Pasadena Citizen - Sports
Rayburn belts Pasadena 21-7
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| Five Pasadena defenders swallow up Rayburn's Jay Randolph (10) during first-half action Saturday in the 45th meeting between the two rivals. Randolph had a hand in two second-quarter scores and that was all the Texans defense needed in getting a badly-needed W. |
By ROBERT AVERY
For three plays in the space of a couple of minutes, Sam Rayburn’s struggling offense had the quick-strike characteristics of Pearland’s, the running attack of Memorial’s and the passing game of Deer Park.
Put all those ingredients together and the Texans were celebrating something they haven’t been able to celebrate in a very long time – a district win.
Jay Randolph scored on a 51-yard touchdown run and set up a second Texans touchdown moments later with a 29-yard scamper in helping Sam Rayburn snap a 13-game district losing streak with a 21-7 District 22-5A win over Pasadena at Newcomb Field Saturday afternoon.
With Christian Abarca delivering the knockout punch on a 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, the Texans took the Pasadena Pride Bowl Trophy away from the Eagles and gave the program its first district win since the 2006 season finale.
“It feels good for the coaching staff. I’m so proud of the kids and the effort they gave,” Sam Rayburn head coach Chris Bussey said, whose club finishes the year overall at 2-7. “It’s been a long year, but those kids never gave up, they never quit coming to practice every day. I was proud they got to enjoy some success today.”
With the win, Sam Rayburn cut into Pasadena’s lead in the long-running series. The Eagles now lead the series 23-19-3.
Pasadena won the statistics battle, finishing with a 268-201 edge, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles suffered just its second winless district campaign in the last 20 years, going 0-7.
Pasadena has only itself to blame, losing two fumbles and committing numerous costly personal foul penalties that either gave Rayburn a new lease on life or took away positive moments.
The costliest penalty of the afternoon came late in the first half when Sam Rayburn was headed for a punt situation after a pass play went for negative yardage. But on the play, the Eagles were slapped with a 15-yard personal foul call and the Texans had a new set of downs.
On the very next play, Randolph, who finished with 105 yards on 12 carries, roared up the middle, found wide-open spaces in the Eagles secondary and motored untouched for his 51-yard score.
“We felt like if we could get him through the front line, we knew he had the speed to run a little bit and get a long one,” Bussey said, also noting that Pasadena had brought its safeties up.
Rayburn’s defense complimented that with a three-and-out series and the Texans got the ball back with 61 seconds to play in the half. Not content with a 7-0 halftime lead, Randolph promptly ate up 29 yards, before sophomore quarterback Augustine Velasquez hit Frank Hernandez with a pretty 27-yard touchdown pass.
That’s all Rayburn’s defense would need on this sun-splashed day. Pasadena only managed 93 total first-half yards. The Eagles failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity in the first quarter when the Texans had to eat a punt attempt, giving the ball to Pasadena on Rayburn’s 36, but the drive went nowhere. On the first play, receiver Joseph Macias dropped a sure touchdown pass.
“Our defense kept us in the game early when the offense was a little shaky,” Bussey said.
Eighty of Pasadena’s 268 total yards came during its one scoring drive. The team marched 75 yards in 13 plays, scoring with 2:40 to play in the third. Juan Merino, who had 75 yards on 19 carries, scored from a yard out. Quarterback Damon Ojeda hit three different receivers for 34 yards as for once everything clicked. Ojeda contributed a great run by bouncing off a pile at the line of scrimmage and picking up 18 yards.
But overall, Rayburn’s defense did do a good job, so good Pasadena recorded 11 plays that went for negative yardage.
“Our defense played unbelievable. It was a terrific effort,” Bussey said, complimenting the likes of Andrew Estupinan, John Torres and Matt Cook.
Put all those ingredients together and the Texans were celebrating something they haven’t been able to celebrate in a very long time – a district win.
Jay Randolph scored on a 51-yard touchdown run and set up a second Texans touchdown moments later with a 29-yard scamper in helping Sam Rayburn snap a 13-game district losing streak with a 21-7 District 22-5A win over Pasadena at Newcomb Field Saturday afternoon.
With Christian Abarca delivering the knockout punch on a 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, the Texans took the Pasadena Pride Bowl Trophy away from the Eagles and gave the program its first district win since the 2006 season finale.
“It feels good for the coaching staff. I’m so proud of the kids and the effort they gave,” Sam Rayburn head coach Chris Bussey said, whose club finishes the year overall at 2-7. “It’s been a long year, but those kids never gave up, they never quit coming to practice every day. I was proud they got to enjoy some success today.”
With the win, Sam Rayburn cut into Pasadena’s lead in the long-running series. The Eagles now lead the series 23-19-3.
Pasadena won the statistics battle, finishing with a 268-201 edge, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles suffered just its second winless district campaign in the last 20 years, going 0-7.
Pasadena has only itself to blame, losing two fumbles and committing numerous costly personal foul penalties that either gave Rayburn a new lease on life or took away positive moments.
The costliest penalty of the afternoon came late in the first half when Sam Rayburn was headed for a punt situation after a pass play went for negative yardage. But on the play, the Eagles were slapped with a 15-yard personal foul call and the Texans had a new set of downs.
On the very next play, Randolph, who finished with 105 yards on 12 carries, roared up the middle, found wide-open spaces in the Eagles secondary and motored untouched for his 51-yard score.
“We felt like if we could get him through the front line, we knew he had the speed to run a little bit and get a long one,” Bussey said, also noting that Pasadena had brought its safeties up.
Rayburn’s defense complimented that with a three-and-out series and the Texans got the ball back with 61 seconds to play in the half. Not content with a 7-0 halftime lead, Randolph promptly ate up 29 yards, before sophomore quarterback Augustine Velasquez hit Frank Hernandez with a pretty 27-yard touchdown pass.
That’s all Rayburn’s defense would need on this sun-splashed day. Pasadena only managed 93 total first-half yards. The Eagles failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity in the first quarter when the Texans had to eat a punt attempt, giving the ball to Pasadena on Rayburn’s 36, but the drive went nowhere. On the first play, receiver Joseph Macias dropped a sure touchdown pass.
“Our defense kept us in the game early when the offense was a little shaky,” Bussey said.
Eighty of Pasadena’s 268 total yards came during its one scoring drive. The team marched 75 yards in 13 plays, scoring with 2:40 to play in the third. Juan Merino, who had 75 yards on 19 carries, scored from a yard out. Quarterback Damon Ojeda hit three different receivers for 34 yards as for once everything clicked. Ojeda contributed a great run by bouncing off a pile at the line of scrimmage and picking up 18 yards.
But overall, Rayburn’s defense did do a good job, so good Pasadena recorded 11 plays that went for negative yardage.
“Our defense played unbelievable. It was a terrific effort,” Bussey said, complimenting the likes of Andrew Estupinan, John Torres and Matt Cook.
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