PI 20 Rio Hondo 21 OT

[footballgal]

OMG! :eek: I can't believe it ended this way.

First things first, Congrats to the Rio Hondo Bobcats, 32AAA District Champs

Congrats to the Tarpons, aside from endzone fumble, the fumble inside the 5 yard line, and the TD taken away by a penalty, which we never really saw, :D you played great, don't hang your heads you did great, you hung in there despite it all, you just came up short on the scoreboard.

BTW, that extra point in OT, sure as heck looked good to me, split the uprights, straight down the middle! :eek: One ref said good the other waived it off and said no good, and no good it was called, game over! 20-21 in favor of Rio Hondo.

Tarpons gift, wrapped by the refs. :( "Ni modo", that's just how it goes sometimes!

Ok, Tarpon Time is upon us, 2005 state playoffs! :clap:

[pirate4state]

:weeping: Tough loss!! :( Sorry to hear it footballgal!! Good Luck in the playoffs!! :)

[SintonFan]

Goodness fg! A very tough loss indeed! I know yall will take it out in the playoffs and show everyone the new generation, I'm sure.:cool:

[District303aPastPlayer]

gotta hate to lose like this...

[footballgal]

Yepers! nothing worse than beating yourselves, then the refs didn't help any, but gotta give credit to the Bobcats who played hard in 2nd half and didn't also allow the Tarpons, to really get their groove back on offense, like they did in the first half.


The new generations, I already look forward to, as the Tarpons have an awesome Freshman team, which alot of them will start I am sure next year, like the QB and running backs even some lineman. We'll be young again, but this upcoming group has much talent, so hopefully well have some good years coming up. District 32-AAA better enjoy this year, cuz I don't think we'll repeat this season for a long time. (great group in Jr high too :) )

[footballgal]

Edged Out

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/images/uploads/PI_v._RIO_HONDO10-29-05.jpg

Rio Hondo slips past Port Isabel in overtime

By MIKE GONZALEZ
The Brownsville Herald

RIO HONDO, October 29, 2005 — As much as Rio Hondo wanted to hoist the District 32-3A championship outright at home, they knew they had to earn it.

Facing the defending champion Port Isabel Tarpons, one-point proved to be the difference between tears of joy and tears of sadness. But in the end, the Bobcats proved it was their time as they edged the Tarpons 21-20 in overtime to capture the district title outright for the first time in over 30 seasons.

In the extra frame, Rio Hondo (6-0 in District 32-3A, 8-1 overall) got the ball first from the Port Isabel 25-yard line. On the first play, quarterback Aaron Garza rumbled for 24 yards to the PI one. Two plays later, running back Robbie Meza (21 carries, 111 yards, 2 TDs) scored up the middle for a 21-14 lead after Eric Gantt’s extra point.

The pressure then shifted to Port Isabel. For a program that’s been in critical situations a number of times including in 2003 when the team won a four overtime thriller in the state quarterfinals against Altair Rice, Port Isabel answered the call. The ‘Tarps put the game in the hands of running back Marky Villarreal. The senior picked up 14 yards on the drive as 11of PI’s yards came on the penalty with the last seven coming on a touchdown run to get within one point, 21-20. With an extra point never automatic in high school, Tarpons kicker Victor Ramirez missed just wide right to secure the Bobcats title.

“I told them we’re District 32-3A District Champs — now play like it,” second-year head coach Gus Cavazos said. “They did that and did a heck of a job.”

Port Isabel (3-2, 3-6) can look at a number of things such as penalties and lack of execution, but the thing that bothers head coach Monty Stumbaugh is the two turnovers from inside the Rio Hondo 6-yard line.

The first came midway in the first quarter when Gustavo Alvarez coughed up the ball in the 4-yard line. Bobcat defender Jonathon Medina recovered it in the end zone for a touchback. The second came when quarterback Carr Grienier was stripped of the ball at the Rio Hondo 6-yard line after a productive run of 17 yards.

“We didn’t hang on to the football,” Stumbaugh said. “We should’ve had two more touchdowns in the first half. We can’t do that against a good football team. They stripped it and they got it.”

Early on, the Tarpons did well against the Bobcats’ top-rated defense as Villarreal collected 104 of his 122 yards in the first half. Villarreal gave PI a 7-0 lead on a 52-yard run late in the first quarter. The score remained the same into the dressing room.

On the first drive of the third quarter, Villarreal got things rolling with a 76-yard run. Mistakes again proved costly as the play was negated by a holding penalty.

“We had a chance (to put them away),” Stumbaugh said. “But they did what they were taught to do.”

Down 14-7 late in the fourth quarter, Grienier found James Delgado for a 37-yard touchdown to tie the game and eventually send the game into overtime.

Rio Hondo tied the game at 7 on an 11-yard pass from Garza to Howard Atkinson.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Port Isabel remains in the thick of the playoff picture. With a win next week against Progreso the Tarpons clinch a berth to the postseason. This after Lyford fell to La Feria to put both the Bulldogs and Lions at 2-3. The Tarpons have the tiebreaker on both teams.