Hornets badger Buckholts
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY CHERI JAY-WIENECKE Lometa Hornet Toby Davis attempts to break through a line of Buckholts Badgers in Lometa's district win, 64-18.

The Lometa football team blasted into Six-Man Division I District 16 play last week with a dominating win against Buckholts.

But the Hornets will have their hands full tonight as third-ranked Calvert rolls into town.

The Hornets (5-3 overall, 1-0 in district) hammered Buckholts 64- 18 in a game that was called with 6:09 to play because of the 45-point mercy rule.

James Logsdon's 125 yards and two touchdowns on the ground paced an offense that cranked out 270 rushing yards and 469 total yards. Sam Pauly's sack, fumble recovery and safety led a defense that held Buckholts to 226 total yards and zero second-half points.

"In a four-team district, it's very difficult because there is no margin for error," Lometa boss Wendell Bradley said. "If you slip up and lose early, there is little or no time in a three-week district schedule to have someone help you by beating the team that beat you.

James Logsdon (12) gets tackled by a Buckholts player while Taner Williams (25) tries to block for him.

"When you factor in the No. 3 team in the state in your district, then you have to figure on the other three teams in the district fighting for second place and to get into the playoffs," said Bradley.

"The first game is important because now you have two teams with winning district records (Lometa and Calvert), and two who do not (Buckholts and Cherokee)."

The Hornets' victory came on the heels of a bye week. Two weeks ago, Lometa lost its final non-district game 56-15 against Woodson.

"We didn't think about that last loss other than to use the mistakes we made to improve," Bradley said. "The bye week fell between nondistrict and district, so our first season is over, and now it's time to focus on the second season.

"If we are successful in our second season, then we will get to have a third season (playoffs)."

Calvert (8-0, 1-0) is coming off a 52-6 district-opening win against Cherokee.

Cherokee's touchdown was the first surrendered by Calvert in four weeks. The Trojans average 59 points per game and allow just 13 -- a number skewed by the Trojans' 86-58 win against Trinidad in Week 3.

Team honored The Lometa girls' cross country team was recognized at last Friday night's football game for having won district competition. The girls will compete at the Region IV-4A meet Saturday at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Team members include, from left, Patricia Viera, Maria Jasso, Jeanette Rosales, Elisha Whisenhunt, Coach Brandy Eckermann, Maribel Reyes, Taylor Bradley, Nayla Rosales and Marcy Garcia.

The only games in which the Trojans did not score at least 50 points were a 48-0 win against Woodlands Christian and a 47-0 win against Prairie Lea.

"The keys for us this week are to take care of the football, attack on defense and manage the clock well, therefore controlling the game's tempo," Bradley said. "And we need to get extremely lucky."

While no one in the state will pick Lometa to score the upset, the coach doesn't put anything past this group of kids.

"These guys love to play," he said. "They love to compete. They compete in everything, not just football. Sometimes, they get into knock-down, drag-outs during a touch game. But they are a closeknit group that cares about each other and really don't care who gets the credit as long as the team does well."

In the win against Buckholts, quarterback Joe Michael Rivera completed 8 of 19 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns. Trent Cavness, Justin Dixon and Adam Trejo were on the receiving end of those scoring tosses.

Bubba Salinas found the end zone twice by way of the ground, and Sam Pauly and Dalton Parsons each scored rushing touchdowns.

Pauly led the team with five tackles, while David Cruz, James Logsdon and Parson each recorded three. Eric Belyeu had two tackles and recovered two fumbles.