Lobos de Coahuila suffered but won!
by Julio Castro via www.sportsnet.com.mx
In a final not for the faint of heart, where 21 of the 41 points scored in the day fell within the last five minutes of the final period, the Lobos de la Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (UAC) struggled to make good forecasts, but finally managed to win 21 -20 over the Toros Salvajes of Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo (UACH), in the continuation of day one of the tournament Categoría Mayor Manuel Rodero Garduño in the ONEFA‘s Conferencia Nacional. The Lobos de Coahuila suffered but won.
An excellent crowd, nearly a sell-out, was in the grandstand of Estadio José ‘Palomo’ Ruiz Tapia and the home town had the chance to tie with a few seconds left, but missed a 35-yard extra point, caused by a punishment for excessive celebration. This one-point was the final difference on the scoreboard.
During the first 55 minutes was an exceptional defensive duel, which was highlighted by the LB from Chapingo, Santamaría Salvador Nieto (#52), who led his squad with 8 tackles and a sack in a particularly critical moment of the game.
The first points of the match didn’t come until the second quarter, and were the result of an error and poor pass by the Lobos QB, Marco Antonio Santana Dena (#11), resulting in a fumble recovered by Santamaría. On the ensuing drive the Toros QB Alvaro Urzua #(7) scores on his own to make the score 6-0, as Luis Diaz Villegas (#12) fails the extra point attempt.
The response of Saltillo was immediate, because Castro Andrés Saucedo (#20) returned a punt to the 12-yard line, and three plays later Tavitas Alan Fernando Gaona (#29) was in on a touchdown run. With the extra point by Héctor López Arzola (#77) Coahuila goes into halftime with a 7-6 lead.
In the third quarter the Lobos had an excellent opportunity to break away, thanks to an interception Jesus Sanchez Palos (#2), who brought the ball to the 29 yard-line of the Toros. However on a crucial, third and 4, Santana is stoppoed by Santamaría. On the next play López Arzola misses a field goal and the score remains 7-6 going into the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, spectacular rushes by the Lobos running backs Oscar De la Rosa Delgado (#30) and Miguel Ángel Sánchez Chávez (#33) of 20 and 32 yards. These runs set the stage Marco Santana to pitch a terrific pass to Ariel Chacon Gallegos (#7) for a 13-yard touchdown that put the Lobos up, 14-6.
Things look bad for the Toros, when Urzua, in a third and 10 at their own 25, sends a sensational pass to Perdomo Alonso Reyes (#2) which exceeds the coverage of Mario Durón Alberto Torres (#15) to complete a 75-yard touchdown connection. The ‘Chapingueros’ went for a two-point conversion and get it to tie the game 14-14.
The Lobos Rolando Alvarez Colunga (#12) returned the kick-off to near midfield, and a few plays later, Oscar Delgado breaks a tackle in the middle of the field and goes 27 yards to give the Lobos the lead again, 21-14.
QB Alvaro Urzua responds and connects on a spectacular 39-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Villanueva Vera (#81), but apparently some of the players given an unsportsmanlike conduct for celebration. The HC of the Lobos, Francisco Cardenas Mejia requested to apply the penalty to the extra point, making it in an attempt of 35 yards. The kick would sail to the right of the uprights.
The Toro’s Luis Diaz’s attempted an onside kick, but a penalty foiled the attempt and time expired.
Next week the Toros (0-1) will remain at home for the Leones (Lions) from the Universidad Anahuac Cancun (1-0), while the Lobos (1-0) will be in Reynosa to visit the Correcaminos (Roadrunners) of U.A. de Tamaulipas (0-1).