By MARK MOLINA, Staff Writer
CORPUS CHRISTI — The Rio Hondo Bobcats knew what to expect from the Geronimo Navarro Slot-T, but even then, they still had no answers.
The Panthers got whatever they wanted on the ground during the first half and pounded the Bobcats into submission as they rolled to a 42-13 Class 4A Division II area-round win Friday night at Corpus Christi’s Buc Stadium.
The Panthers posted 295 yards on the ground in the first half and scored four touchdowns on four possessions (three on the ground), led by Johnny Alegria, who found the end zone three times during the first two quarters.
“It was a rough first half, going down 28-0,” Rio Hondo coach Rocky James said. “We had some really good plays defensively, but we couldn’t get off the field. Navarro had third-and-long and fourth-and-long, and was getting the first downs. There is really nothing we can do about those.”
The Panthers move on to the third round, and the Bobcats will end their season in the area round for the third straight year. Narro also eliminated Rio Hondo in Round 2 with a 71-44 rout in 2017.
Alegria opened the game by scoring on a 24-yard run to cap off a seven-play, 75-yard drive that put Navarro up 7-0 with 9:42 to play in the quarter.
After Euler De Leon made it 14-0 late in the first quarter on a 9-yard rushing score, Alegria continued to dominate on the next drive with a 77-yard touchdown on a third-and-8 to make it 21-0 early in the second quarter.
Rio Hondo mounted its best drive of the half, covering 45 yards in 10 plays, but a fourth-down rush by quarterback Matthew Trevino was stuffed at the Panthers’ 7.
Navarro tacked on another score seven plays later with on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Nick Billings to Alegria to make it 28-0 with seconds to play during the first half.
Navarro racked up 341 yards in the half, all of it on the ground, save for the long touchdown pass.
The Bobcats scored on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Trevino by Tomas Arredondo to make it 28-6 after a missed point-after attempt.
Rio Hondo forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing possession and was on the move again, but Trevino was intercepted by Navarro defensive back Sam Muniga on the goal line.
“I had to work on some schemes because Navarro blitzed the whole game,” Trevino said. “In the second half, we made that adjustment and we at least put up some points. On that score, I was 100 percent confident in my team and I knew we would go out there and make a play. On that interception, I saw an opening and overthrew it a bit. Right there, it really turned for me.”
That pick set up 1-yard Jean Sims TD run 16 plays later to extend the lead to 35-6.
“We came out and played a way better second half,” James said. “We got our stops defensively and (turned over Navarro on downs twice). We threw a pick down there and we were driving, down 28-13. That was our one shot to turn the tide. We could’ve made it 28-21 — you never know what could’ve happened.”
Rio Hondo received a 24-yard touchdown run from Ismael Rodriguez, but Navarro answered with a score and used the ground game to kill the clock.
Trevino threw for 143 yards and one score to lead the Bobcats. Ethan Jeradiah rushed for 34 yards and left the game with an injury late in the fourth.
Navarro rushed for 491 yards and posted 537 in total.