The San Saba Junior Varsity Armadillos fought hard but ultimately came up short Thursday evening at Rogan Field, falling 6-27 to a strong Goldthwaite Eagles JV squad. The loss moves the Armadillos to a 1-2 record for the season.
The game began with a spark of excitement as the Armadillos opened with an onside kick, skillfully recovered by kicker Gustavo Robles, setting an early tone of aggression and creativity. Despite the momentum, San Saba’s offense struggled to find its rhythm in the first half.
A highlight early on came from the defensive side, as Robles delivered a powerful sack that caused a fumble, which was promptly recovered by Uriel Mendoza. The defensive stand gave the home crowd something to cheer about, but the Armadillos couldn't convert the opportunity into points. At halftime, the Eagles had built a 20-point lead, sending San Saba into the locker room trailing 0-20.
The second half showed a different, more determined Armadillo team. While the Eagles managed just one more touchdown, the San Saba defense stiffened, and the offense found its groove in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Michael Monreal connected with Nolan Mays for a much-needed touchdown, giving the Armadillos their first points of the game.
The ground game also saw strong performances with key runs from Gustavo Robles, Kael Cisneroz, Isaac Correa, and Brendon Prew. Much of their success came thanks to gritty up front by the offensive line, consisting of Nolan Mays, Tiago Schroeder, Juan Martinez, Maklyn Haynes, Uriel Mendoza, Curtis Hamer, Sergio Cervantes, Elik Gomez, and Alejandro Martinez.
Defensively, Michael Monreal and Nolan Mays stood out in the second half, with Monreal making several big tackles and Mays coming up clutch to stop long Eagle runs.
Despite the loss, the second-half improvements gave the Armadillos something to build on as they prepare for their next matchup.
The San Saba JV team will look to bounce back on the road this Thursday as they travel to take on the Bangs Dragons. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m.
Go Dillos!