Apaches keep composure for first win

GONZALES — The officials are generally the least popular people on a high school football field and Friday proved it again as both sides were particularly unhappy with the officiating. However, the flags came raining down late in the game against Columbus as the Gonzales Apaches (4-3, 1-1) kept their composure, resulting in the 14-7 win over the visiting Cardinals (1-6, 0-2).

“[Columbus] lost their composure. We held it,” Gonzales’ head coach Kodi Crane said. “And that’s two equal football teams. That was a blood bath. I don’t know if the stands could see how physical that football game was but that was a blood bath.”

Both defenses played tough with the first score coming in the second quarter after a key interception by Corey Anzaldua brought the Apaches to the Columbus 28-yard line. Josh Calvin then ran it in from 28 yards out for the first touchdown of the game.

“We talk about this all the time, ‘the power of the Tribe’ and [Calvin], Elandreus [Thorne], and I can go on and on, have bought in,” Crane explained. “They’re working hard, trying to do things right. This is a game meant to be fun and it’s hard going through practice, but yeah he’s special he can make a guy miss in a phone booth he’s so quick and won’t go down.”

Calvin would finish the night with 17 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown.

The loss of composure came in the fourth quarter after a series of unfortunate events for the Cardinals.

With the score tied at 7-7, the Apaches were driving to get a late go-ahead score. On fourth-and-four, quarterback Garrett Rickman threw the ball to Aaron Hunt for what would have been a six-yard completion. However, a Columbus defender tackled Hunt with the ball flying away from his possession. The sideline official blew his whistle and after talking with the other referees, they ruled he was down.

A few plays later, Calvin ran up the middle and the ball came loose. However, he was ruled down as well, causing a stir in the Columbus sideline.

Despite the close calls, the Cardinals were able to grab an interception in the end zone to keep the game tied at 7-7.

Unfortunately, composure came up again late in the game with the Apaches having the ball on their own 28. On first-and-10, Calvin rushed for 29 yards but the Cardinals were called for a personal foul on a player and then another flag on the head coach for unsportsmanlike conduct to move the ball to the Cardinals’ 14-yard line. Matthew Grauke ran it in from the 14 for a touchdown, giving the Apaches the 14-7 lead with 5:07 left in the game.

During those plays, the Apache coaches’ headsets were malfunctioning as the press box was unable to communicate with the sideline coaches throughout the entire second half.

“The entire second half we can’t talk to the press box,” Crane explained. “Finally coach [Bruce] McDonald puts his cell phone on, went to the cheerleaders and got some earbuds and that was our only communication and he didn’t do that until midway through the fourth quarter.”

“I felt like under the situation,” he continued, “our coaching staff and our kids adapted and overcame about as good as you can do in that situation.”

Even with the lack of proper communication the Apaches defense was able to come up big on Columbus’ last drive. On 4^th and 10 with the ball on the Apache 35-yard line, Columbus ran a fade route that was ultimately broken up by senior defensive back Elandreus Thorne.

“That was big,” Crane said. “That kid makes a great play. That’s Elandreus Thorne. Whenever we got here, [he] wasn’t in the program. Thorne makes a fourth [down] play against a receiver that’s half a foot taller than him. Coach [Derek] Williams has done an outstanding job with him and all his cornerbacks.”

The Apaches were able to get the first downs they needed after that stop to kill the clock, winning the game 14-7.

Gonzales is now 1-1 in District 10-4ADII, behind La Grange (2-0) and the team they play this Friday, Giddings (2-0).