DONNA — Salvador Rodriguez stood up with his camera rolling as his son Rodrigo pulled down a one-handed catch in stride and took it the distance for Donna North.
Everyone was on their feet cheering for the wide receiver. And when he scored, the fans chanted his name.
“I’m just so proud of him,” Salvador said. “It was awesome, scary and he caught it.”
Rodrigo caught the pass from Brandon Escobar at nearly mid field to convert the 65-yard touchdown.
A defender was on his side as he tucked in the football with his left hand and turned on his jets to get past multiple defenders to find the end zone.
The touchdown was an answer to the Grulla’s first touchdown on their first possession, and Donna North’s botched field goal attempt after Rodriguez’s score would leave the home team trailing 7-6.
Donna North didn’t quite have enough answers as the Chiefs fell at home to Grulla, 33-12.
“I was really excited for Rigo,” Donna North head coach Joe Marichalar said. “I was proud of him and we wanted to get to him early.”
“He did his thing, and that is what he does, make plays,” Marichalar said.
Donna North would find the end zone one more time in the fourth quarter with another touchdown pass, this time with a pass to Rey Dena.
The two teams came into the match looking for their first win of the season.
For the home team, the loss continued their losing streak since ending their 0-10 season last year.
Donna North (0-2) will meet Valley View (1-1) next week before heading into district play in Division 31-6A. Grulla will travel to Bulldog Stadium to take on Orange Grove.
Going into halftime, the Gators held on to a 14-6 lead
Donna North would go on to allow three more Grulla touchdowns in the second half.
Throughout the contest, the Gators were able to convert on multiple third and fourth down conversions to keep moving the chains using their running game.
Gators quarterback TJ Trujillo attacked the Donna North defense with a one-two punch through the air and on the ground. Trujillo finished the night with three touchdown passes, two to Jesse Garza and one to Santiago Sifuentes.
Sifuentes also gained 38 yards receiving while teammates Vidal Lopez and Jonathan Huerta gained 52 and 59 yards rushing, respectively.