There are moments in football when the scoreboard doesn't tell the entire story. Friday night was one of those moments.
We welcomed the Devine Warhorses, the top team in our district, to Walter Joyce Stadium on Oct. 23. We knew the challenge in front of us. We knew the type of football team we were facing. But we also knew something else.
We weren't preparing to simply keep the game close. We were preparing to WIN.
Although the final result wasn't what we wanted, I couldn't be more proud of the effort, energy, enthusiasm, and relentless fight our young men displayed throughout the night. Our kids didn't flinch. They didn't back down. They continued to compete, believe, and battle for one another. And that's something worth recognizing.
FRIDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS
Offensively, we produced 371 total yards, including 220 yards through the air and 151 yards on the ground. We found ways to move the football, create explosive plays, and put points on the board in each of the first three quarters.
Several young men delivered impactful performances:
#3 Weston Jackson led our offense with an outstanding performance, completing 14 of 22 passes for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 105 rushing yards and another touchdown. That's 325 total offensive yards and 3 touchdowns from our senior quarterback! Weston also contributed defensively with an interception.
#2 Jaad Aguilera delivered an explosive performance with 3 receptions for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 74-yard reception. His ability to create big plays gave our offense tremendous momentum.
#1 Angel De La Rosa continued to demonstrate his toughness on both sides of the football, rushing for 46 yards, adding 3 receptions, and contributing 5.5 tackles and a tackle for loss defensively.
#6 Jase Garza contributed 4 receptions for 47 yards, providing another dependable target in our passing game.
#22 Jagger Valdez made his presence felt on both sides of the football with 3 receptions for 41 yards and 4 tackles defensively.
#33 Ethan Elizondo contributed a 25-yard reception while continuing to battle defensively with 2 tackles.
#0 Alfredo Cantu recorded a quarterback sack, helping create pressure defensively.
#11 Anthony Stewart added 3 tackles and continued to compete with physicality and effort.
These are just a few of the young men whose production stood out statistically. But I also want to recognize our offensive line, our defensive unit, our special teams, and every player who contributed to Friday night's effort.
One of the things I've continued to reflect on throughout this season is just how far this program has come.
We're not interested in being another name on somebody's schedule. We're not interested in simply showing up, keeping things competitive, and calling that a success.
We want MORE. We expect MORE. And we're going to continue fighting for MORE.
That doesn't mean we ignore the scoreboard. We understand that winning matters. We understand that execution matters. We understand that finishing football games matters.
But I also believe that building a winning program requires developing young men who refuse to quit when things get hard. Young men who respond to adversity with positive posture. Young men who continue to show up for one another when circumstances aren't going their way.
That's what I'm seeing from our kids, and that's why I continue to believe so strongly in what we're building.
With two games remaining in our season, our message to our players this week is simple:
OUR FOCUS: STAY DANGEROUS
We're not shutting things down. We're not going through the motions. And we're certainly not going to allow our circumstances to dictate our standards. We're going to continue showing up with purpose, preparing with passion, and competing with confidence.
Thank you for believing in our kids and staying strong alongside us through this journey.
Final Score:
Lytle - 21
Devine - 55
We are back on the road this Friday, Oct. 30, at Jourdanton. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.