With their 47-20 win over the Beyer Patriots Oct. 21, the Pacheco Panther varsity football team (6-3 overall, 5-1 WAC) kept their WAC conference title hopes alive. Pacheco will host their cross-town rival Los Banos Tigers (7-3 overall, 6-0 WAC) this Oct. 28 at Veterans Stadium for a share of the conference championship.
The Panthers rolled out to a 20-0 lead over the winless Patriots (0-9 overall, 0-6 WAC) and never looked back, streaming to a 47-20 victory over Beyer.
Brandon DeReza followed blocks by Josue Pena and Gabe Escobar on a 27-yard bolt into the end zone for the first Panther touchdown. Arturo Anguiano added the PAT kick for a 7-0 Pacheco lead. Pacheco used an Anguiano interception to set up their next score. Daniel Scott scored the touchdown on a four-yard run and Anguiano added the PAT kick for a 14-0 Pacheco advantage.
The Panthers made it 20-0 when quarterback Aiden Huerta (6 of 7 passing, 169 yards, 2 TD’s) connected with Damien Taylor on an eight-yard touchdown pass.
Beyer scored their first touchdown to make the score 20-6, before Pacheco scored again just before halftime. Scott hauled in a 63-yard scoring strike from Huerta and the Panthers opened up a 26-6 advantage.
Pacheco made it 33-6 early in the third period, when DeReza (14 carries, 181 yards, 3 TD’s) scampered 20 yards for the score. Anguiano added the PAT for the 33-6 lead.
The Panthers upped their lead to 40-6 when Jakob Himojosa followed his center Charles Hale into the end zone from two yards out. Anguiano’s PAT kick made it 40-6.
Coach Jeremy Siemiller was able to deploy a lot of his reserves in the fourth quarter, when Beyer tallied two meaningless scores.
The Panthers closed out the scoring in the fourth period when DeReza crossed the goal line with his third touchdown from nine yards out. Anguiano’s PAT kick gave Pacheco their decisive 47-20 over the Beyer Patriots.
Coach Siemiller told the Express, “We were really pleased with our team’s effort, just because Beyer was winless we told our players not to let up and not look ahead to next week. Our defense, led byArturo Anguiano (eight tackles, two sacks and a big interception), and Isaac Valencia (seven tackles, two sacks and two tackles for losses) really stepped it up all game.”
