(San Benito News/Ray Quiroga)
By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
HARLINGEN, TX—The offensive and defensive talents of the Rio Hondo Bobcats continued to be on full display from the regular season to the playoffs.
It was the London Pirates (5-7 record) who now fell victim to the Bobcats by a whopping 52-20 score in a Class 3A bi-district game last Friday at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen.
Rio Hondo (9-2) moves on to the area round against the Universal City Randolph Rohawks (9-2) in a game that will be played at Tulosa Midway High School Friday at 7 p.m.
One would have to go back to September when the Bobcats last trailed in a game. Unlike that district contest against Bishop that ended in a loss, this time Rio Hondo responded ferociously.
“Well, when you scout (next opponent), you look at how you match up against their guys at all positions. When you finally play them and everything you worked on all week works out perfectly then as a coach you extremely happy,” Rio Hondo Coach Rocky James said. “When you have a dominating performance at Boggus Stadium in front of a big home crowd it’s even sweeter.”
After London scored on a long pass play of 35 yards in the opening quarter, Rio Hondo responded with five scores before halftime.
Bobcat senior quarterback Ruben Atkinson was in on three of the scoring plays, including touchdown runs of two and threeyards, and a pass to senior Keyan Lopez of 45 yards.
Sophomore running back Mario Lopez sprinkled in a 15-yard run for good measure.
But if there was a play that cemented the Bobcats’ dominance, it was a Rene Farias 72-yard interception return on the final play of the second quarter. The defensive stand dashed any hopes this Pirates had to threaten the Bobcats’ lead. With senior kicker Leo Quezada’s five point after attempts, Rio Hondo had a 35-6 advantage.
“It was a great play by Rene; that play put them away with no time on the clock and we got seven (more) points,” James said. “That was the play of the night for sure.”
Rio Hondo continued its reign over London through a Quezada field goal and a Lopez run play for a 45-6 third quarter lead.
The Pirates scored two meaningless touchdowns, and in between the Bobcats’ Lopez found the end zone once more.
For Rio Hondo, Atkinson threw for 148 yards on 13-of-21 completions.
Sophomore Emmanuel Perez had five receptions for 97 yards. Senior Nathaniel Sosa had six catches for 35 yards.
Lopez rushed for 180 yards on 27 carries. His longest gain was 40 yards.
Atkinson added 105 running yards, his longest a 60-yard play.
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