The Perryton High School freshmen football team hosted the Pampa ninth grade Harvesters on Thursday, Oct. 1, at Ranger Field and came away with a 32-0 win.
The Wranglers won the toss and deferred to the second half and kicked off to Pampa. On Pampa’s first play from scrimmage, Noel Ramirez intercepted the Harvester pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown. Sammy Perez’s 2 point conversion pass to Erick Navarrete was good, giving the Wranglers an 8-0 lead with 9:48 remaining in the first quarter.
Pampa went 3 and out. After Pampa punted, the Wranglers began their first drive of the evening. Runs by Perez of 21 yards, Evan Hernandez for 7 yards and Ramirez going in from 7 yards, made the score 14-0 in favor of the Wranglers, with over five minutes left in the first quarter.
Pampa put together an 11- play drive late in the first quarter and the beginning of the second, but never crossed the Wrangler goal line.
The Wranglers took over on down on their own 32 yard line. A strong running game led by Ramirez, Perez, Carlos Ayala and Hernandez, and pass receptions by Mason Samples, Payton Sunday and Navarrete got the Wranglers down the field quickly. On third down and 8 yards to go, Perez dialed his own number and scored from 21 yards out. The 2 point conversion failed, leaving the score 20- in favor of the Wranglers.
Pampa tried airing out the ball late in the first half trying to get on the scoreboard, but to no avail. The first half ended with the Wranglers holding a 20-0 lead.
The third quarter saw both teams put together a couple of drives. However, the drives ended in either punts or the ball going over on downs.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Perryton strung together an 8 play drive, covering 65 yards. The bit play was a Perez pass to Navarrete covering 20 yards. Ramirez and Perez also did damage on the ground. With 6:46 remaining in the game, Perez went over from 6 yards out, but the 2 point conversion failed, leaving the score 26- 0, Perryton.
On their next possession, Pampa did drive the ball to the Wrangler 43 yard line, only to fail to convert a fourth down effort.
With 3:35 remaining, the Wranglers quickly moved the ball deep into Pampa territory. Ramirez ran for the score from 13 yards out as the buzzer went off. The extra point kick was partially blocked, leaving the final score 32-0.
Rushing statistics for the game were Perez, 97 yards on 13 carries; Hernandez, 23 yards on 5 carries and Ramirez, 78 yards on 8 carries.
Perez was 6 for 12 passing. Samples caught 2 for 24 yards; Sunday, 1 for 14 yards; Hernandez, 1 for 5 yards; and Navarrete, 2 receptions for 8 yards.
Defensively Ramirez had 1 interception for 33 yards and a touchdown; Hernandez, 3 tackles and 5 assists; Manny Martinez, 2 tackles and 2 assists; Sunday, 4 tackles and 4 assists; Axil Silva, 3 assists; Izaiah Vasquez, 3 tackles 4 assists; Juan Alvarez, 2 tackles and 4 assists; Freddie Zapien, 2 assists; Samples, 1 tackle, 3 assists; Navarrete, 2 pass knock downs, 1 tackle and 2 assists; Jio Hernandez, 4 tackles and 6 assists; and Omar Gonzalez, 2 tackles and 3 assists.
The next game for the Wranglers will be Oct. 15 at Levelland. Game time is 4 p.m. The win runs the Wranglers’ record to 2-2.