Apaches drub Rockport-Fulton to move to 2-0

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GONZALES — All three units of the Gonzales Apaches had tremendous games Friday night as the team took down the Rockport-Fulton Pirates, 42-14, to move to 2-0 in district.

Offensively, defensively and on special teams, the Apaches dominated and it showed, with Gonzales taking the lead in the first quarter and never relinquishing it.

Head coach Kodi Crane talked about execution being a key factor for the Apaches and after their win, he credited his squad for their efforts and their execution.

“Whenever we had a bad play, it never turned to two bad plays,” Crane said. “We got refocused on the next play and they went an executed it. That football team is a good football team, I guarantee you. Our kids did a great job of hustling, [being] physical, knowing their assignments and executing their assignments. I’ve never been more proud.”

Despite an early three-and-out, the Apaches were able to drive the ball for 87 yards on their second possession of the game under the legs of quarterback Brant Philippus and running back Alyas Ramirez for a touchdown.

Key plays such as a read-option keep from Philippus, getting him 43 yards on the rush and a big fourth-and-one play where Ramirez rushed for five yards to get the first down helped the drive get down to the goal line where Ramirez punched it in from one yard out for the touchdown. The drive killed a little less than four minutes of game clock.

In their next possession, Philippus found Darrance James after a double move by the senior wide receiver got him open, for 49 yards and a touchdown to go up 14-0.

While the offense was firing on all cylinders, the Apaches defense stepped up and made it difficult on the Pirates to gain any yards.

One of the key reasons for that, Crane said, was the tweaks in schemes the coaches made on that side of the ball, especially with the safeties.

“Blake Cox, [Zach] Akers, Colby Cantu and Grayson Meredith, those guys did a great job because the key to stopping this offense is with those guys,” he said. “So we tweaked it a little bit and they executed our game plan very well.”

On the offensive side of the ball, the Apaches were able to get multiple touches to different skill players, with Jaime Tellez gaining huge yardage while breaking tackles, Philippus getting first downs through his rushing and his passing and even later in the game with the second-team unit scoring a touchdown via a goal line run by Tyler Wells.

“Defend the field baby, you got to defend the field,” Crane said of the Apaches’ offense. “We got more playmakers that we got to continue to get involved. But if we force them to defend the field, then that opens our offense totally up.”

As for the second-team squad that got some playing time on the Apaches final drive where they were attempting to kill time, Crane touted their effectiveness in the offense, and their ability to get in the end zone.

“Those guys aren’t on our first team, but they bust their butt every day,” he said. “They took the ball from the [25-yard line] and went right down [Rockport-Fulton’s] throat and finished it with a touchdown. I don’t care who is in the game. We’re looking for execution and that’s what we do and I’m very proud of them.”

The Apaches (2-0) will need this and more to take on a La Vernia (2-0) team that many pundits during the preseason picked to win the district. That game is this Friday at La Vernia, with a scheduled kickoff start at 7:30 p.m.


District 15-4A DI

W L
La Vernia 2 0
Gonzales 2 0
Beeville Jones 1 1
Pleasanton 1 1
Rockport-Fulton 0 2
Robstown 0 2

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