8th Colts take down Marion 20-14

The 8th grade Colts were amped up for their underclassmen’s first official game for Devine ISD. Photo by Moose Lopez.

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
The Devine Colts and Marion Bulldogs knew about the other’s accomplishments a year ago when these 8th graders were 7th graders. In 2025, the two teams finished their seventh-grade seasons with identical 8-0 records, with each squad also posting six shutouts along the way, according to Coach Matthew Saenz. With that kind of history, it was no surprise that last Thursday’s meeting turned into another hard-fought battle.
When the dust settled, however, it was the Colts who remained standing, as Devine held off Marion, 20-14. The Colts found several ways to put points on the board, including a big-play 40-yard touchdown connection from quarterback Gabriel Madrid to Easton Montellano. Madrid then added the two-point conversion on a run to give Devine an early spark.
Ezra Gamez found the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown run, while Chaz Dominguez provided another huge play for the Colts with a kickoff return for a touchdown. In fact, Dominguez had another big-play touchdown as he ran the ball in from five yards out.
While the Colts’ offense produced enough points to secure the victory, it was the defense that delivered throughout the game including the knockout punch when it mattered most.
Cooper Stricker and Tilden Moore each came up with interceptions during the contest, helping Devine keep the Bulldogs’ offense from finding the end zone consistently. The biggest defensive play came late in the game as Devine was clinging to a six-point lead. Marion moved the ball to the Colts’ 30-yard line with a chance to potentially tie the game or even take the lead.
“We were up by six points late in the game, and the Bulldogs offense had our defense on our own 30-yard line,” Devine defensive coach Matthew Saenz said. “We stood tall and intercepted a pass on 4th down to essentially end the game.”
Saenz credited his players for maintaining their composure in a pressure-filled situation and battling from start to finish.
“I am so proud of these guys for playing such a hard fought game! Marion deserves credit as well as they tested us big time.”
The victory was a strong early-season statement for the Colts. Devine had more than a few explosive plays offensively, scored via their special teams, and created turnovers defensively that most importantly made the critical play when the game was on the line.
For a group that knows all too well what Marion is capable of, Thursday’s victory was more than just another win. It was another chapter in what is quickly becoming a competitive rivalry between two teams that refuse to give an inch.
Team: Gabriel Madrid, Alonzo Lopez, Cooper Stricker, Paul Cisneros, Eric Montellano, Aayden Rodriguez, Tilden Moore, Kayson Klein, Kyle Pineda Johnson, Samuel Samarripa, Xian Glodobe, Gage Lawler, Ezra Gamez, Leonardo Renteria Castillo, Hunter Hennessey, Bently Martinez, Jayden Knox, Jeremiah Perez, Marceline Garcia IV, Jackson Redding, William Dixon-Davis, John Steffens, Adrian Zamora, Matthew Arausa, Kaysen Holloway, Hunter Gentry, Chaz Dominguez, Easton Hennessey, Gauge Gonzales, Ezra Gutierrez, Jose Guerrero Jr., Julian Ramirez, Jaxson Alexander, Jacob Ramirez, Berjin Caballero, Uzziah Nentwich, Colt Riddle, Jasiah Santos, Jaike Copeland, Jesus Perez III, Roberto Gutierrez, Eli Zadik, Noah Perez, Kolton Wisenbaker, Jacob Silva, Jovani Robles Alvarado, Nathaniel Rodriguez, Paul McClure, Micah-Rayne Guajardo, Blake Perez Cheerleaders: Avery Dixon, Kynzli Carroll, Tenley Carroll, Milee Downing, Kyleigh Freeman, Jayde Hall, Maci Martinez, Ilyanna Burford-Patton Sponsor: Jennifer Toalson.