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Photos by Nicole Flowers and Andrew Coloney
November 4, 2024
Bulldogs roll Memorial, set up district title clash against Carrizo Springs
By Brady Keane
BISD Assistant Football Coach
The Bandera Prophet
The Bandera varsity football team made quick work of San Antonio Memorial on Friday night, jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first half before cruising to a 42-0 win.
The win moved the Bulldogs to 6-3 on the season and 2-1 in district play, securing a fourth consecutive playoff berth with one regular season game remaining.
Bandera didn’t waste any time setting the tone, as senior quarterback Dylan Peace connected with junior wide receiver Jeffry Thomas on a 59-yard touchdown pass early in the first quarter.
Thomas finished the night with six catches for 102 yards and three touchdowns, while sophomore running back Breydan Gherman found running lanes behind a dominant effort from the offensive line from start to finish.
Gherman had 26 carries for 201 yards and a touchdown, and senior Julian De La Paz also contributed 10 carries for 44 yards. Junior Riley Moran chipped in a 1-yard touchdown run, and sophomore quarterback Jackson Aragones had a 17-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Ruffin Scartocci in the 4th quarter as well.
“To quote Dick Vitale, 'Big time players make big time plays,’” Bandera Head Football Coach Joel Fontenot-Amedee said. “Breydan and JT are big time players for us and they definitely made big plays for us early and often.”
Peace, Thomas, Gherman and the offensive line, headlined by senior Gavin Spruell, senior Jeremy Widders, junior Logan Harman and sophomore Isaiah Coloney, paved the way for over 400 yards of total offense in a dominant showing from start to finish.
And while Bandera’s offense piled on the points, the Bulldogs' defense also turned in its most complete performance of the season while holding Memorial to just 140 total yards.
The defensive effort was led by Spruell (4 tackles, 2 TFL), senior Daylon Lee (4 tackles), and senior Josh Goff (10 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack), who anchored the front and kept Memorial’s running game in check. Roman Rigelsky had 9 tackles, Dane Barnett had 7 tackles, Jonah Klein had 6 tackles (1 TFL), Jackson Satterfield had 5 tackles and both West and Benton Cloudt finished with 4 tackles apiece.
Memorial totaled just 132 rushing yards on 36 carries, and Bandera finished with its first shutout effort since a 42-0 win over Manor New Tech in 2021.
“We played assignment football, which is the most important thing when playing an option-oriented offense,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “Our guys were very physical and played outstanding assignment football all night. We lay our hats on being physical, disciplined, and conditioned athletes.”
The Bulldogs’ playoff berth is fifth in the last six years, extending the program’s season by at least one week. The team’s opponent and playoff location information will be dependent on the results from Friday night’s games in both District 14-4A Division II and 13-4A Division II.
“Our seniors only know that the season ends with a trip to the playoffs,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “We’ve made the playoffs each season they’ve been in high school. With the rules change allowing four teams in, it’s become a bit easier over time, but it’s still a great accomplishment that’s only been done a handful of times in school history. That speaks to the hard work and dedication this group has shown.”
For now, Bandera is focused on Carrizo Springs. The Bulldogs host the Wildcats at 7 p.m., Friday night, with plenty to play for, as a share of the district championship is on the line. The last time the Bulldogs had at least a share of a district title in back-to-back years was 2008-2009.
Carrizo Springs is coming off a 30-0 win over Pearsall, and is the only remaining unbeaten team in the district. The Wildcats defeated Memorial 34-7, and beat Devine 34-16.
“We have to run the ball and stop the run,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “If we do that and are the more physical team, we’ll give ourselves a chance. Our team is fired up to be back at home with a district championship on the line. We need all the Bulldogs, past and present, to be there rooting for us from start to finish. Good, bad, or ugly, we need your support the entire game! We’ll see you there!”
The win moved the Bulldogs to 6-3 on the season and 2-1 in district play, securing a fourth consecutive playoff berth with one regular season game remaining.
Bandera didn’t waste any time setting the tone, as senior quarterback Dylan Peace connected with junior wide receiver Jeffry Thomas on a 59-yard touchdown pass early in the first quarter.
Thomas finished the night with six catches for 102 yards and three touchdowns, while sophomore running back Breydan Gherman found running lanes behind a dominant effort from the offensive line from start to finish.
Gherman had 26 carries for 201 yards and a touchdown, and senior Julian De La Paz also contributed 10 carries for 44 yards. Junior Riley Moran chipped in a 1-yard touchdown run, and sophomore quarterback Jackson Aragones had a 17-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Ruffin Scartocci in the 4th quarter as well.
“To quote Dick Vitale, 'Big time players make big time plays,’” Bandera Head Football Coach Joel Fontenot-Amedee said. “Breydan and JT are big time players for us and they definitely made big plays for us early and often.”
Peace, Thomas, Gherman and the offensive line, headlined by senior Gavin Spruell, senior Jeremy Widders, junior Logan Harman and sophomore Isaiah Coloney, paved the way for over 400 yards of total offense in a dominant showing from start to finish.
And while Bandera’s offense piled on the points, the Bulldogs' defense also turned in its most complete performance of the season while holding Memorial to just 140 total yards.
The defensive effort was led by Spruell (4 tackles, 2 TFL), senior Daylon Lee (4 tackles), and senior Josh Goff (10 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack), who anchored the front and kept Memorial’s running game in check. Roman Rigelsky had 9 tackles, Dane Barnett had 7 tackles, Jonah Klein had 6 tackles (1 TFL), Jackson Satterfield had 5 tackles and both West and Benton Cloudt finished with 4 tackles apiece.
Memorial totaled just 132 rushing yards on 36 carries, and Bandera finished with its first shutout effort since a 42-0 win over Manor New Tech in 2021.
“We played assignment football, which is the most important thing when playing an option-oriented offense,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “Our guys were very physical and played outstanding assignment football all night. We lay our hats on being physical, disciplined, and conditioned athletes.”
The Bulldogs’ playoff berth is fifth in the last six years, extending the program’s season by at least one week. The team’s opponent and playoff location information will be dependent on the results from Friday night’s games in both District 14-4A Division II and 13-4A Division II.
“Our seniors only know that the season ends with a trip to the playoffs,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “We’ve made the playoffs each season they’ve been in high school. With the rules change allowing four teams in, it’s become a bit easier over time, but it’s still a great accomplishment that’s only been done a handful of times in school history. That speaks to the hard work and dedication this group has shown.”
For now, Bandera is focused on Carrizo Springs. The Bulldogs host the Wildcats at 7 p.m., Friday night, with plenty to play for, as a share of the district championship is on the line. The last time the Bulldogs had at least a share of a district title in back-to-back years was 2008-2009.
Carrizo Springs is coming off a 30-0 win over Pearsall, and is the only remaining unbeaten team in the district. The Wildcats defeated Memorial 34-7, and beat Devine 34-16.
“We have to run the ball and stop the run,” Fontenot-Amedee said. “If we do that and are the more physical team, we’ll give ourselves a chance. Our team is fired up to be back at home with a district championship on the line. We need all the Bulldogs, past and present, to be there rooting for us from start to finish. Good, bad, or ugly, we need your support the entire game! We’ll see you there!”