Amherst takes down wolverines, 52-48

The Amherst Bulldogs’ varsity football team won a cross-county showdown in Earth on Friday over the Springlake-Earth Wolverines, 52-48.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 4-0, while the Wolverines fall to 2-2 overall on the season.

Both teams turned the ball over on downs on their first possessions of the first quarter, but when Springlake-Earth got the ball back at the Amherst 27- yard line, Froylan Agundiz took a run to the right for four yards before being brought down by Joel Garcia. A pass by Slade Beerwinkle fell incomplete looking for Donovan Stiggers.

On third and long, Bryan Longoria scrambled for 10 yards, bringing up a fourth and one. The Wolverines elected to go for it, as Agundiz ran to the left, taking the ball down to the five-yard line to set up first and goal. Two plays later, Agundiz punched in a oneyard touchdown to make the score, 6-0, with 3:30 to play in the opening quarter.

Jesus Mata fielded a short kickoff, giving the Bulldogs the ball at their own 34-yard line. Kevin Garcia took a run to the left on first down, but the Bulldogs were flagged for holding, pushing them back to the 24-yard line. On first and long, Joel Garcia fired a deep pass, connecting with Kevin Garcia for a big gain, into Springlake-Earth territory.

With a fresh set of downs, the first-down pass from Joel Garcia fell incomplete looking for Aiden Rodriguez. He connected with Kevin Garcia on second down for a short gain, but a deep pass on third down for Rodriguez was broke up by Agundiz, bringing up fourth down. The Bulldogs elected to go for it on fourth down, but a run by Rodriguez was stopped short of the sticks by Wyatt Hill for a turnover on downs with 1:16 to play in the first quarter.

The Wolverines took over at their own 21-yard line, capitalizing on the turnover, as Agundiz dropped back and hit a deep pass to the middle of the field, finding a wide open Timothy Tovar for the 58-yard touchdown, making the score, 14-0, after the kick by Beerwinkle with 1:01 to play in the quarter.

Rodriguez muffed the kick-off and was tackled by Alejandro Gonzalez at the Amherst 18-yard line. The Bulldogs were flagged for a false start on first down and on the next play, Joel Garcia’s pass fell incomplete looking for Yahir Garcia. On second and long, Joel Garcia broke loose around the right side for a big gain into Wolverine territory, down to the 27yard line.

With a fresh set of downs, Joel Garcia took a run to the right for a few yards before being brought down by Tyler Tanaro, as the first quarter came to a close. The Bulldogs were flagged for a false start to open the second frame, but back-to-back runs by Kevin Garcia and Joel Garcia set the Bulldogs up with first and goal from the 11yard line.

Amherst took a time out with 8:21 to play in the first half, and out of the break, Joel Garcia connected with Hector Perez for the nine-yard touchdown pass with 8:14 to play in the half. After the wolverines were flagged for being offsides on the initial PAT, Rodriguez’s next kick was good, cutting the lead to, 14-8.

Springlake-Earth’s offense took over at their own 37-yard line, but on first down Agundiz took a run to the right and cutback to the left, but he fumbled and the ball was recovered by Amherst at their own 17-yard line.

Joel Garcia hit Guillermo Pacheco on back-to-back passes to set up third and one and on the third-down play, Joel Garcia connected with Rodriguez to move the chains for the Bulldogs. Amherst was flagged for a false start on first down, and on the next play, Joel Garcia dropped back and heaved a deep pass down the far sideline, but he was picked off by Nehemiah Castillo with 6:09 to play in the first half.

Springlake-Earth would take over at their own nine-yard line, but they couldn’t capitalize, as they went three-and-out, punting the ball away with 4:07 to play in the half.

Amherst took over at midfield, as Joel Garcia delivered a pass to Perez, moving the chains down to the Springlake-Earth 17-yard line. Kevin Garcia took a run to the left, but he was tackled for a loss by Beerwinkle. Amherst was flagged for a false start, backing them up to second and 23, and on the next play, Joel Garcia dumped a pass off to Kevin Garcia, but he was tackled for a short gain by Tanaro, making it third and long.

On third down, Joel Garcia dropped back and fired a pass in the middle of the endzone to a wide-open Yahir Garcia for the touchdown with 1:35 to play in the half. The kick after by Rodriguez was good, putting Amherst in front, 16-14. The score would stand going into the locker room at halftime.

Amherst received to open the second half, starting at their own 30-yard line, after the kick from Matthew Garza bounced out of bounds. After back- to- back dropped passes to start the drive and a holding penalty, the Bulldogs faced fourth and 15 from the Wolverine 35-yard line. They elected to go for it as Joel dropped back and hit Mata on the sideline, who took the ball down to the seven-yard line to set up first and goal for the Bulldogs.

Two plays later the Bulldogs would extend their lead, as Joel Garcia connected with Hector Perez for the seven-yard touchdown, which was followed with the kick by Rodriguez to extend their lead to, 24-14.

Gonzalez took the kick-off up to the Springlake-Earth 25-yard line before being tackled by Yahir Garcia. After a flag and back-toback incomplete passes, Agundiz dumped off a third-down pass to Gonzalez and the Bulldogs were flagged for a facemask penalty, taking the ball up to the Wolverine’s 37-yard line.

Three consecutive runs by Agundiz set the Wolverines up with a first down at the Amherst 20-yard line. Longoria took a run to the left for a solid gain to set Springlake-Earth up with a first and goal from the five-yard line. On first and goal, Tovar took a hand-off up the middle for a touchdown with 5:19 to play in the third quarter. A bad snap on the kick left the Wolverines trailing by four points, 24-20.

The Bulldogs wasted no time answering as Rodriguez took the ensuing kick-off back for a touchdown with 5:10 to play in the quarter. Rodriguez rushed for the onepoint conversion to push their lead to, 31-20.

Amherst’s defense forced a three-and-out on the Wolverine’s next offensive possession, taking over after the punt at their own 20-yard line. Joel Garcia completed back-to-back passes to Pacheco to make it second and five from the Springlake-Earth 20-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Joel Garcia dropped back on third and five and hit Mata for a big gain, taking the ball down to the oneyard line setting up first and goal.

Two plays later, Joel Garcia delivered a pass over the middle to Kevin Garcia for the one-yard touchdown with 2:20 to play in the quarter. The one-point pass from Joel Garcia was broken up by the Wolverine defense, making the score, 37-20.

After empty possessions by both teams, Springlake-Earth took over at their own 38-yard line with 8:40 to play in the fourth quarter. Agundiz took a run to the right on first down and after the play, the Bulldogs were flagged for a personal foul, taking the ball down to the Amherst 15- yard line. Beerwinkle connected with Tovar on first down, taking the ball down to the four-yard line, and on the next play, Beerwinkle pitched the ball to Longoria on the option who took the ball around the left side for the four-yard touchdown. Beerwinkle’s kick was good, making the score, 37-28, with 7:48 to play in the game.

The Wolverine defense tightened up and forced a punt on Amherst’s next possession giving the Wolverines the ball on their own 15-yard line with 6:50 remaining in the contest.

The Wolverines were able to march the ball 65 yards down the field, capping off the drive with a 42- yard touchdown run by Longoria down the home-sideline. The kick by Beerwinkle was no good with 5:07 to play, slicing the lead to, 37-34.

Kevin Garcia returned the onside kick try up to the Springlake-Earth 35-yard line. Rodriguez picked up 14-yards on first down and he carried the ball again on second down, but was tackled for a loss by Beerwinkle. However, on the next play, Rodriguez took a carry to the right side for a 24-yard touchdown. Joel Garcia completed the one-point conversion pass to Yahir Garcia to make it a 10-point Amherst lead with 4:11 remaining in the contest.

Amherst tried an onside kick, but it was fielded by Gonzalez who returned it up to the Amherst 24--yard line. Longoria carried the ball to the right for seven yards on first down before being brought down by Joel Garcia. And on the next play, Longoria completed a pass to Gavin Gonzales in the endzone for the 16-yard touchdown. The kick by Beerwinkle was off the right upright leaving the score, 44-40, with 3:28 to play in the game.

Amherst answered with a sixplay, 41- yard drive that was capped off with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Joel Garcia to Rodriguez. The kick by Rodriguez was good, making the score, 5240, with 1:05 to play.

Springlake-Earth took over after the kick-off at the Amherst 37yard line. Longoria took a firstdown run to the right for a big gain, setting up first and goal from the 15-yard line. The drive stalled, as the Wolverines went for it on fourth and goal; Agundiz punched it in from five yards out to make the score, 52-48, after the kick by Beerwinkle.

The Bulldogs would hold on for the victory, as time expired.

The Bulldogs will host Southland on Friday for Homecoming, while the Wolverines will be at home against White Deer.

The Bulldogs will kick-off at 7:30 p.m. and the Wolverines will kickoff at 7 p.m.