Making contact

By Manuel Azocar III - Sports Writer/Managing Editor | August 18, 2022

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Local football teams hit the fields for first live contact action of the 2022 season.

PEARSALL defensive end David “Bear” Rendon delivers a crushing hit to a Crystal City runner during a tri-scrimmage on Thursday, August 11 at Mack Laxson Field with Dilley and the Javelinas. (CURRENT photo: Manuel Azocar III)

High school coaches across the state had the opportunity to see their teams in live action for the first time this year as team’s participated in their first scrimmages.
Pearsall hosted a tri-scrimmage with Dilley and Crystal City on Thursday, August 11 while Cotulla hosted La Pryor on August 5.
“Overall I felt like it was a good scrimmage for us,” PHS Head Football Coach Ruben DeLeon said. “We saw some good things and we saw some bad things that need correcting.
“It was a good start to the season, I really liked how the defense flew around on the field and played fast, it shows they are confident in what they are doing on that side of the ball.”
DeLeon said he was pleased with his offensive execution but said a lack of focus early on led to a slow start.
“Offensively, we worked on everything we wanted to see from that standpoint and know what we need to fix this week going into our next scrimmage,” he said. “I was not happy with the lack of focus at the start of the scrimmage from the offensive side of the ball.
“We corrected that when we came off of the field and it showed moving forward into the next set of plays we had.”
DHS Athletic Director and Head Football Coach David Silva was pleased with his team’s effort but said injuries were an unfortunate result.
“It went well,” he said. “Our conditioning was fine, we still gotta get in game shape, but, that’ll come.
“Offensively, we need to throw the ball more and we need to get better at pass blocking. Our offensive line did well on run schemes.”
He said injuries forced some backups in starting roles and that those players need to step up and perform.
“Defensively, our backups gotta step it up,” he said. “We had a couple of injuries that hurt us, our starting linebacker will be out a couple of weeks and a starting offensive lineman will be out indefinitely.
“We’ve got to get out of the Carrizo Springs scrimmage with no injuries.”
Cotulla AD and Head Football Coach Marcus Booker was pleased with his squad effort but also lamented the injuries his team suffered during its outing on Friday.
“I thought the scrimmage went well for us,” Booker said. “We blocked extremely well, way ahead of last year, and our backs ran extremely hard but need to improve in the passing game, but we will get better.
“I thought defensively, we ran to the ball very well and I thought we tackled better and we still need to work on conditioning, but a very good start.
“We didn’t get out of it injury free, unfortunately, our center broke his leg and is probably gone for the year,” Booker noted. “Our quarterback also sprained his ankle but other than that we are in pretty good shape, pretty healthy and I’m very happy how we ran to the ball.”
On the heels of the season opener on August 25, the coach said his goal is to finish this week’s scrimmage against Charlotte with no additional injuries.
“We just need to get through second scrimmage with no injuries, hopefully,” he said.
Pearsall will be on the road this week as they head to Freer on Thursday, August 18. Dilley will likewise be at Carrizo Springs Thursday evening as well. Cotulla will host Charlotte on Thursday at Meyers Memorial Stadium.

COTULLA running back Jesse Sanchez fights off a La Pryor defender, breaking the tackle en route to a 30-yard touchdown during a scrimmage on Thursday, August 11.
(CURRENT photo: Manuel Azocar III)

DILLEY defenders converge on a Crystal City ballcarrier during a tri-scrimmage in Pearsall last Thursday, August 11. (CURRENT photo: Manuel Azocar III)

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