This Bandera Bulldogs News And Photo Gallery
Are Brought To You By:
|
|
Download & Print
Bandera Versus Comfort - Varsity
Bandera Versus Comfort - JuniorVarsity
Photos by Lisa Gherman
August 21, 2023
Bulldogs set to open regular season in Poteet
By Brady Keane
BISD Assistant Football Coach
The Bandera Prophet
With a total of three controlled scrimmages now in the books, the Bandera varsity football team is set to officially open the 2023 season on the road Friday night against Poteet.
After advancing to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since 2008-2009, Bandera is confident in the work the program has put in with hopes of starting the year on a strong note.
“We have a group of seniors who have put a lot of time in the program over the years and especially this off-season,” Athletic Director and Head Football coach Joel Fontenot-Amedee said. “Those guys really have a great opportunity to benefit from the work they’ve put in this year and set an example for our younger classes on how hard work pays off.”
The Bulldogs showed a lot of improvement in the passing game over the course of the last week and found success through the air in Thursday’s scrimmage against Comfort, when senior quarterback Jesse Cardenas completed 12-of-16 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore wide receiver Jeffry Thomas hauled in seven passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, senior Corben Gonzales had three catches for 33 yards and junior Ibraham MacNeil had three catches for 32 yards to lead the Bulldogs on the perimeter.
The Bulldogs also rushed for 156 yards on 22 carries against the Bobcats, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, with Cardenas (7 carries, 67 yards) and sophomore Juan Cabrera (10 carries, 38 yards) pacing the ground game. Freshman Breydan Gherman had a 6-yard rushing touchdown while working with the second-team offense in the controlled portion of the scrimmage.
“Our quarterback made a lot of good decisions with the football,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “At times, we did some good things in the run game. Ultimately, this week at Poteet, everything has to get a little bit better to come away with a victory.”
After shutting out Natalia and Ingram defensively in the first preseason scrimmage, the Bulldogs’ defense struggled at times against Comfort’s Slot-T run game. But Bandera still showed an ability to get off the field consistently on third down behind the play of inside linebackers Jorge Cabasos and Eric Straeter, something the Bulldogs hope to continue into Friday night’s game against Poteet.
“Third downs are our big ‘money downs’,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “We did a pretty good job of executing and getting off the field on third downs. We do have to improve on tackling, and I think we’ve got a solution in place to help us get better for this week’s game.”
Poteet comes in having scrimmaged against Edna and Gonzales. The Aggies bring a physical attack on both sides and have advanced to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons while posting a winning record in three straight years.
The Aggies’ top weapons include senior linebacker/running back Seth Dunn and junior wide receiver Broox Avelar. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., Friday, in Poteet.
“They’ve got a very unique offensive system,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “They are physical up front on both sides of the ball. They don’t have a lot of returners, but the ones they do have are very good football players. It should be a great matchup in Week 1.”
JV Football
The Bandera JV football team shined offensively and made a handful of big plays on the defensive side as well while putting the finishing touches on preparations for the 2023 season Thursday against Comfort.
Freshman quarterback Dalton Parks was efficient in leading the Bulldogs’ offense down the field, and Parks punched in the first touchdown of the scrimmage on a 3-yard run to the right corner of the end zone after a long run from Breydan Gherman and a big catch from James Goldberg. Sophomore Dane Barnett set up the Bulldogs’ second touchdown with a 49-yard run and then punched it in one play later from a yard away.
Defensively, Bandera was led by inside linebackers Riley Moran and Caleb Tippit. The Bulldogs also forced and recovered a pair of fumbles, with freshman Jackson Aragones coming up with one and freshman Wakely Price recovering another.
The JV Bulldogs will look to build on a pair of strong showings in scrimmage sessions as they open the season Thursday night, at 5:30 p.m., against Poteet.
After advancing to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since 2008-2009, Bandera is confident in the work the program has put in with hopes of starting the year on a strong note.
“We have a group of seniors who have put a lot of time in the program over the years and especially this off-season,” Athletic Director and Head Football coach Joel Fontenot-Amedee said. “Those guys really have a great opportunity to benefit from the work they’ve put in this year and set an example for our younger classes on how hard work pays off.”
The Bulldogs showed a lot of improvement in the passing game over the course of the last week and found success through the air in Thursday’s scrimmage against Comfort, when senior quarterback Jesse Cardenas completed 12-of-16 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore wide receiver Jeffry Thomas hauled in seven passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, senior Corben Gonzales had three catches for 33 yards and junior Ibraham MacNeil had three catches for 32 yards to lead the Bulldogs on the perimeter.
The Bulldogs also rushed for 156 yards on 22 carries against the Bobcats, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, with Cardenas (7 carries, 67 yards) and sophomore Juan Cabrera (10 carries, 38 yards) pacing the ground game. Freshman Breydan Gherman had a 6-yard rushing touchdown while working with the second-team offense in the controlled portion of the scrimmage.
“Our quarterback made a lot of good decisions with the football,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “At times, we did some good things in the run game. Ultimately, this week at Poteet, everything has to get a little bit better to come away with a victory.”
After shutting out Natalia and Ingram defensively in the first preseason scrimmage, the Bulldogs’ defense struggled at times against Comfort’s Slot-T run game. But Bandera still showed an ability to get off the field consistently on third down behind the play of inside linebackers Jorge Cabasos and Eric Straeter, something the Bulldogs hope to continue into Friday night’s game against Poteet.
“Third downs are our big ‘money downs’,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “We did a pretty good job of executing and getting off the field on third downs. We do have to improve on tackling, and I think we’ve got a solution in place to help us get better for this week’s game.”
Poteet comes in having scrimmaged against Edna and Gonzales. The Aggies bring a physical attack on both sides and have advanced to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons while posting a winning record in three straight years.
The Aggies’ top weapons include senior linebacker/running back Seth Dunn and junior wide receiver Broox Avelar. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., Friday, in Poteet.
“They’ve got a very unique offensive system,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “They are physical up front on both sides of the ball. They don’t have a lot of returners, but the ones they do have are very good football players. It should be a great matchup in Week 1.”
JV Football
The Bandera JV football team shined offensively and made a handful of big plays on the defensive side as well while putting the finishing touches on preparations for the 2023 season Thursday against Comfort.
Freshman quarterback Dalton Parks was efficient in leading the Bulldogs’ offense down the field, and Parks punched in the first touchdown of the scrimmage on a 3-yard run to the right corner of the end zone after a long run from Breydan Gherman and a big catch from James Goldberg. Sophomore Dane Barnett set up the Bulldogs’ second touchdown with a 49-yard run and then punched it in one play later from a yard away.
Defensively, Bandera was led by inside linebackers Riley Moran and Caleb Tippit. The Bulldogs also forced and recovered a pair of fumbles, with freshman Jackson Aragones coming up with one and freshman Wakely Price recovering another.
The JV Bulldogs will look to build on a pair of strong showings in scrimmage sessions as they open the season Thursday night, at 5:30 p.m., against Poteet.