The San Saba Armadillos came up short Friday night, at home, against the Junction Eagles, falling 20-6 in their second game of the season. The loss drops the Armadillos to 1-1 on the year.
The game opened with a strong defensive stand by San Saba, forcing the Eagles into a quick three-and-out. That momentum carried over into the Armadillos’ first offensive series, capped off by an explosive 68-yard touchdown run from Jason Everett. After a blocked extra point attempt by Brandon Gonzales, San Saba led 6-0. The Armadillo defense continued to shine throughout the first quarter, keeping Junction off the board.
It wasn’t until midway through the second quarter that the Eagles broke through with a touchdown and successful extra point, edging ahead 7-6. The Armadillos responded with several promising runs from Luke Tharp, but despite driving the ball deep into Junction territory, they couldn’t convert. The defense closed out the half with another strong stand, keeping the score 7-6 at halftime.
The second half, however, belonged to the Eagles. Junction added a touchdown in the third quarter and another in the fourth, pulling away for the 20-6 victory.
Offensively, San Saba was led by Tharp, who carried the ball 16 times for 67 yards, and Everett, who tallied 76 yards on six carries, including the team’s lone touchdown. On defense, Tharp again made his presence felt with 16 tackles. He was joined by standouts Melvin Umble with 13 tackles, Everett with 12, Kolton Pierce with 10, and Ulices Mendoza, who forced a fumble.
The Armadillos will look to bounce back when they travel to Goldthwaite on Friday, September 12, to face their longtime rivals, the Goldthwaite Eagles.