Eager to amass as much mental momentum as possible in order to begin preparing to visit conference powerhouse Monte Vista on Friday, the Ignacio Bobcats took practically every opportunity to punish Center’s ball-carriers en route to a 53-18 road win.
Ignacio improved to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in 1A South Central league play. Center fell to 0-6 overall, 0-2 in 1A South Central league play.
Starting with D.J. Hendren’s 80-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage, Ignacio piled up more than 250 yards rushing and totaled six scores on the ground. Ignacio quarterback Zane Pontine threw for 95 yards (unofficially) with two TDs and one interception.
“That was pretty important,” Ignacio running back Lincoln Dekay said. “They were definitely a lot tougher than they were last year – I think probably because it was their homecoming – and yeah … Kendrick (Nossaman), he had some pretty good hits out there.”
Three plays into the third quarter, one particular pop all but crushed Center’s prospects of making it a close game. Starting the half from Ignacio’s 35-yard line after Jordan Duran’s 37-yard kickoff return, Center immediately lost five yards when Ignacio’s Nate Hendren made a key tackle. A holding penalty then wiped out a reception by Center’s Caden Ruggles and forced the Vikings back to midfield.
Shortly after, Nossaman charged through the offensive line on second-and-long, lowered his shoulders and drove one of them right into the midsection of Vikings quarterback Jesus Valadez, fiercely sacking the signal-caller. Nossaman was flagged for a personal foul on that play, and the Bobcats were flagged for another personal foul two plays later, Ignacio held its own.
The Vikings then gambled on fourth down, firing a deep pass down the middle of the field, and Ignacio’s Cruz Martinez leapt to intercept it at his own 14. Martinez returned the pick 66 yards to the CHS 20.
“I saw him looking … and knew it was mine; I had that feeling,” Martinez said. “I’m doing what I’m taught, that’s it.”
Two D.J. Hendren runs later, the Bobcats were again in the end zone with 7:46 left in the third. Dekay also rushed for touchdowns of 9 and 29 yards before the quarter expired.
“We really want to make it to playoffs this year,” Dekay said. “We have a lot of seniors, so we want to end (for) them on a good note; making Playoffs for them would be awesome.”
