Colts first ride ends with 32-22 win over Marion

7th grade Colt Hunter Alston had himself a debut with an interception, followed immedately by a 75-yard touchdown during the Colts’ game against Marion. Photo by Moose Lopez.

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
The jerseys may have been new, but the Devine 7th grade Colts wasted little time making themselves at home on the football field. Playing their first official game for DMS, Devine opened the season with an impressive 32-22 victory over the Marion Bulldogs, giving the young players plenty to build on as they begin their long and glorious football journey.
Matthew Saenz, who coordinates the defenses for both the 7th and 8th grade teams, saw plenty of positives in the Colts’ debut.
The Devine offense struck first when quarterback Hunter Alston broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run. Evan De Leon followed with the two-point conversion run to give the Colts an early 8-0 advantage.
Alston then added another explosive play, returning a Marion punt 76 yards for a touchdown. Once again, De Leon converted the two-point try with his legs, putting Devine in control early.
Marion eventually found the end zone, but the Bulldogs’ attempt to add a two-point conversion turned into another Devine score as De Leon stripped the ball and raced 99 yards for a defensive touchdown, adding two points to the Colts’ total of 18-6.
Devine’s offense continued to move the football, eventually putting the ball in the hands of DJ Burford, who powered his way into the end zone from five yards out.
Burford was not finished making an impact. On defense, he intercepted a Marion pass and returned it 65 yards for another Devine touchdown. Alston added the two-point conversion run to complete the scoring.
Saenz said the defense “had a few mental lapses, with all four Marion touchdowns coming on big plays and a blown assignment here and there.” Still, he was pleased with the overall effort, particularly considering “it was the players’ first time wearing an official Devine jersey in a game.”
For these young Colts, the 32-22 victory was about more than simply putting a win in the book. It was the first chapter in a football education that will continue through the middle-and-high school years.
In addition to Saenz, these middle schoolers have great role models to learn from as Mario De Leon handles the 7th grade offense, while Lee Crisp directs the 8th grade offense. These three men are helping lay the foundation for the next few years of Devine football and while there will be missed assignments, mistakes to correct, and plenty of lessons learned along the way, which is all part of the process of transitioning from a Thursday night Colt to a Friday night Warhorse.
Team: Brock Lane, Roger Martinez, Noel Coronado, Jordan Rodriguez, Wyatt Gray, Joshua Gutierrez, Ryland Montellano, Conor Kazear, DJ Burford, Kannon Marek, Angel Ayala, Gauge Partin, Dario Garcia, Alejandro Zamora, John Antu, Rush Haass, Xavier Patlan-Burford, Tyler Maldonado, Trey Sadler, Joaquin Rosas, Krue McCelvey, Roy Hefley, Hunter Alston, Liam Rodriguez, Kale Perez, Xzander Barney, Noah Aguero, Nicholas Garcia, Evan De Leon, Thomas Craig, Hector Rivera, Joe Ramon, Logan Mitchell, Midas Balderrama, Davis Stricker, Maxine Morris, Aurelius Martinez Cheerleaders: Georgia Ahern, Kessler Campbell, Brooklyn Fritz, Addison Gardner, Emma Roberson.