FREDDY GONZALEZ | Staff Writer
CORPUS CHRISTI — Cuero’s D’Anthony Hopkins stole the show Friday night at Cabaniss Field. Rushing for 334 yards and five touchdowns, Hopkins carried Cuero into the next round of the playoffs with a 55-14 Class 4A Division II playoff victory over Rio Hondo at Cabaniss Field.
Coming into the game, the Bobcats defense had allowed just under 700 yards the entire season, but by halftime the 6-3 Cuero senior running back had already rushed for 272 yards, scoring touchdowns from 9, 64, 16, and 61 yards out.
After the break he took the first snap and went the distance on a 62-yard run, scrambling through the defense before finally out running Rio Hondo with 11:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Down 35-0 just before the half, the Bobcats put together a drive behind a 41-yard run from Alan Alfaro. Marco Garate sealed the seven-play drive with a 19-yard run to give Rio Hondo some hope with 1:14 left on the clock.
Garate would finish the game with 75 yards on 17 carries, while teammate Alfaro had a solid outing with 100 yards on 11 carries.
The Bobcats scored again with 3:46 left in the game, but by then the game was already out of reach.
The Rio Hondo defense had a tough time stopping the Gobblers offense. Cuero finished the game with a total of 440 yards on offense .
While the talk of the contest surrounded Hopkins, the Cuero defense came up with five turnovers, four of them coming off interceptions.
YOAKUM 44, RAYMONDVILLE 26: At Calallen, the Bearkats saw their season end at the hands of Yoakum. The Bearkats’ star running back Miguel Tristan scored twice, while quarterback Christopher Trevino ran for another and passed for one to receiver Frank Cantu.