Coming off its 18-17 loss to the Central Valley Hawks on Aug. 26, the Pacheco Panther varsity football team traveled to Seaside on Sept. 2 to face the Spartans and returned home with a 39-26 victory.
After the Spartans scored on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead, the Panthers tied the score with a touchdown on their initial drive. Junior running back Abel Bravo followed a Joseph Silva block into the endzone on a 36-yard scamper. Enrique Murguia added the PAT, and the score was even at 7-7.
Early in the second quarter the Spartans reached the endzone again and with the PAT took a 14-7 lead.
The Panthers came right back as Bravo scored the second of his three touchdowns on a one-yard plunge. Bravo then ran in the two-point conversion giving Pacheco a 15-14 advantage.
Seaside scored another touchdown just before halftime but missed the PAT, so the Spartans held a 20-15 lead at the half.
Daniel Scott put the Panthers back in front when scored on an 11-yard run. The PAT kick was missed so Pacheco held a 21-20 lead.
Bravo then helped the Panthers on defense when he sacked the Spartan quarterback, who fumbled the ball. Bravo recovered at the Seaside 39-yard line.
Two plays later Bravo scored for a third time when Gabriel Escobar and Alex Flores double-teamed Spartan defenders and led him into the endzone from 32 yards away. Bravo then ran in the two-point conversion to give Pacheco a 29-20 advantage.
Seaside scored a final time late in the fourth quarter to make the score 29-26 in favor of Pacheco. The Panthers held that lead to claim the victory that evened their record at 1-1.
“Mr. Everything” Abel Bravo paced the Panther offense with 230 yards on 26 carries and three touchdowns. Bravo, along with Jesse Garcia and Gabriel and Louis Setterberg, led the Pacheco defense all night long.
Coach Jeremy Siemiller, who was at home under Covid 19 protocol, praised his players and coaching staff for the victory over a very tough opponent.
He added that next week the Panthers are in Tracy against another very talented football team, the Tracy Bulldogs.
