Apaches take two from Eagles

LULING – Tuesday provided unusual circumstances for Gonzales’ Zach Perez-Clack and Luling’s Ches Elley.

Both players are offensive and defensive linemen for their football teams, but on Tuesday, both players got to experience life as skill position players. Clack played quarterback for Gonzales, who beat Luling in a pair of 7-on-7 contests – 34-14, 14-0 – Tuesday at Eagle Stadium in Luling, while Elley played outside linebacker and receiver for the Eagles.

“It was different playing quarterback,” Clack said. “I’m used to giving the snaps, not receiving them. I was a little nervous at first, but then I got into the flow of things.”

Clack actually started the first game at center as Darrance James was the starting quarterback. But following the Apaches’ opening offensive series – a three-and-out – Clack was inserted at quarterback and James moved to receiver.

The move paid off as Clack found James for a pair of passes before connecting with Cameron Smith in the endzone for the first touchdown of the contest, which gave Gonzales a 6-0 lead. Following a three-and-out on Luling’s ensuing drive, Clack hit Cecil Johnson for a second touchdown before connecting with Sam Gonzales for the two-point conversion to increase the Apaches’ lead to 14-0.

The Eagles got on the scoreboard on the next drive as Trayden Staton hit Josh Alvarez for a touchdown before hitting Keeton Coe for two to cut the Gonzales lead to 14-8. Luling forced a three-and-out on the Apaches’ next drive, and had a chance to tie the game or take the lead going into halftime.

But Johnson stepped in front of a Staton pass and returned it for a touchdown on the final play of the first half. Gonzales led 20-8 at halftime.

D.J. Gonzales intercepted Staton on the opening drive of the second half to set up a Clack-to-Coltin Russell touchdown pass. Clack then hit Darron “Petey” Hernandez for two to increase the Apaches’ lead to 28-8.

Staton kept Luling alive as he hit Alvarez and Brendan Cubit for long passes before connecting with Elley in the endzone for the Eagles’ second touchdown of the game. The conversion attempt failed as the score remained 28-14 in favor of Gonzales.

Clack fired a touchdown pass to Hernandez in the closing moments of the game for the final touchdown. Clack threw four touchdown passes in the win.

In the second game, Clack hit James and Johnson for touchdowns and also connected with Johnson for a two-pointer to give Gonzales a 14-0 lead. The game was called at halftime because of darkness.

James and Johnson both recorded interceptions in the second game as did Cubit for Luling. Elley not only enjoyed the opportunity to catch passes on Tuesday, he also enjoyed defending a one-dimensional offense.

“It was good not to have to worry about trying to stop a running back trying to break loose for a big gain,” Elley said. “I just had to worry about the receivers I was defending against.”

The Eagles are in their first year under head coach Colby Hensley, who served as the offensive coordinator under previous head coach Michael Waldie. Luling is in its second year of operating out of the spread offense.

“We’re slowly progressing into the spread, but we’re getting there,” Elley said. As we learn our routes, we’ll get better. I hope we can go far in the playoffs this season.”

While the Eagles will throw the ball more in 2012, Gonzales will stick to more of a running attack. That suits Clack just fine, even though he enjoyed playing quarterback on Tuesday.

“I prefer to snap the ball and block than to receive the snaps,” he said.