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Not Sweetwater. Not San Angelo. And the Panthers did it with their best
runner on the sidelines.
That's the bad news for the Pecos Eagles' defense, which has spent a lot
of time on the field the past month, due to their problems on offense.
However, the good news for the Eagles is the Panthers have been giving
up a lot of yards in recent weeks as well, and it will be up to Pecos'
offense to continue that trend Friday night, when they host Fort
Stockton at 7:30 p.m. to close out the 1996 season.
Fort Stockton will be trying to beat Pecos for the first time since a
14-0 win here in 1988 - also the last year they didn't have a losing
record - while escaping the district cellar for the first time since
1991. The Panthers are 1-3 in district, 4-5 on the season after last
week's 43-27 loss to Andrews, which all but eliminated them from the
4-4A playoff race.
Playing without Jacob Vasquez, who ran for over 1,200 yards before
breaking his collarbone two weeks ago, Fort Stockton got both Danny Diaz
and Eric Dominguez over the 100 yard mark in rushing last week.
Quarterback Ector Lopez threw for another 121 yards and three
touchdowns, as the Panthers wiped out an earl 12-0 deficit and took a
20-12 lead before being worn down in the second half.
"Fort Stockton has moved the ball good against everybody," said Eagles'
coach Mike Belew. "We've looked at the Sweetwater, Big Spring and
Andrews films, and they did a good job against all of them."
"It's something I knew we could do," said Panthers' coach Philip Lopez.
"It's tough when you lose your top rusher, but we had some guys step in
and do a good job, and Ector threw the ball well."
Dominguez took Vasquez' place and gained 124 yards on 28 carries, while
Diaz added 107 and had a touchdown as well. "He (Dominugez) has had a
few carries. We knew he had good breakaway speed, we just never had used
him at fullback before, since he's a starter on defense (at
cornerback)," Lopez said.
"I talked with coach Lopez, and he said you always miss a back like
Vasquez, but he said they didn't drop off a whole lot."
Dominguez' insertion into the starting lineup on offense raised the
number of seniors there to eight, most of whom are returnees from a year
ago. "They've got three main plays they run," Belew said. "They have the
trap/sweep series of plays and they also run what we call the `G' play.
They execute all of them real well, and the offensive line does a good
job blocking."
Lopez has thrown for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, while also
tossing nine interceptions. Over 200 of that has gone to Diaz, who has
three receiving TDs, while Bryan Parker has been the Panthers' top pass
catching threat at wide receiver.
"When they've thrown the ball, they've thrown it effectively," said
Belew. "We're going to have to play well to beat these guys."
The Eagles come in with an 0-4 mark, 3-6 on the season, off last week's
32-14 loss at San Angelo Lake View. The Eagles' defense held Lake View
without a touchdown until late in the first half, and stopped San Angelo
three times inside the Pecos 1 during the opening period, but the
offense surrendered nine points in the first quarter and never got going
until the fourth quarter.
"It's awful frustrating not to be able to move the ball. Last week we
got a 65-yard, 11 play drive in the fourth quarter, and we moved the
ball well after that, but we haven't been able to sustain it, and we've
kept our defense on the field much too long."
Pecos has been inside their opponents' 20-yard-line only three times in
district play, and just 15 times during the entire season. However, once
there, they've been almost automatic, scoring 13 touchdowns for an 87
percent success rate.
"We have to overcome ourselves more than anything else. We'll be moving
the ball, and then we'll jump offsides or miss a blocking assignment and
be stopped," Belew said.
By staying close to Andrews, Fort Stockton kept Shaud Williams busy last
week, and the Andrews' sophomore made the news statewide, rushing for
438 yards. Sweetwater's Jason Blueford and Lake View's Adam Binnix also
had big nights on the Panthers' home field, where Fort Stockton has gone
winless in 4-4A play for the past six seasons.
The Panthers have allowed over 500 yards on defense in each of their
last two home games, while things have gone far better on the road. The
Panthers came out of Monahans last season and Big Spring two weeks ago
with 21-20 wins, while scoring big victories at Lamesa and Crane in
pre-district play.
Lopez said injuries to linebackers Layton Woody and Scott Fish, along
with Dominguez' double-duty, didn't help matters against Andrews. "It
was the first time we've asked him to play both ways. Hopefully that
will help him be in better shape Friday."
The Panthers' coach said Fish "tore his hamstring against Lake View and
he's just now getting back into it. with Woody, we thought he broke his
toe against Lake View, but he was diagnosed with turf toe. I think it
would have made a tremendous difference (against Andrews) if they were
healthy."
Unlike the offense, most of Fort Stockton's defenders are underclassmen,
including their linebackers. "The majority started last year and took
their lumps as sophomores," Lopez said, though a senior, Julio Leyva,
anchors the defensive line.
"I think if we can overcome our mistakes we can deal with their defense,
but we have to be able to throw the ball better than we did against Lake
View," Belew said. The Eagles had no completions and two interceptions
in the first three quarters of last week's game, and were picked off
twice inside Sweetwater's 20-yard-line the previous Friday.
"They've been able to cover our wide-outs man-on-man, which has freed up
their other defensive backs to stop the run," Belew said of the Mustangs
and Chiefs, who'll play for the 4-4A title on Friday. "Jay (Jason Abila)
throws the ball well, Nufie (Flores) made a couple of good catches last
week, and Moses (Martinez) has caught some big passes. We just need to
do a better job of getting them open."
While trying to equal their combined win total of the past two seasons
(minus last season's forfeit victory) on Friday, the Eagles will also be
seeking to avoid their first winless district mark since 1957. They also
want to successfully inaugurate the new scoreboard at Eagle Stadium,
which went up on Wednesday and will get its first varsity test tomorrow
night.
"I feel excited about this game. I feel like the kids are mentally
prepared for these guys, and I feel like we have a good shot at beating
them."
PECOS, Nov. 7 -- The Balmorhea Bears and Buena Vista Longhorns have
closed regular season six man football play against each other for most
of the 1990s.
Back when it started, the Bears and Longhorns were usually playing to
get out of the District 8-A six man cellar, but for the past two years,
the game has had real meaning.
Two years ago, the Bears clinched both a playoff spot and the district
title with a homefield win over the Longhorns, that also ended Buena
Vista's playoff hopes.
When they met last year in Imperial, both teams had already earned
playoff berths, but the Longhorns captured the district title with a
28-14 win over the Bears.
This time, when the teams meet Friday night to wrap up the regular
season schedule in Balmorhea, not much is at stake as far as the
standings go. The Bears clinched the second place district playoff berth
while idle a week ago, thanks to Dell City's win over Buena Vista that
ended the Longhorns' post-season hopes.
But Balmorhea would like to go into the playoffs with a four game
winning streak and go undefeated at home for the third year in a row,
when they host Buena Vista in a 7:30 p.m. start.
"We've got to win this one to go into the playoffs with a winning
attitude," Bears' coach Michael Barrandey said. Balmorhea comes off a
65-44 win at Sanderson two weeks ago, which raised the Bears' record to
4-1 in district and 7-1 on the season.
Buena Vista's 48-20 loss at Dell City dropped them to 2-3 in 8-A six
man play, and 3-5 overall. But Barrandey said, "You've still got to take
them seriously, or else they can beat you."
The Longhorns earlier lost by just two points to Grandfalls, which beat
Balmorhea by 13 in early October. "They run primarily a tight
(formation) game with play action passes," said the Bears' coach, who
added his team has used the off week to heal up some injuries.
"We're in pretty good shape. We've been working hard in practice and
going over the scouting reports," he said. "We're just going to run our
tight game and our spread game like we always do."
Last week's bye date will substitute for the bye date District 8-A six
man teams have gotten the past several years in the opening round of the
playoffs. "Some of the teams up in the Panhandle objected to us getting
it all the time, so they (the UIL) are going to rotate it from now on,"
Barrandey said.
The Bears will opening the playoffs against either Grady or Sands,
depending on the results of Friday night's games. "I should know
something by Saturday. Wherever we play, it won't be too far away,
Barrandey said.
PECOS, Nov. 7 -- He may not be travelling the furthest distance, but
Balmorhea Bears' runner Manuel Mendoza will certainly be among the last
competitors to arrive in Round Rock on Saturday, for the UIL state cross
country finals.
Mendoza qualified a week ago in Lubbock for this week's Class A finals
race, finishing seventh in the Region I-A field. "For a freshman, he did
real well," said Bears' football coach Michael Barrandey, who'll still
have Mendoza on the sidelines Friday night, when Balmorhea closes out
regular season play against Buena Vista.
The Bears and Longhorns will kick off at 7:30 p.m., and figure to go the
distance tonight, unlike some earlier home games that ended by 8:30
under the 45-point rule.
Once the game is over, Mendoza and track coach Adolfo Garcia will have
to head off to Round Rock, site of this year's state finals.
"They'll probably leave right after the game," Barrandey said, and will
face a 400-mile drive to Old Settler's Park in Round Rock for the late
morning competition.
Runners from Van Horn in Class 2A and Kermit in Class 3A also qualified
for the state meet, while in Pecos' district, Big Spring's Jason
Sanderson and the entire San Angelo Lake View team will run at Round
Rock. The Eagles' lone regional qualifier, Mauricio Villescas, failed to
earn an individual berth at last Saturday's I-4A Regional in Lubbock.
PECOS, Nov. 7 -- Pecos Aquatic Club named its October Swimmers of the
Month at the group swimmers' Halloween party on Oct. 29.
The party was held three days after many of the team members competed
in a Halloween `C' meet at the City of Midland swimming pool.
Each month, the club will honor a swimmer in the category of
"experienced" and another among "new" swimmers based on attendance,
attitude, and effort as well as performance at meets.
There was a tie this month in each category: Catherine and Jessica
Minjarez were named new swimmers of the month, and Michelle and Sara
Wein were outstanding "experienced" swimmers.
Winners received a ribbon, a certificate, and an ice cream token
donated by Eddy Street Dairy Queen.
All age group swimmers were treated to a Halloween party Oct. 29 hosted
by their parents and their coaches, Colleen Coman and Russ Whitworth.
The group watched a video of their performance at a recent swim meet and
swam races and relays before enjoying refreshments.
Among those swimming in Midland, 13-year-olds Sarah Flores and Grant
Holland scored first place finishes. Flores won first in the 100 yard
freestyle, 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke, and was second in the 50
free and 100 backstroke. Holland competed in those same five races on
the boys' side, winning all of them.
Other finishers for the meet, held on Oct. 26, are listed below, with
their age group, event, and placing:
Regan Durham - 10 and under 50 fly 10th; 50 free 6th; 50 back 17th; 50
breaststroke 6th.
Matt Elliott - 8 and under 25 free 7th; 25 back 7th; 50 free 3rd.
Bethany Evans - open 100 free 16th; 10 and under 25 fly 5th; 50 free
5th; 50 back 5th; 50 breast 14th.
Amanda Fleming - Open 100 free 30th; 11 and over 50 free 27th; 50 back
25th; 50 breast 18th.
Kelsey Flores - Open 100 free 27th; 10 and under 25 fly 10th; 50 free
16th; 50 back 20th; 50 breast 16th.
Samantha Flores - 8 and under 25 free 16th; 25 back 17th.
Adrianna Gonzales - 8 and under 25 free 15th; 25 back 6th; 10 and under
25 back 6th.
Lindsay Joplin - Open 100 free 15th; 11 and over 50 fly 5th; 50 free
12th; 50 back 13th; 50 breast 6th.
Meagan Joplin - Open 100 free 24th; 11 and over 50 free 24th; 50 back
23rd; 50 breast 14th.
Betsy Lujan - 10 and under 50 free 4th; 25 back 3rd; 25 breast 1st.
Patrick McChesney - Open 100 free 5th; 11 and over 50 fly 4th; 50 free
9th; 50 back 9th; 50 breast 5th.
Rebecca McChesney - Open 100 free 25th; 11 and over 50 free 23rd; 50
back 17th; 50 breast 20th.
Ashley Mendoza - Open 100 free 20th; 10 and under 25 fly 3rd; 50 free
8th; 50 back 19th; 50 breast 19th.
Catherine Minjarez - 10 and under 50 free 22nd; 25 back 7th.
Jessica Minjarez - 10 and under 50 free 25th; 25 back 8th; 25 free 9th.
Tabitha Montanez - 11 and over 50 back 19th; 50 free 17th.
Daniel Quintana - Open 100 free 11th; 11 and over 50 fly 6th; 50 free
11th; 50 back 10th; 50 breast 8th.
Roger Quintana - 8 and under 25 free 8th; 25 back 9th.
Kelli Rankin - Open 100 free 29th; 10 and under 25 fly 8th; 50 free
20th; 50 back 21st; 50 breast 8th.
Teddie Salcido - Open 100 free 14th; 10 and under 25 fly 6th; 50 free
7th; 50 back 2nd; 50 breast 11th.
Lauren Wein - Open 100 free 13th; 11 and over 50 fly 6th; 50 free 10th;
50 back 5th; 50 breast 19th.
Michelle Wein - 8 and under 50 free 5th; 25 fly 2nd; 25 back 7th; 25
breast 2nd; 25 free 3rd.
Sara Wein - Open 100 free 22nd; 10 and under 25 fly 7th; 50 free 14th;
50 back 13th; 50 breast 4th.
Pecos 11 and over 200 free relay - 5th
Pecos 10 and under 100 free - 3rd & 5th
Pecos 8 and under 100 free - 4th.
PECOS, Nov. 7 -- After going undefeated on a limited schedule last week,
the Pecos Eagles' sub-varsity football teams will all be in action
tonight, trying to end their 1996 seasons with wins over the Fort
Stockton Panthers.
Pecos' seventh grade, freshman and junior varsity teams are all
scheduled to play at home tonight, while the eighth graders close their
season at Fort Stockton. The junior high gold and purple games are set
for 4 and 5:30 p.m. kickoffs, while the ninth graders will also start at
5:30 and the JV at 7:30 p.m.
The Eagles and Panthers usually play twice a year, but have only met so
far this season in junior high gold team games. Crockett's gold team
tied Fort Stockton, 0-0, in Pecos, while Zavala's squad scored a 20-0
win on the Panthers' field last month. Both were idle last week, with
Crockett coming in with a 2-2-1 record while Zavala is 1-4 so far.
Zavala's purple team will be trying to finish its season above .500 with
a victory. They were also idle last week after a 28-0 win at Monahans
that put them at 2-2 for the year. Crockett's purple team, meanwhile,
raised their record to 2-4 with a 30-16 victory in Alpine last Thursday.
Pecos' freshmen assured themselves of a winning record a week ago, with
a 30-8 win over Van Horn's junior varsity. It gave the ninth graders a
5-3 mark for the year. The JV, meanwhile, bounced back from narrow
losses at Andrews and Monahans to defeat Alpine, 21-6, raising their
record to 7-2 on the year.
State and Regional Sports Pages--San Angelo Standard-Times
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