By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
PHARR — There was never a doubt.
Just as they had done during their three previous meetings with Pharr Oratory, the St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds won handily 65-8 on the road Friday against the Ocelots in the annual “Holy Bowl” matchup between the two Catholic schools.
The Bloodhounds (3-1) had won their first three games with Pharr Oratory 65-6, 63-8 and 62-0 since the “Holy Bowl” series began in 2012.
“You come into a game like this, and like I said before, we were focused on improving our game,” SJA coach Tino Villarreal said. “We still have a lot to work on and some things to tighten up before our next game against Port Isabel.
“It was a good outing for us tonight,” Villarreal added. “We did a good job passing and running the football, so we’re excited for next week.”
It figures to be a much tougher contest next Friday for SJA when the Bloodhounds play host to the undefeated Tarpons at Canales Field in their final non-district game of the season before TAPPS play begins.
But on this Friday night in Pharr, it was all about the Bloodhounds, particularly during the first quarter as SJA surged to a 44-0 lead.
Sophomore quarterback Kai Money sparked the early onslaught for SJA as he rushed for his team’s initial score and then added four touchdown passes, all before the end of the opening period.
Money darted 45 yards down the right sideline and into the end zone with just 44 seconds gone in the contest as SJA took an 8-0 lead.
It became 22-0 after Money threw scoring passes of 5 and 25 yards to wideout Bernie de la Garza within a 10-second span just a few minutes later. The second de la Garza TD catch came right after the Ocelots (0-4) fumbled the ball away on a kickoff.
Money’s third TD pass was a 7-yarder to running back Anthony Cantu with 5:19 showing in the first quarter to make it 28-0. With 4:48 left in the period, Cantu tallied on a 3-yard rushing TD for a 36-0 score.
Money’s fourth TD pass was a 62-yarder to wide receiver Gerardo Moses with 2:46 remaining in the quarter, boosting the Bloodhounds’ advantage to 44-0.
SJA led 58-0 at halftime and 65-0 going into the final quarter. The clock ran continuously beginning in the second quarter as the Bloodhounds allowed their reserves some playing time.
During the second quarter, Moses caught a 53-yard scoring pass from backup QB Carlos Esteve at the 11:02 mark of the period to make it 51-0. Cantu broke loose on a 22-yard scoring run with 4:48 left before halftime to account for the 58-0 score at intermission.
SJA’s final TD for its 65-0 lead came on a 53-yard scamper by Mikey Mar-Maxwell with 4:49 to go in the third quarter.
The Ocelots had been outscored 159-0 through their first three games this season, but they finally got on the scoreboard during the closing minute on a 20-yard pass play and a rush for the two-point conversion.