The Springlake-Earth Wolverines’ varsity football team opened up district play on Thursday night with a home game against Hart, 45’ing the Longhorns early in the third quarter, 52-6.
With the win, the Wolverines improve to 3-3 overall, 1-0 in district play.
Hart got the ball to begin the contest, taking over after a kick out of bounds by the Wolverines, at the Springlake-Earth 30-yard line. A fumbled snap was covered by Noah Marin on first down, backing them up to first and 24 and a chop block on the next play made it second and long from their own 25-yard line.
However, Marin would keep it himself on a run around the left side, getting back to the original line of scrimmage to make it third and 15 from the Wolverine’s 30yard line, as Springlake-Earth took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Hayden Hernandez was sacked by Nehemiah Castillo to make it fourth and long. The Longhorns would line up to go for it on fourth down, as Marin con- nected with Dominic Dominguez for a 32-yard touchdown pass with 7:40 to play in the opening quarter. The kick by Dominguez was blocked, leaving the score, 6 0. The Wolverines got a short kick-off return from Josiah Castillo, as the offense took over deep in their own territory. Back-to-back runs by Nehemiah Castillo gave the Wolverines a fresh set of downs at the Hart 29-yard line, and on first down, Froylan Agundiz kept it for a short gain, bringing up second and 13. On second down, Tyler Tanaro carried it around the left side to make it third and one, and on the next play Agundiz kept it himself, taking it around the right side for a 15-yard touchdown run with 5:04 to play in the first quarter. The kick by Tanaro was blocked, leaving the score, 6-6. The onside kick attempt from the Wolverines was covered by Marin, giving Hart the ball at their own 32-yard line, but they were unable to get anything going offensively. They lined up to punt from their own 29-yard line, but the kick was shanked by Marin, giving Springlake-Earth the ball at the Hart 37-yard line with four minutes to play in the quarter.
Nehemiah Castillo carried the ball around the left side for a would-be touchdown, but it was negated by a holding penalty on the Wolverines, backing them up to first and 21 from their own 37yard line. Nehemiah Castillo carried the ball up the middle on first down, taking it just past the original line of scrimmage to make it second and 14 inside of Hart territory.
Back-to-back runs from Agundiz and Tanaro gave the Wolverines a fresh set of downs at the Hart 18-yard line, but a bad pitch by Agundiz on first down was covered by Nehemiah Castillo, backing them up to second and 20. Two plays later, Agundiz connected with Kaleb Castillo in the endzone for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:11 remaining in the first quarter. A bad snap on the kick was downed by Agundiz, leaving the score, 12-6, with the Wolverines in front.
Hart got the ball back at their own 33-yard line, but they would go three-and-out punting the ball away on fourth down with 9:48 to play in the first half.
Springlake-Earth took over at their own 22-yard line, and after a pass for Kaleb Castillo fell incomplete, Nehemiah Castillo carried it around the right side, taking it into Hart territory at the 34-yard line to move the chains for the Wolverines. Agundiz dropped back on first down, again looking for Kaleb Castillo, but the pass fell incomplete, bringing up second and 15. Nehemiah Castillo picked up 11 yards on a run to the right for the Wolverines, and on the next play, Agundiz called his own number, taking it around the right side for a 25-yard touchdown run with 8:11 to play in the half. The kick from Tanaro was good, making the score, 20-6.
Hart would recover the onside kick attempt at their own 33-yard line and they would drive the ball into Springlake-Earth territory, but the drive would stall out at the 23yard line. They lined up to go for it on fourth down, but Marin’s pass fell incomplete looking for Dominguez for a turnover on downs with 5:16 to play in the first half.
The Wolverines took over at their own 23-yard line and after back-to-back runs by Nehemiah Castillo moved the ball up to their 33-yard line, Agundiz, again, called his own number taking off on a run to his right, before cutting it back across the field to his left for a 47-yard touchdown run. The kick from Tanaro was good, making the score, 28-6, with 3:49 to play in the half.
Springlake-Earth’s next kick-off rolled out of bounds, giving Hart the ball at their own 25-yard line, and the Longhorns, again, would take the ball just inside of Wolverine territory, before their drive stalled out at the 33-yard line. They lined up to go for it on fourth and eight, but Marin’s pass fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 1:25 to play in the half.
Springlake-Earth took over at their own 33-yard line, as Agundiz dropped back and hit Tanaro down the left side for a 47-yard touchdown pass with 1:12 left to play in the half. The kick from Tanaro was good, making the score, 36-6.
Hart would regain possession, but they would go for it on fourth and five, as Marin’s pass fell incomplete, giving Springlake-Earth the ball back at their own 36-yard line with 25 seconds left to play in the half.
Agundiz kept it on first down picking up 14 yards before stepping out of bounds to preserve the clock. However a bad snap was covered by Nehemiah Castillo, as Springlake-Earth called a time out to stop the clock with 13 seconds left to play in the half. Out of the break, Agundiz hit Timothy Tovar down the Wolverines’ sideline for a 38-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds to go in the half. The kick from Tanaro was good, making the score, 44-6.
The score would stand going into the locker room at halftime.
Springlake-Earth got the ball first to begin the second half, as back-to-back runs by Agundiz to begin the drive, had them facing a second and five at the Hart 37-yard line. A handoff on second down was fumbled by Tovar and recovered by the Wolverines, backing them up to third and eight at midfield. But, on the next play, Agundiz would keep it himself, taking it around the left side for a 40-yard touchdown run. The kick was good from Tanaro, as the Wolverines 45’ed the Longhorns, 52-6, with 7:48 to go in the third quarter.
The Wolverines will travel to Nazareth to take on the Swifts next week as district play continues.
Kick-off s scheduled for 7 p.m.