Cougars caged

By Manuel Azocar III - Sports Writer/Managing Editor | September 1, 2022

2022 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Pearsall rolls from the start, routs San Antonio West Campus 42-6.

PEARSALL runner Elijah Luna turns the corner and heads upfield for several yards during the Mavs’ tri-scrimmage recently. The Mavs scrimmaged Freer last Thursday and open their regular season this week against the West Campus Cougars. (CURRENT photo: Manuel Azocar III)

In a complete turnaround from a season ago, Pearsall was 11 points shy of eclipsing its 2021 point total in a 42-6 rout of San Antonio South San West Campus in the football season opener last Friday at Mack Laxson Field.
The Mavericks tallied 53 total points scored in an 0-10 2021 season. The team was halfway there in the first half against the Cougars as the team raced to a 29-0 lead.
“Our goal is to get better every week on the field,” New PHS Head Football Coach Ruben DeLeon said of the victory. “In the second half we got to see other players we wanted to take a look at and it showed it was their first Friday night game.”
Although pleased with the effort on the field, DeLeon was far from satisfied with the total effort against a squad that was playing its first varsity football game since 2007.
“I feel like the boys eased up as the game went on,” he said. “It’s something we addressed with them about not letting up until the game ends.
“I liked how we played early in the ball game with intensity and focus on both sides of the ball. I was not thrilled with the amount of penalties we had. On a defensive drive we gave them 50 free yards off of penalties, we can not afford to do that against a good ball club, it will come back and haunt us later on down the road.”
Despite a 42-point effort, DeLeon also felt the offense became sloppy in the later portion of the ballgame.
“Offensively, I felt like we got sloppy in the fourth quarter,” he said. “Lack of focus and execution as a unit, something we will fix this week in practice. Even though the game was well in hand we have several issues we need to clean up before next week’s game.”
Joey Ramirez led the offensive effort for Pearsall. The senior back rushed for 119 yards on only seven carries and scored three touchdowns.
Pearsall’s quick start was slowed by a pair of lightning delays in the first quarter but didn’t stop the Mavericks from putting up 29 first half points.
Following a West Campus fumble on their first play of the game, Pearsall needed only three plays to crack the endzone. Kingston Martinez capped the three-play drive as he went in from 19 yards out with 8:19 to play as the Mavs went up 6-0.
The teams played seven minutes of actual gametime over an hour due to the delays. Ramirez broke off a 46-yard touchdown run following the second lightning delay as the Mavs were rolling. Pearsall went for two points and converted for a 14-0 lead with 4:44 left in the first.
Ramirez then went in from five yards out to open the second and the Pearsall lead went to 21-0. Ramirez would secure his third rushing score of the half following a Charlie Martinez Jr. interception as he broke off a 36-yard run.
With the game well in hand, Pearsall added a 26-yard strike from Matt Hughes to Elijah Luna in the third and a six-yard touchdown run by Martinez.
The Cougars’ only score of the night came after an onsides kick to open the second half. A long pass play put the team in scoring position and a fourth down scramble led to the team’s only touchdown.
Pearsall rolled up 304 yards of offense and 11 first downs as the offense was able to march up and down the field for most of the night. Martinez finished with 41 yards on five carries and two scores. Luna had 80 total yards of offense and a score and also had another touchdown called back on a penalty. Hughes finished four of five passing for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Gabriel Gutierrez led the unit with seven total tackles, a forced fumble and a sack.
Pearsall will take a step up in competition this week as they host the San Antonio Cole Cougars Friday night. Cole lost a 38-12 decision to Holy Cross in their opener last week and finished 5-5 a year ago but annually has talent scattered throughout its roster. Game time is set for 7 p.m.