Not a bad start for the JV defense and the entire Warhorse roster as they shut out the San Antonio Kennedy Rockets 20-0 last Thursday at Frank Mata Veterans Stadium in San Antonio. A season-beginning 70-yard kickoff return by deep man Hunter Reyes got the scoreboard moving quickly in the Warhorses favor. Reyes went untouched into the end zone to give Devine a 6-0 lead they would never relinquish.
“Obviously, we could not have asked for a better beginning to not only this game, but to our season,” stated Coach Heath Poppe. “Reyes bobbled the ball a little on the scribbly kickoff, picked it up, and then took it to the house. It was definitely an exciting play.”
Without the offense yet having to take the field and a 6-spot already on the board, the defense did more than enough in causing the Rockets to shoot blanks the rest of the night.
“I was able to rotate defensive tackles Darren Lafferty, Jeoffrey Seal, and Kaylob Nira on a three man rotation to stay fresh,” stated Coach Scott Taylor. “Allowing them extra rest allowed them to get great penetration at the line of scrimmage to disrupt the Rockets running game. Devin Ornelas also made the most of the reps he got at defensive end.
All five linebackers played well with Hunter Reyes leading the way. Riley Barton and Mason Burford played well for the secondary, as he was involved in several tackles.
If I had to pick a Defensive Player of the Night though, it would come from the defensive end position. Tristan Kennard played exceptionally well. For instance, on one play late in the game, he ripped through three blockers to make the tackle for a loss.
Overall, it was a great effort on the entire defense’s part. We look forward to improving every practice and keep this thing rolling.”
The Horses offense kicked in gear during the 3rd quarter. Mason Burford ran for an 8-yard touchdown late in the quarter to give Devine a two-touchdown lead going into the fourth quarter. Reyes reached the end zone once more midway through the final quarter. Michael Polanco capped off the 22-point night by running in the two-point conversion to provide the final margin of 22-0.
Poppe complimented the running back combination of Reyes, Polanco, Burford, and Hunter Maxwell by mentioning their ability to find the holes created by the offensive line and for their ability to take advantage of what the offensive line was creating for them.
“Those four running backs and the entire offensive line deserves a big pat on the back,” Poppe stated. “Lafferty and Seal really stood out for us up front.”
Team members
This year’s team includes Hunter Reyes, Joseph Hernandez, Riley Barton, Haydon Shook, Mason Burford, Hunter Maxwell, Collin Dishman, Devin Ornelas, Michael Reichal, Michael Polanco, Ryan Applewhite, Eliseo Perez, Jeremy Casillas, Justin Rozier, Tristin Kennard, Robert Ramirez, Kaylob Nira, Cesar Rodriguez, Darrin Lafferty, Jeoffrey Seal, and Chris Wilcox.
Up next
The JV hosts the Somerset Bulldogs at Warhorse Stadium on Thursday, September 6. Kickoff is set for 6:45pm.
By Jerel Beaty
Staff Writer
JV Horses whitewash Rockets 20-0
