Dallas’ Star Ford Center on Thursday, December 5, 2024 –
The Joaquin Rams varsity football team headed into Thursdays Region III Football Championship game as the only non-district winner, and also as, the only fourth seeded representative remaining in the Texas UIL State Football Class 2A-1 Playoffs. They are now one of only four teams not to be eliminated and they will be facing Ganado High School in the state semifinals next week. Dave Campbell’s Football Magazine projected the Rams to be District 22’s sixth seed during preseason predictions.
Thursdays’ 46-22 win over the Honey Grove Warriors saw HGHS driving the football but the drive was derailed when Trenton Runnels recovered a Warriors fumble and gave JHS possession at the Warrior’s 44-yard line with 5:20 minutes left in the first quarter. The Rams first drive ended with a turnover on downs but Cooper Bragg recovered another Warriors fumble to give the Rams the ball right back, near the Warriors’ goal line. It only took the Rams two plays to score when Elijah Hardison scored a 1-yard touchdown run which gave JHS a 6-0 lead with 4:56 left in the first period.
The Warriors bounced back and took their first lead of the contest when Ryelan Morris broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run with 10:56 left in the second quarter. Rodolfo Santibanez added an extra point kick which gave HGHS a narrow 7-6 point advantage. Joaquin mishandled the ensuing kickoff and the Warriors wasted no time on their next drive. Morris scored on a 34-yard touchdown run with 10:38 left in the second stanza and another extra point kick by Santibanez gave Honey Grove a 14-6 advantage.
Joaquin went on a 10-play offensive drive which took about six minute to go 70-yard. The drive ended with a touchdown run on a Hardison run on second-and -goal from the 2-yard line. Joaquin got a 2-point conversion when Justyn Brown hit Dallon Jordan for a completion in the end zone. This tied the game at 14-14 with 4:52 left in the second stanza. Good defense by the Rams thwarted a Warriors drive just before the halftime buzzer. The teams went into the locker room tied at 14 points apiece.
With 4:46 left in the third period TJ Hawkins scored on a 32-yard touchdown run. Hawkins crashed into the end zone on a conversion run as well and JHS led by a 22-14 score.
In the fourth quarter Brown capped a Joaquin offensive drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Hawkins added on another conversion run for 2-points and JHS led 30-14 with 8:18 left in the game. The Rams later got a 70-yard touchdown run by Hardison and then Hawkins crashed into the end zone on another conversion run which gave the Rams a 38-14 lead with only 4:41 minute remaining in the game.
Honey Grove cut the Ram’s lead to 38-22 with another Morris touchdown and a conversion pass completion near the 4-minute mark.
Hardison refused to be outdone and he sprinted 40-yards for a Rams touchdown and Hawkins converted another run which gave JHS an 46-22 advantage with 2:30 left. Joaquin recovered an ensuing onside kick and was able to run the remaining time off the game clock for the win. The Warriors were eliminated with a 12-2 season mark.
This win moves Joaquin to the school’s first ever fifth round playoff game appearance. First year Head Coach and Athletic Director Jared Jones is no stranger to the school as he and his twin brother John Jones both played for the school in the early to mid-2000’s and they have both coached at Joaquin as assistants and coordinators. John is one of the school’s principles currently as well. The Ram’s season mark stands at 10-4. Next week’s state semifinal opponent the Ganado Indians are 13-1 after a 41-14 regional final win over Marlin High (10-4).
