Cowboys run wild

By Manuel Azocar III - Sports Writer/Managing Editor | November 19, 2025

COTULLA FOOTBALL

Cotulla routs Odem to claim second straight bi-district championship.

Cotulla used a fast start and dominant second half to rush past Odem and claim a 50-20 win in bi-district football action last Friday night in Freer.
Frank Torres led the team with 218 yards of offense and two scores while Rene Barrera ran for 159 yards and had three touchdowns in the win.
“Our boys got off to a quick start after stopping them on their first possession of the game,” CHS Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Esteban Rodriguez said. “We outgained them in chunks and scored on our first two possessions of the game.
“It was a great all-around performance offensively, we had various players contribute all while being led by our offensive line. Our offensive line did a great job of getting off the ball and re-establishing the line of scrimmage, allowing our playmakers to do their thing out in space.”
Defensively, Cotulla relied a bend-but-don’t-break effort to control the Owls offensive attack.
“Defensively, we had a great outing considering Odem had rushed all over their opponents this season,” Coach Rodriguez said. “Led by a great senior running back, they were big up front and although they were moving the ball on us, our defense came up with multiple key stops inside the redzone.”
Ryan Sanchez led the defensive effort with 15 total tackles, including two for a loss and two pass breakups. Marco Benavidez added 11 total tackles and also had half a tackle for a loss.
“When you get to this point in the season, it will be difficult to completely stop opposing teams,” Rodriguez said. “However, we may give a little here and there but we will definitely force teams to earn everything they get. We are extremely proud of our boys and the effort they displayed for all four quarters.
“All week all we heard was how good Odem’s run game was throughout the season. We are always up for a challenge, and I can tell you our boys never back down from anybody.”
With the win, Cotulla will now advance to the area round and take on the Blanco Panthers. Blanco is coming off a 48-23 rout of Vanderbilt Industrial in their bi-district contest.

“We are looking forward to a great matchup in the area round against a great Blanco team,” the coach said. “We will continue to take it one play at a time, and prepare to the best of our ability. As we have said from the start of the season, our goal is to practice during Thanksgiving break, and we have certainly given ourselves the opportunity to do so.”
Odem gave Cotulla a quick scare prior to the Cowboys putting the game away in the second half as they overcame a 13-0 Cotulla lead to take a brief 14-13 advantage in the second.
The Cowboys would reel off 22-straight points however, to take a 36-14 lead in the third.
Frank Torres opened the scoring with a 42-yard touchdown run in the first and a 7-0 lead. Marco Benavidez then added a 12-yard scoring run early in the second as the Cowboys went up 13-0.
Odem then reeled off consecutive scores to take a brief 14-13 lead.
Rene Barrera then gave the Cowboys the lead for good late in the half as he went in from a yard out just before intermission.
Torres added the two point conversion run as Cotulla regained a 21-14 advantage.
The scoring barrage continued in the third as Ricardo Ruiz added a 24-yard touchdown run to make it 28-14.
Torres then broke off a 77-yard touchdown run that gave the Cowboys a 36-14 lead after Barrera’s two-point conversion run.
The Owls broke the scoring spree with a short rushing touchdown to cut the margin to 36-20 but Cotulla answered as Barrera went in for this second score of the night from 12 yards out.
He would add the conversion run as the Cowboys led 44-20.
The running back then broke off an 80-yard touchdown run late in the fourth to cap the scoring.
The junior did his damage on only five carries total.
Cotulla will now advance to the second round and a date with the Blanco Panthers this Friday, November 21 at Edgewood Veterans Stadium in San Antonio for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Blanco went 9-2 this season and were champions of District 13-3A, Division II.