EL PASO- Entering Friday night’s game with El Paso Eastwood, Coronado head coach Bob Anderson knew that this District 1-6A game was a must-have. In the end, the Thunderbirds used big special teams plays and three big defensive stops in the second half to defeat the Eastwood Troopers 43-35.
“They were all fighters tonight,” Anderson said following the win, “I told them it would be like a 15-round boxing match and we did enough on both sides of the ball to get the win.”
FAST START FOR THE T-BIRDS
El Paso Coronado defensive back Joshua Salazar (31) celebrates with his team following a win over El Paso Eastwood. (Photo: Tony Venegas/TexasHSFootball.com)
The T-Birds got off to a strong start early. After a bad snap on an Eastwood punt, it set up Coronado with a short field as quarterback Angelo Donatelli ran the ball 11 yards for a touchdown to put his team up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game.
Eastwood, as they would do all night, battled back as Seth Ochoa led the Troopers on a 65-yard drive capped off by a 7-yard touchdown run, his first of the year, to even the game at 7.
A kickoff out of bounds put Coronado at midfield and they would take advantage by chipping in a 21-yard field goal by Juan Pablo Romero to make it 10-7 Coronado. Romero went 3-for-4 on the night, making kicks from 31 and 44 later in the game.
A 55-yard kickoff return by Eastwood’s Freddy Contreras and a personal foul penalty on the T-Birds would set the Troopers up at the 12-yard line when Robert Minjarez took a jet sweep for a 12-yard touchdown run to put Eastwood back in front at 14-10. Minjarez would have a big game receiving on the night, finishing with 130 yards on 13 catches.
SPARK ON SPECIAL TEAMS
El Paso Coronado wide receiver/quarterback Jose Luis Herrera (10) had 212 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in a win over El Paso Eastwood. (Photo: Tony Venegas/TexasHSFootball.com)
After another Romero field goal and another touchdown pass from Seth Ochoa, the T-Birds were looking for a spark late in the half. They got just that from versatile playmaker Jose Luis Herrera, who took the kickoff 75-yards for a touchdown. The T-Birds missed the two-point conversion to keep the game a two-point deficit but at 21-19, Coronado was very much alive.
“I just knew I had to make plays and find a way to bring my team up and give them some energy and bring it to our opponent,” Herrera said, “We showed a lot in overcoming adversity.”
On a short kickoff, Coronado would continue to use special teams to their advantage. A 30-yard Jonathan Seabrook return set the T-Birds up inside the 35. Romero would make his third field goal of the night to put his team back in front.
Eastwood would lean on the ground game in the third quarter with Contreras leading the way with runs of 3 and 1 yard to give the Troopers a 35-22 lead. Coronado would not go away as Donatelli found big target Alex Norzagaray for a 46-yard touchdown to bring the T-Birds within six.
DEFENSE ANSWERS THE CALL LATE
El Paso Coronado head coach Bob Anderson speaks with his team following the 43-35 win over the Eastwood Troopers. (Photo: Tony Venegas/TexasHSFootball.com)
That’s when the T-Bird defense went to work as they stuffed Eastwood running back Noah Rios on fourth down late in the third quarter to give Coronado the ball back. On the first play of the fourth quarter, thunder struck on the field as Donatelli found Herrera down the middle of the field for a 55-yard touchdown pass to put Coronado back in front at 36-35.
Consecutive punts put the ball back in the hands of the Eastwood offense, who went for it on fourth down and were denied again. Herrera would take a flea flicker and throw a 30-yard strike to Steven Martinez. The senior would finish with 212 all-purpose yards on the night.
“He’s a great player and making plays is something he does every week,” Anderson said of Herrera, “We’re getting the ball to him more and he’s showing what he can do. He’s a gamer.”
Coronado running back Julian Madrid would run it in from 18 yards out to stretch the T-Bird lead to eight. The defense had to come up with one more stop.
After the Troopers marched down the field inside the five-yard line, they faced a fourth down with just over two minutes to go. Ochoa dropped back to pass and had his throw intended for Minjarez broken up by defensive end Carter McFadin to turn the ball back over on downs. Herrera would use his legs to seal the game for the T-Birds.
“Our defense practices discipline and we get to show that on Friday nights,” McFadin said, “This is a great group and we have strong chemistry.”
In a game where offenses played well, it was the defense of Coronado who stood tall on Friday night at Trooper Stadium.
“The only other thing I have to say is how proud I am of these kids,” Anderson said, “They played hard and really deserve this win.”
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