrez four-yard run for a touchdown. After the extra point the Eagles cut the Lobo lead in half 14-7.
Monahans received the ball to began the second half. However, on the second play of the Monahans drive the Loboes had another fumble which was recovered by Pecos on the Monahans 13-yard line.
Pecos used a little razzle-dazzle to get into the end zone with a pitch pass from Gutierrez to Moses Martinez to move the Eagles within one point of the Big Green. A bad snap led to a failed extra point attempt, preserving the Monahans 14-13 lead with 9:13 left in the third quarter.
The Loboes rose to the occasion after a 42-yard kickoff return run by senior Nathan Swarb and a muffed punt which was recovered by sophomore Roy Porras to give the Green the ball on the Pecos 10-yard line.
Stephens rumbled in for a 5-yard touchdown to let some air out of the Eagles' bubble and extend the Lobo lead to 21-13.
Monahans foiled any chances for a Pecos comeback in the fourth quarter with an interception by Stephens killing the last Eagle drive.
Monahans headed down the field, eating up the clock and the Eagle defense on their way another touchdown. Senior Lucas Jaquez frigate-trained it in for the last touchdown of the game upping the score to 27-13. Pecos' last possession had one long run which was called back on a clipping penalty, giving the Loboes the ball and win over the Pecos Eagles 27-13.
Copyright 1997 by Ward Newspapers, Inc.
Steve Patterson, Publisher
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