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GETTING ON THE BOARD – Amherst junior, Jaime Garcia, catches a pass from senior, Omar Reyes, for a 13-yard touchdown for the Bulldogs’ first score of the game against the Whitharral Panthers on Friday. (Staff Photo by Derek Lopez)
The Amherst Bulldogs’ varsity football team grinded out a, 48-43, victory on Friday, despite a late surge from the Whitharral Panthers.
With the win the Bulldogs improve to 2-0 in district play.
The Bulldogs won the toss and elected to receive in the second half, giving the Panthers the ball to begin the contest.
The Panthers were able to drive the ball into Amherst territory, but on third and seven from the Bulldogs’ 23-yard line, David Rodriguez was picked off by junior, Chris Gonzalas, with 6:46 remaining in the opening quarter.
After the turnover, the Bulldogs took over at their own six-yard line to begin their first offensive drive. The Bulldogs sustained a long drive with a heavy dose of freshman, Diego Aguilar, and senior, Omar Reyes Jr., in the running game.
On third and goal, Reyes hit junior, Jaime Garcia, for a 13-yard touchdown with 3:27 remaining in the first quarter. The kick after by sophomore, Gabriel Garcia, was no good, leaving the score, 6-0.
The Bulldogs’ came back out on the field for the second time, looking to stuff the Panther offense, and they did just that, forcing a four-and-out, as Rodriguez’s pass was dropped on fourth and long by Jacob Cardenas for a turnover on downs with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter.
Reyes carried the ball on backto-back downs, picking up seven yards before Amherst took a timeout with 1:14 to play in the quarter. Gonzales hit Jaime Garcia for a first down, taking the ball down to the Panther’s eight-yard line. On first and goal, Aguilar carried it up the middle, before he was brought down by Jeryn Ellard, bringing the first quarter to a close.
On the next play, Jaime Garcia, carried the ball up the middle for a three-yard touchdown to make the score, 14-0, after the kick by Gabriel Garcia, with 9:55 to play in the half.
Whitharral again was able to take the ball into Amherst territory, but on fourth and seven, Rodriguez was tackled short of the sticks for a turnover on downs with 7:16 to play in the first half. Later in the second quarter, Rodriguez was picked off in the endzone by Gabriel Garcia for a touchback, bringing the ball out to the 20-yard line with 1:47 to play in the half.
On first down, Gonzales hit Aguilar for 14 yards and on the next play he hit Gabriel Garcia on the left side, who caught the ball and then fumbled it, but he was able to cover it for a first down at the Panther’s 39-yard line.
Amherst stuck with the passing attack, as Gonzales hit Jaime Garcia for four yards, before tossing a swing pass out to Reyes on the next play, who took it down to the one-yard line to set up first and goal. On first and goal, Reyes punched it in for the one-yard score, making the score, 22-0, after the kick by Gabriel Garcia, with 13 seconds to play in the half.
The score stood going into the locker room at halftime.
Out of the break, Amherst got the ball to begin the second half, but their drive was derailed on second down, as Gonzales fumbled the snap on second down and it was recovered by Dylin Villegas for a turnover with 9:27 to play in the third quarter.
The Panthers were unable to do anything with it, as they turned the ball over on fourth and 16, when Rodriguez was wrapped up short of the sticks by Jaime Garcia, with 7:33 remaining in the quarter.
Amherst took over at their own six-yard line, as Gonzales hit Jaime Garcia with a pass; he was brought down near the sticks, warranting a measurement. He was inches short of the sticks, bringing up second down. Reyes got the carry on second and inches, and was stopped for a loss, but he picked up first-down yardage on the next play, taking it down to the Panther’s 27-yard line.
On first and 15, Gonzales dropped back and heaved a pass towards the near sideline for Jaime Garcia, who came back to the ball and made a great catch, spinning out of the would-be tackle, and sprinting down the sideline for the 53-yard touchdown. The kick by Gabriel Garcia was blocked, making the score, 28-0, with 6:25 to play in the third quarter.
The Panthers found a spark on their next offensive drive, capping off a 42-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run around the right side by Rodriguez. The kick by Chris Chavez was good, getting the Panthers on the board, 28-8.
Amherst’s offense took the field starting the drive at their own 30-yard line, as Aguilar carried the ball on back-to-back downs, bringing up third and nine. On third down, Gonzales hit Jaime Garcia, who shook off a would-be tackler and sprinted to the endzone for the 44-yard touchdown. The kick by Gabriel Garcia was blocked, leaving the score, 34-8, with just under three minutes to play in the quarter.
The Panthers offense, reignited, came back out on to the field, and needed just two plays to find the endzone, as Rodriguez broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown run. The kick by Chavez was good, making the score, 34-16, with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter.
The Bulldogs were forced to punt with 55 seconds remaining in the quarter and the Panthers used three plays to take the ball into Amherst territory, as the third quarter came to a close. Two plays into the fourth quarter, on fourth down, Rodriguez broke loose again for a 36-yard touchdown around the right side. A bad snap on the kick was picked up by Chavez, who hit Nomar Gomez for the one-point conversion, cutting the lead to, 34-23, with 9:41 remaining in the contest.
Amherst’s offense took over for their next drive at their own 20-yard line, but the drive was derailed on third down, as Gonzales was picked off by Gomez, looking for Jaime Garcia, with 8:15 to play.
The Panther’s comeback continued, as they turned the turnover into points, when Rodriguez, on third down, hit Cardenas for a 57-yard touchdown to make it a three-point game, 34-31, after the kick by Chavez.
The Bulldogs responded, as Jaime Garcia took the following kick-off back to the Panther’s sixyard line. Reyes fumbled the pitch on first down, but on the next play, Reyes hit Jaime Garcia for the 14-yard score, making the score, 42-31, after the kick by Gabriel Garcia with 6:10 to play in the game.
The Panthers would punch in a one-yard score on their next drive, as Rodriguez found Ryan McDaniel for the touchdown with 2:13 remaining. The kick was blocked by Reyes, leaving the score, 42-37.
The Bulldogs answered again in just two plays, as Gonzales hit Jaime Garcia for a 52-yard touchdown with 1:55 to play in the game. Gabriel’s kick was blocked, stretching the lead back out to double-digits, 48-37.
Whitharral would score once more to make it a five-point game, as Ellard hit Cardenas for the 18-yard touchdown.
Amherst was able to run out the clock with a couple of kneel downs to take the contest, 48-43.