LAREDO, Texas – With their backs against the wall and needing a win to remain in playoff contention, Alexander kept their post-season hopes alive with a 57-17 shellacking of the South San Antonio Bobcats in front of a ruckus crowd at the Student Athletic Complex.
Alexander head coach Joel Lopez seemed pleased with his team’s overall performance.
“The kids were focused with the things they needed to do and executed our game plan. It was a great team effort so I’m happy but I still need to see the [game] film to see how everything went and what else we might need to do.”
After both offenses started with a three-and-out, South San Antonio muffed a punt that was recovered by Alexander at their own 36-yard-line. Two plays later, sophomore quarterback Jose Rodriguez hooked up with senior receiver Leo Garza on a three-yard touchdown toss that put Alexander up 7-0 after the extra point.
(Photo: Sergio Martinez/TexasHSFootball.com)
Less than a minute later, Bobcats’ junior quarterback Raul Agosto – he rushed for a total of 148 yards on 19 carries and a score — broke a 61-yard run to pay dirt that led to tie ballgame.
Alexander’s offense went right back to work and marched down the field to a first-and-goal in enemy territory behind workhorse running back: Camilo Pedraza. The sophomore reached the promise land on a three-yard scamper to put the home team up 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bobcats were on the move midway through the second quarter when the Bulldogs’ defense stiffened. South San Antonio kicker Jose Crispin hit a 38-yard field goal attempt to pull them within four points.
This score would not last long as Alexander’s second quarterback Matt Conner found wideout Albert Laurel, Jr., for a 61-yard catch and run that resulted in a 21-10 lead.
After the Bobcats failed to get anything done, the Bulldogs offense grinded out another drive that found the end zone when Pedraza — working out of the Wildcat formation — ran it in from three yards out. The home team took a 29-10 lead after a successful two-point conversion by Pedraza. He ended the game with 156 yards on 16 carries and a total of three scores. He added another 37 receiving yards.
“We kept catching [the Bobcats] off-guard a lot so I had good runs. We just need to keep chopping wood and working hard so we can keep winning,” Pedraza said.
Sergio Martinez/TexasHSFootball
The second half of the contest saw Alexander blow the game wide-open when running back Carlo Canales punched in a 2-yard touchdown run that put them up 36-10.
South San Antonio was able to mount one more offensive that resulted in points after running back Jacob Martinez found the end zone. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, this would be their last score of the night.
For the rest of the outing, the Bulldogs moved the ball at will and ran up the score. Rodriguez ended the night with 157 yards passing and two touchdown tosses while Laurel, Jr. had six catches for 117 yards and a score for Alexander.
This victory celebration is sure to be short-lived for Alexander as next weekend they face hometown rivals Laredo United South in a game that has major playoff implication.
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