Saturday, Nov. 14, 1998

Coyotes' defense feasts on Los Fresnos, 32-0

Alice advances in bi-district blowout

By JAVIER BECERRA
Staff Writer

   ALICE - Avenging last season's second-round playoff loss to Los Fresnos, Alice High School used an agressive defensive performance to shut out the District 32-4A third-place Falcons, 32-0, Friday night in a bi-district match at Memorial Stadium.
   The Coyotes, District 31-4A runners-up behind champion Calallen, improved to 9-2 and advance to the next week's area round, where they will face the winner of Friday's bi-district game between San Antonio Lanier and San Antonio Memorial. Los Fresnos goes home with an 8-3 record.
   Alice held Los Fresnos to 168 yards rushing, and thwarted the Falcons' attempts at setting up a passing game. The Coyotes chased Los Fresnos quarterback Adrian Lopez the entire game, dropping the senior for minus-26 yards rushing. Lopez completed just three of 19 pass attempts for 27 yards and two interceptions.
   Meanwhile, Alice quarterback Joe Escobar was busy leading the Coyotes' vicious offensive attack.
   Alice battered Los Fresnos' defense for 237 yards rushing, most of the yards coming after missed tackles by the Falcons. Escobar finished with 51 yards rushing on 12 carries, and completed five of eight pass attempts for 84 yards and one touchdown.
   Mike Saldivar was the Coyotes' leading rusher, gaining 105 yards on just nine carries. Saldivar scored Alice's first touchdown.
   Most of the damage was done early and quickly.
   Alice forced Los Fresnos to punt after just three plays on the game's opening possession. The Coyotes received the ball on their own 47-yard line and went to work.
   Running back Mike Saldivar gained three yards on Alice's first play before exploding for a 50-yard touchown run on the ensuing carry. Orlando Bernal's extra-point kick gave the Coyotes a 7-0 lead with 10 minutes, 12 seconds left in the first quarter.
   The Falcons were held to minus-5 yards on their next possession, and were forced to punt again after just three plays.
   Alice took possession at its own 35-yard line, but quickly moved into Los Fresnos territory on a 22-yard gain by Escobar and a 32-yard run by Saldivar.
   On first and 10 at the Falcons' 11-yard line, Bernal punched through the line for a 5-yard gain to the 6, but an illegal procedure penalty on the next play moved the Coyotes back to the original line of scrimmage.
   Saldivar then bulled his way for four yards to the Los Fresnos 7. On the next play, John Lynd took a shovel pass from Escobar around the outside and dove over defenders at the goal line for Alice's second touchdown. Bernal's extra point increased the Coyotes' lead to 14-0 with 6:43 left in the first quarter.
   Both teams were ineffective for the remainder of the first and much of the second quarter.
   Alice's stiffling defense held Los Fresnos' offense to three plays for the third straight time, and the Falcons had to again kick the ball away.
   From their Los Fresnos 49-yard line, the Coyotes moved down to the 23 in thre plays, highlighted by an 23-yard pass from Escobar to Lynd. But a penalty on a chop block and a fumble by Escobar pushed the Coyotes back to the Falcons' 43-yard line.
   Two more penalties against Alice for 15 yards and three plays put the Coyotes at the Falcons' 19, from where Bernal missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.
   An eight-play Los Fresnos drive at the start of the second period stalled at the Coyotes' 44-yard line, and the Falcons' next drive at their own 37.
   With 2:22 left in the first half, Alice took over at its own 43-yard line. A 7-yard run by Escobar and personal foul against the Falcons moved the Coyotes to the Los Fresnos 40 yard line.
   Two plays later, on third and 9 with just 50 seconds remaining before halftime, Escobar, after a short scramble, heaved a pass to the endzone into a waiting crowd of Alice receivers and Los Fresnos defenders.
   The ball ricocheted off two Falcons' defenders near the 5-yard line before landing in the waiting hands of Alice's J.P. Pruneda, who took to steps into the endzone for the touchown. The Coyotes missed the extra-point kick, but held a 20-0 lead heading into hafltime.
   Los Fresnos managed just 69 yards rushing and 27 yards passing in the first half. The Falcons didn't get a first down until two minutes into the second quarter. Falcons' running back Jose Rubio finished with 22 carries for 104 yards.
   

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