The Bandera varsity football team delivered an electrifying performance in their homecoming game on September 8, 2023, as they surged to an early lead and clinched a resounding 49-7 win over San Antonio Kennedy. The Bulldogs delighted their packed crowd at Bulldog Stadium, improving their record to a perfect 3-0 for the season.
The Bulldogs showcased excellence in all aspects of the game, and their dominance began with a stellar defensive effort right from the kickoff. Senior linebacker Jorge Cabasos led the charge with a sack that forced Kennedy into an early punt. Bandera wasted no time and orchestrated a methodical 14-play, 82-yard drive that culminated in a 6-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jesse Cardenas to senior wide receiver Corben Gonzales.
On the subsequent drive, sophomore safety Dane Barnett disrupted a pass on third down, forcing another Rockets' punt. Capitalizing on a fortuitous bad snap, the Bulldogs needed only five plays to capitalize on their field position. Cardenas scored on a 17-yard touchdown run, giving Bandera a commanding 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Bandera defense remained unyielding throughout the game, while the offense and special teams expanded their lead before halftime. Cardenas returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown, sophomore running back Juan Cabrera added a 2-yard touchdown run, and Cardenas connected with sophomore wide receiver Jeffry Thomas on a 23-yard touchdown pass. Cabrera found the end zone once more with a 7-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 42-0 with just 1:12 left in the second quarter.
Coach Fontenot-Amedee praised the team's unwavering focus, stating, "Our team was very focused. We were present. Our guys were dialed in for the entire game."
In the third quarter, the Bulldogs continued to assert their dominance, driving 62 yards in 12 plays, ultimately capped by Cabrera's 1-yard touchdown run. From that point on, Bandera comfortably cruised to victory, with Kennedy managing to score only in the game's final minute, recording a 6-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Kennedy struggled offensively, accumulating a mere 166 yards, with just 24 yards through the air. Bandera's defense held Kennedy to an 0-9 record on third down conversions, and the Rockets were unsuccessful on both of their fourth-down attempts.
Dane Barnett emerged as a standout in the Bulldogs' secondary, contributing five tackles, a pass breakup, and an interception. Senior Daniel Freeman added nine tackles and a tackle for loss, Jorge Cabasos recorded seven tackles (including two tackles for loss) and a sack, and Eric Straeter tallied five tackles (including 0.5 for loss).
On the offensive side, Bandera amassed 354 total yards, with Cabrera shouldering the workload by accumulating 170 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. Cardenas contributed 32 passing yards and two touchdowns, along with 89 rushing yards and one touchdown, while Julian De La Paz added 38 rushing yards.
Fontenot-Amedee noted, "We were physical up front. The game is usually won in the trenches where the big boys play, and Friday was no exception."
Looking ahead, the Bandera Bulldogs will embark on a series of away games, facing off against Cole next Friday night and then traveling to Hondo on Friday, September 22. District 14-4A Division II play is set to commence on Friday, October 13, against the Pearsall Mavericks.
JV Bulldogs remain undefeated with win over Kennedy
The Bandera JV football team bounced back from a tie last week in Cotulla by knocking off Kennedy 33-14 Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium in San Antonio.
The Bulldogs got a quick defensive stop to open the game thanks to a big tackle for loss from freshman Breydan Gherman, and the Bandera offense took advantage of the good field position by quickly moving into scoring range and taking a 6-0 lead on a 22-yard touchdown pass from freshman Dalton Parks to freshman Ruffin Scartocci.
A third down sack from Caleb Tippit on the Rockets’ ensuing offensive possession forced a punt, and the Bulldogs drove a full 90 yards into the red zone before stalling out. Fortunately, a quick interception from junior Daylon Lee set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Gherman, and Parks added the 2-point conversion to make it 14-0.
Kennedy climbed back into the game with a 52-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, but Gherman returned the kickoff 84 yards for another Bandera touchdown to make it 21-8 at the half.
Freshman Jackson Aragones had an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to help build the Bandera lead, and Gherman returned another kickoff into scoring range. The Bulldogs added their final score on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Parks to sophomore Riley Moran, and the defense continued to hold Kennedy in check. Sophomore Beto Rodrigues had an interception late in the fourth to help close out the victory.
Parks finished 10-of-16 passing for 172 yards and two touchdowns while adding five carries for 34 yards in the run game. Moran had 10 carries for 107 yards and Gherman had 10 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown to pace the run game. Nine different Bandera players caught a pass from Parks: Caleb Tippit (1-40), Chazz Embry (1-24), Jaymin Klein (2-17), Riley Moran (1-9, TD), Logan Spangler (1-17), Breydan Gherman (1-5), James Goldberg (1-29) and Ruffin Scartocci (1-22, TD).
Defensive leaders included Caleb Tippit, Jonah Klein and Matthew Wilkinson. Bandera held the Rockets to just 13 yards rushing and 163 total yards.
The JV Bulldogs are now 2-0-1 on the season and will return to action on Thursday back at Bulldog Stadium against Cole, with kickoff set for 5:30 pm.
