Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 8, 1994 Page: 4 of 8
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RIO GRANDE HERALD-Thursday^ September 8, 1994,~Page 4
>% *♦ +*■ m ♦ •
Rattlers use big play attack to defeat Roma Gladiators
By KENNETH ROBERTS
Managing Editor
The Rio Grande City Rattlers
used a bonanza of big plays from
quarterback Eric Rodriguez and
tailback Eddy Martinez to score 26
points in the second quarter and
achieve a 46-6 victory over the
Roma Gladiators in the season
opener for both teams at Roma
Stadium Friday evening.
Martinez, who won All-District
honors in 1993, caught two
touchdown passes from Rodriguez,
including an 80-yarder late in the
first half. Martinez also achieved
two rushing touchdowns, and
Rodriguez threw a third touchdown
pass to Horacio Bazan.
The Rattlers broke the game open
in the second quarter with a blocked
punt that was recovered for a
touchdown by Lino Carrion, and
substitute tailback Joe Garcia
motored 60 yards for a touchdown
in the fourth quarter.
The Rattlers achieved fine
offensive balance with 258 yards
rushing and 212 passing for a total
offensive output of 470 yards.
Rodriguez completed 9 of 15
passes for 212 yards and three
touchdowns, with Martinez reeling
in eight passes for 192 yards and
two scores. Horacio Bazan joined
the scoring fireworks wiih a 20-yard
scoring reception.
The Gladiators scored their only
touchdown with just over two
minutes remaining in the fourth
quarter when Christian Navarro
forced a fumble and Rudy Salazar
scooped the ball up and ran 12 yards
for a touchdown.
The Rattler defense kept the
Gladiator offense under tight control
the entire evening, allowing only
74 yards of total offense and five
first downs. The Rattlers did not
allow the Gladiators to achieve a
first down without the aid of a
penalty until the fourth quarter.
Both teams were heavily
penalized throughout the evening,
with both the Rattlers being flagged
for 150 yards and the Gladiators
were assessed 132 yards. The
Rattlers had two touchdowns
nullified due to penalities, and the
Gladiators sustained some untimely
penalties that thwarted promising
moves.
Both teams also had turnover
difficulties, with the Rattlers losing
four fumbles and the Gladiators
two.
After failing to move on their
first possession, the Gladiators
received the first break of the game
when they recovered a fumble at the
Rio 32. An illegal motion penalty
nullified a 29-yard gain by
quarterback Joe Casso, but Jorge
Guzman raced through the left side
on a draw play for a 13-yard gain to
the 31. A heavy rush on fourth
down forced an incomplete screen
pass on the right side.
On the next Rattler play, Eric
Rodriguez completed a short pass to
Eddy Martinez, who broke free
down the left sideline for an
apparent 69-yard touchdown, but
the play was nullified by a clip near
midfield.
A 15-yard run by Alex Perez and
a 17-yard completion to Martinez
moved the Rattlers to the Roma 31.
On the next play, Rodriguez kept
around right end for good yardage,
but was stripped of the ball while
struggling for extra yardage and the
Gladiators recovered at their 21.
On the ensuing Gladiator
possession, the Rattlers were
charged on a fourth down punting
situation with having too many
men on the field, giving the
Gladiators a fourth and one
situation at their 30. The Gladiators
lined up to try for the first down,
but a delay of game penalty moved
the ball back to the 25. The
ensuing punt rolled dead at the
Rattler 47.
The Rattlers then cranked up a
53-yard, nine-play scoring drive.
Rodriguez completed a pass to
Martinez on the right side for a
13-yard gain to the 40, and the Rio
quarterback kept around left end for
a 12-yard gain to the 21.
On second down, Alex Perez took
a pitch to the left and found no
running room, but sharply reversed
his field and scampered around right
end for an eight-yard gain to the 10.
A short time later, an illegal
motion penalty nullified a scoring
run by Martinez.
The Rattler drive seemed stalled
when Martinez was forced to fall on
a loose ball at the 21. On third
down, however, Rodriguez
connected with Martinez across the
middle for an 18-yard completion to
the 3.
On fourth down, Martinez took a
pitchout to the left and cut back
slightly for a three-yard scoring run
with 41 seconds remaining in the
first quarter. Ramon Ortiz booted
the extra point to give the Rattlers
a 7-0 lead.
The Rattlers struck again after
stopping the Gladiators on their
next possession. On fourth down,
the snap to the punter was high and
the Rattlers stormed in and blocked
the punt, with Lino Carrion
scooping up the ball near the goal
line and plunging into the end zone
for a touchdown with 11:02
remaining in the second quarter.
The extra point attempt was short
and wide, leaving the Rattlers with
a 13-0 lead.
On third down of the ensuing
Gladiator possession, the Rattlers
recovered a fumble in the backfield
at the Roma 17. On second and 10,
Perez took a pitchout to the right in
heavy traffic and cut back slightly
for a seven-yard gain to the 10.
On third and three, Martinez took
a handoff through the left side and
outran several defenders toward the
sideline for a 10-yard scoring run
with 8:47 remaining in the first
half. A high snap caused the extra
point attempt to fail, leaving the
Rattlers with a 19-0 advantage.
The Rattlers found themselves in
striking position again when
Martinez returned a punt 16 yards to
the Roma 39. On the first play,
Rodriguez connected with Martinez
across the middle for a 13-yard
completion to the 26. Perez then
scampered through the left side for
an 11-yard gain to the 15.
Two plays later, Rodriguez
dropped back to pass and found
Horacio Bazan all alone in the left
corner of the end zone for a 20-yard
touchdown pass with 5:06
remaining in the first half. Ramon
Ortiz booted the extra point to give
the Rattlers a 26-0 lead.
The Gladiators responded with a
spectacular kickoff return as Leo
Dan Garza took a handoff and
exploded down the left sideline,
shrugging off several would-be
tacklers, for a 71-yard return all the
way to the Rattler 9.
The threat stalled, however, when
the Gladiators recovered a fumble
for a three-yard loss at the 12 and
Mario Garcia was stopped for a
one-yard gain to the 11. Francisco
Miranda came in on fourth down to
attempt a 28-yard field goal, but the
kick dropped far short, leaving the
shutout intact for the Rattlers.
On first down from the 20,
Rodriguez rolled to his right,
avoided the pass rush and threw a
long pass down the right sideline
that Martinez caught at the Roma
45, and the Rattler tailback
sidestepped a defender and exploded
down the middle of the field for an
80-yard scoring reception with 2:50
remaining in the first half. Ortiz
booted the extra point to extend
Rio's lead to 33-0.
A couple of personal foul
penalties against the Rattlers
enabled the Gladiators to cross
midfield, but the second penalty left
Roma one yard short of a first down
at the Rio 46, enabling the Rattlers
to take over on downs at that point.
The two teams then headed toward
their locker rooms with the Rattlers
having scored 26 second quarter
points and owning a 33-0 halftime
lead.
A clipping penally on the second
half kickoff forced the Rattlers to
set up shop on their 20, but they
cranked up a steady 80-yard scoring
drive. On third and seven,
Rodriguez kept to his left, but
pitched out at die last minute to
Perez, who raced to the 35 for a
12-yard gain.
Two plays later, Rodriguez
pitched out to Perez, who motored
around right end for a 13-yard gain
to midfield. A late hit penalty was
called against the Gladiators on the
play, moving the ball to the Roma
35.
Two penalties nullified
substantial gains by Perez, but a
pass interference penalty on third
down gave the Rattlers an
automatic first down at the 29. On
third and 14, Rodriguez conncted
with Martinez across the middle for
a 16-yard completion to the 17, and
a personal foul penalty against
Roma on die play advanced the ball
to the 8.
On third and goal, Rodriguez
rolled to his right and drilled a pass
to Martinez in heavy traffic near the
goal line for an 11-yard scoring
reception with 5:18 remaining in
the third quarter. The extra point
attempt was wide to the left,
leaving the Rattlers with a 39-0
lead.
Three plays later, the Rattlers
sacked the quarterback and recovered
a fumble at the Roma 12. That
threat evaporated when the
Gladiators recovered an errant
pitchout at their 29.
The Rattlers reached Roma
territory once more in the third
quarter, but the threat fizzled due to
penalties.
Early in the fourth quarter, on a
first and 15 play from the Rattler
40, Joe Garcia took a handoff
through the middle, powered his
way through several would-be
tacklers and outran several defenders
down the right sideline for a 60-yard
touchdown run with 9:34 remaining
in the game.
After a penalty against Roma
nullified an unsuccessful conversion
attempt, Ortiz kicked the extra
point to boost Rio's lead to 46-0.
Later in the fourth quarter, the
Gladiators collectcd their initial first
down without benefit of a penalty.
Joe Casso connected with Eric
Maldonado near the right sideline
for a 25-yard completion to the
Rattler 38. A short time later, a
personal foul penalty against Rio
gave the Gladiators a first down at
the Rattler 25.
The drive stalled, however, after
penalties and a quarterback sack,
forcing the Gladiators to punt.
A short time later, Roma defender
Christian Navarro forced a fumble
and Rudy Salazar picked up the
loose ball and raced 15 yards for a
touchdown with 2:10 remaining in
the game. The extra point kick
failed, leaving the Rattlers with a
46-6 advantage.
The remainder of the clocked
ticked away uneventfully, giving
the Rattlers their third victory in
three games against the Gladiators
of District 30-4A.
The Rattlers stormed to victory
with a balanced offensive attack diat
achieved 470 yards of total offense,
258 yards rushing, 212 yards
passing and 14 first downs.
Senior quarterback Eric Rodriguez
had an outstanding game with 9
completions in 15 attempts for 212
yards and three touchdowns.
Martinez, who caught two of the
three scoring passes, was
Rodriguez's favorite target with
eight receptions for 192 yards,
including an 80-yard scoring bomb.
Rodriguez also threw a 20-yard
scoring pass to Horacio Bazan.
Alex Perez was the leading rusher
for the RatUers with 68 yards on 10
carries. Martinez was limited to 10
yards on four carries, but scored on
runs of 10 and three yards. Joe
Garcia's only carry went for a
60-yard scoring run in the fourdi
quarter. Eric Rodriguez and Vivian
Amador each gained 24 yards on
four and three attempts,
respectively.
The Rattlers held the Gladiators
to 74 yards of total offense and 20
yards rushing as Roma was unable
to achieve a first down without
benefit of a penalty until the fourth
quarter. Several promising Gladiator
plays were nullified by penalties,
however. The Rattler defense
limited the Gladiators to five first
downs.
Jorge Guzman was Roma's
leading rusher with 18 yards on
seven carries, and Jorge Oyervidez
gained 12 yards on three attemp s.
Quarterback Joe Casso carried eight
times, but wound up with minus
18 yards.
Casso completed 2 of 10 passes
for 43 yards, and Frankie Garza was
1 of 4 for 11 yards.
Each team was penalized 16
times, with the Rattlers being
flagged for 150 yards and the
Gladiators were charged with 132
yards of infractions.
Both offenses were also haunted
by turnovers as the Rattlers lost
four fumbles and the Gladiators
two. Ruben Chapa achieved a
fumble recovery for the Rattlers.
The Gladiators will host the
Falfurrias Jerseys on Friday night,
Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in another
non-district game.
The Rattlers, who opened the
season with a victory for the fourth
straight year, will open District
31-5A play at home Friday night at
7:30 p.m. with a crucial game
against the La Joya Coyotes. The
Rattlers will attempt to avenge a
tough 32-29 loss to the Coyotes j/
La Joya last season.
* * *
l ime is the most valualtli-
limit: a man can sp«*n«l.
♦
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• Towels and blankets, 2 for 12.00
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• Bodysuits, 2 for 10.00.
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• Washcloths and bibs, 2 for 6.00.
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Children's.
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 8, 1994, newspaper, September 8, 1994; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195461/m1/4/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.