The Springlake- Earth Wolverines’ varsity football team celebrated Homecoming on Friday with a victory over the Petersburg Buffaloes, 74-26.
With the win, the Wolverines improve to 1-2 overall on the year.
The Buffaloes received to open the contest and two plays into the opening drive, Demitrius Mendez carried the ball up the middle, cutting it out to his left for a big gain across midfield to the Springlake-Earth 38yard line. Three plays later, Mendez would run to his left, before throwing the ball back to Robert Ramirez, who got loose in the open field for a 39-yard touchdown. The kick by Ramirez was blocked, leaving the score, 6-0.
Petersburg’s kick-off did not go 15 yards, giving the Wolverines the ball at the Petersburg 25-yard line to begin their first offensive possession.
Froylan Agundiz kept it himself on first down, picking up 10 yards as he carried it around the right side. On the next play, Bryan Longoria got the carry, taking the ball around the right side for a 15-yard touchdown run. The kick by Robert Flores was good, putting the Wolverines in front, 86.
Flores booted the ball into the endzone for a touchback, and the Wolverine defense tightened up to force a Buffaloes punt, getting the ball back for the offense at the Petersburg 29-yard line, after a punt return from Kaylob Frietz.
Josiah Castillo picked up a yard on first down, and on the next play, Frietz drew a defensive pass interference call on the Buffaloes, moving the ball down inside the 15-yard line to set up first and goal for Springlake-Earth. A few plays later, the Wolverines would elect to go for it on forth and goal, as Agundiz hit Flores with a three-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead to, 16-6, after a kick by Flores sailed through the uprights.
The Buffaloes got the ball back after the kick-off at their own 16-yard line. But their drive was slow going early. Faced with third and long from their own nineyard line Mendez hit Eylin Nava with a pass, as Eylin Nava turned it up field for a big gain, before being brought down by Longoria, setting up first and 15 from the Springlake-Earth 20yard line. Two plays later, Mendez would keep it himself, taking it around the left side for a 20-yard touchdown with 24 seconds left to play in the opening quarter. The kick by Ramirez was blocked again, leaving the score, 16-20.
The next kick-off from Petersburg rolled out of bounds, setting the Wolverines up at their own 20-yard line, as Longoria caried the ball on first down to close out the first quarter.
With a fresh set of downs to begin the second frame, Longoria carried the ball again, as Petersburg was flagged for a horsecollar tackle, taking the ball down to the Buffaloes five-yard line to set up first and goal for the Wolverines. Faced with a fourth and goal from the one-yard line, Agundiz would keep it, plowing his way into the endzone for the score to push their lead to, 24-12, after the kick from Flores went through the uprights.
The Wolverines tried an onside kick, but the attempt was covered by Eylin Nava.
The Buffaloes were flagged for a false start on first down, but on the next play, Mendez kept it for a big gain, before being brought down by Victor Juarez, making it second and one for Petersburg. The Wolverine defense would stuff the Buffaloes on second down, but on the next play, Brody Townsend would plow ahead for the first down, taking it down to the Springlake-Earth 33yard line.
With a fresh set of downs, Mendez connected with Ramirez on a pass to the right for a 33-yard touchdown. The pass from Brecken Rasco fell incomplete looking for P5 on the extra point try, making the score, 24-18, with the Wolverines still in front.
The Wolverine offense took over after the kick-off from Petersburg at their own 20-yard line. Frietz scrambled on first down and threw the ball backwards to avoid a sack, as it rolled out of bounds, making it second and 31 from their own fouryard line. On second down, the snap was bobbled by Longoria, who was able to get it to Agundiz,who picked up a few yards, making it third and long from the 10yard line. Two plays later, faced with fourth and three, Agundiz called his own number taking it up the middle, before cutting it out to the left side, breaking loose for a 48-yard touchdown run. The snap on the extra point try was bobbled by Frietz, leaving the score, 30-18.
The Buffaloes took over near the 40-yard line, after a big return from Mendez. Petersburg would drive the ball down to the Wolverine 20- yard line, before Mendez was picked off in the endzone by Frietz, who returned it out to their own 18-yard line with 1:05 to play in the first half.
Agundiz took a sack on first down, and Josiah Castillo carried it around the left side to make it third and long from their own 10-yard line, as they took a time out to talk things over with 26 seconds remaining in the half. Out of the break, the Wolverines tried the hookand- ladder to Flores, who picked up about seven yards, as the Wolverines took their last time out with 18 seconds remaining in the half.
Out of the break, on fourth down, Agundiz dropped back, buying time, he connected with Flores deep down the left side, who had nothing but green grass in front of him for the 63yard touchdown pass. The kick from Flores was good, making the score, 38-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
Springlake-Earth got the ball to begin the second half, starting their drive at their own 29-yard line. Agundiz dropped back on first down and found Flores down the left side for the 51-yard touchdown pass. The kick from Flores was good, pushing their lead to, 46-18.
The Buffaloes would get the ball back after the kickoff and drive it down to the Springlake-Earth 18-yard line, but Mendez would be picked off by Frietz, who returned it back to the 35yard line.
The Wolverines would not waste anytime finding the endzone, as Longoria took a carry around the right side, breaking away from the defense for a 45-yard touchdown run. The kick from Flores was good, making the score, 54-18.
Mendez would return the next kick-off for a touchdown, but it was negated by a chop block penalty, bringing it back to their own 26yard line.
The Buffaloes would put together a seven-play drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown run from Mendez, making the score, 54-26, after the kick from Ramirez.
The Wolverines took over on offense at their own 32yard line after the kick-off, as they turned a busted play into four yards on first down. Agundiz’s pass on second down fell incomplete deep down the right side looking for Frietz, but on the next play, Agundiz dumped the ball off to Donovan Stiggers, who took it 44-yards down the right side for a touchdown. The kick from Flores floated through the uprights, pushing their lead to, 62-26.
The Wolverines would force a turnover on downs to begin the fourth quarter, and the offense needed just three plays to find the endzone again, as Agundiz connected with Frietz on the right side, who cut it back across the field for the 13yard touchdown. The kick was no good after a high snap, leaving the score, 6826.
The Buffaloes got the ball back at their own 30-yard line, but two plays later, Mendez was picked off by Frietz, who took it to the house for the pick-six, as Springlake-Earth 45’ed the Buffaloes, 74-26.
The Wolverines will travel to Claude on Thursday to take on McLean.
Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.