Grinding it out: Wolves outlast Mustangs 21-14

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DILLEY FOOTBALL

Annual IH-35 rivalry contest has huge playoff implications this year for Dilley and Cotulla.

In one of three key outings crucial to its playoff positioning, Dilley held on for a much-needed 21-14 win over Nixon-Smiley last Friday at Gosch Field.
Juan Garcia had a pair of scores for the Wolves, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter.
Dilley sits in a four-way tie for the fourth and final playoff spot with Cotulla, Natalia and Nixon-Smiley.
“It was a big win for us Friday, the boys stepped it up in all phases of the game,” DHS AD and Head Football Coach David Silva said. “This week will be a game that needs no extra motivation from both teams. Last year, the game was for seeding, this year, it’s both of us trying to get in the playoffs and it should be a good ball game for the fans.”
With the top three seeds all but locked up as Poth sits at 5-0 and Stockdale is at 4-1 while Karnes City is a game ahead of fourth place at 3-2, the battle for fourth by four teams is complex.
Dilley holds a win over Nixon-Smiley but lost to Natalia while Cotulla topped Natalia but fell to Nixon. Natalia holds a win over Nixon, as well.
Nixon-Smiley has the toughest road to securing the fourth place spot, needing wins over Stockdale and Karnes City in its final two games to clinch a playoff berth.
Natalia closes against Stockdale but has winless YMLA in its finale.
Dilley and Cotulla meet this week while the Wolves close their season at home against Poth while the Cowboys end the year at Karnes City.
“It’s pretty simple for us,” Silva said of the various scenarios. “We win out (Cotulla-Poth), we are in. We lose both, we are out. If we win one of two, then there’s a lot of scenarios after that.”
Dilley helped out its own cause last week with its seven-point win over the Mustangs.
The offense got back on track to the tune of 228 yards of offense and 15 first downs in a run-heavy attack.
Garcia was the offensive spark as he finished with 120 yards on 21 carries with a pair of scores.

Troy Gonzales added 84 yards on 12 totes and a second quarter touchdown as well.
The pair scored in each of the first two stanza’s as Dilley took a 14-0 lead.
Nixon-Smiley added a ten-yard score in the second to cut the margin in half at halftime at 14-7.
The Mustangs then tied things up in the third on a short touchdown run.
Garcia then broke off a 29-yard touchdown run as the defense held firm to secure the win.
Dilley was three of ten on third downs but converted three of four times on fourth down in crucial situations.
The defense limited the Mustangs to 216 total yards and 12 first downs and forced an interception.
Roberto Ardon paced the defense with 11 total tackles while Gunner McClain added ten.
Gonzales, Garcia and Joseph Lopez all tallied seven tackles while Lopez added one for a loss.
Dilley will hit the road this week to take on the rival Cowboys in the annual IH-35 rivalry contest between the neighboring schools.
Both teams made two round playoff runs a year ago but are fighting to secure a playoff berth this season.
Cotulla is coming off a 62-0 rout of YMLA and have won two straight following a three-game skid.
Dilley won a thriller at Gosch Field last year, rallying from a 16-0 deficit to earn a 23-16 victory. Cotulla had previously owned the series, winning two of the last three contests and four of the last six the pair have played since 2018.
The two did not face off in 2020 as the game was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dilley has not won consecutive games in the series since 2016-17 when they earned 20-0 and 19-12 decisions.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Meyers Memorial Stadium.