Poteet not ready for dream to end




Poteet’s Ernest Davila (12) rushes in for a touchdown after a block by his brother, Eric Treviño (2). The duo has combined for 24 touchdowns this season for the Poteet Aggies. AIDAN DENSON | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Poteet’s Ernest Davila (12) rushes in for a touchdown after a block by his brother, Eric Treviño (2). The duo has combined for 24 touchdowns this season for the Poteet Aggies. AIDAN DENSON | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

For Poteet senior offensive lineman Seth Ritchey, Friday’s playoff-clinching win over Pearsall was almost dream-like.

Ritchey said he woke up the next morning expecting to have to come to grips with his high school football career being over instead of being a part of the first playoff team for the Aggies since 2016.

Only, it wasn’t a dream and the Aggies want to keep that feeling alive as long as they can.

“Anytime you get a chance to extend your season, it’s a great thing,” head coach Darby House said, adding that was the top goal for his Aggies this season. “On the list, that’s one thing we get to check off. We’re excited about it, our kids are excited about it, the town’s excited. It’s an opportunity to keep playing football. Once you’re in, you never know what’s gonna happen.”

The Aggies’ win and losses by Carrizo Springs and Crystal City shored up the no. 3-seed in 14-4A DII for Poteet. That put them on a collision course with a tradition-rich Wimberley team and a program the Aggies have never faced before.

That’s probably the biggest weapon of belief for Poteet, House said, meaning the team can’t let past results hinder their mentality entering the matchup.

Three years ago, when the Ag- gies drew a stout Geronimo Navarro team, that’s what did Poteet in, said Ritchey, who traveled with the Aggies to the playoffs three years ago.

“Since we don’t know them, we can go in not being afraid,” Ritchey continued. “Like in 2016 when we played Navarro, everyone knew Navarro was gonna win. So, we went in scared. Since we haven’t faced Wimberley, we can go in there not being scared.”

The Aggies’ rushing attack has been the proverbial unstoppable force this season behind a two-headed attack of senior Eric Treviño and sophomore Ernest Davila. The duo has combined for 2,388 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns this season.

Ritchey and the offensive line take great pride in setting the tone for Poteet’s elusive backs.

“Like our lineman coach, coach [Martin] Alvarez says, ‘Be the constant,’” Ritchey said. “When we go out there and things aren’t going our way, we know we can be the constant.”

But Poteet’s defense has hit their stride over the last two weeks as well. They’ve held their last three opponents to an average of 238 yards per game and an average of 10.5 points.

They’ve done that with six sophomore starters.

“We’ve got a great group of young guys on that defense,” House said. “It took time for them to believe. It took time for them to learn the level, learn the speed. You saw glimpses of it all year, but we just kept giving up those big plays. After that Hondo game, we gave up those three big plays and kind of settled down. We’ve played a lot better, a lot more sound. We’re playing with a lot more confidence on defense.”

Poteet and Wimberley square off at 7:30 p.m. at San Antonio Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday.

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