Indians stifle Cole, gear up for bi-district




Jourdanton’s Duell Arnold (40), Logan Huereca (22) and Miguel Galindo (9) gang up for a tackle during the win against Cole on Nov. 9. JOE DAVID CORDOVA | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Jourdanton’s Duell Arnold (40), Logan Huereca (22) and Miguel Galindo (9) gang up for a tackle during the win against Cole on Nov. 9. JOE DAVID CORDOVA | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Jourdanton’s football team had one of its best defensive performances in a 21-8 win at San Antonio Cole on Nov. 9 to take second in District 15 3A-I, its highest district finish in five years.

“I’m really proud of our defensive performance tonight. That’s what we’re capable of and that’s what we need to do in order to succeed in the playoffs,” said Jourdanton head coach Darrell Andrus.

The Indians (8-2) intercepted three passes and totaled five sacks in the game.

“They were wreaking havoc all night,” coach Andrus said of his defensive linemen. “[Evan] Lambert came in a new package and played well.”

One play after Lambert sacked Cole’s quarterback, Jarel Lilly intercepted a pass and returned it 39 yards to near midfield.

Payton Gonzales intercepted a pass late in the first quarter. Jourdanton finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cole Andrus to Jarel Lilly. With 2:30 left in the half, Sean Biscaino returned an interception for a touchdown.

On the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Nick Cordova ran 51 yards. However, Jourdanton was unable to sustain the drive.

On the third play of the fourth quarter, Cole (8-2) had the ball on Jourdanton’s 30-yard line and Jourdanton’s Emmanuel Lugo earned a sack on fourth down.

Jourdanton moved steadily down the field on the following drive, aided by two pass interference penalties committed by Cole. A pass into the end zone bounced off Lilly’s hands and then he caught it to give the Indians a 21-0 lead midway through the final frame. Lilly has three games with multiple touchdown catches.

“They single-covered him. That’s going to cause problems for people,” coach Andrus said.

The Cougars answered immediately with a 76- yard touchdown pass. They reached the Indians’ 12-yard line in the last two minutes, but Derek Jenschke and Logan Huereca earned sacks on second and fourth down to stop them.

This was the fourth game of the season in which Jourdanton held an opponent to fewer than 10 points.

After finishing the regular season with four straight wins, Jourdanton will head to Flour Bluff on Nov. 17 to play San Diego (8-2) in its bi-district playoffgamewitha2p.m. kickoff. Jourdanton has scored 32.3 points per game while San Diego has allowed 6.9 per game. San Diego’s 24-0 win against Mathis on Nov. 9 was its fourth shutout of the season and seventh in which it held a team to 10 or fewer points. San Diego has scored 27.6 points per game while Jourdanton has allowed 18.3 per game.

The Indians are looking for their first playoff win in five years while the Vaqueros seek their first in four years.

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