It is rare for Cisco to play a team and be maybe the third or fourth best opponent that a team has faced that year. That’s exactly what happened when the Bearcats met the Loboes in the Bi-District round of the playoffs last Thursday. where the bearcats fell 41-13.
Having already played top ranked and undefeated Sonora and Mason as well as 1 loss and also top 10 ranked Comanche there was not much that the Loboes could throw at the Bearcats that they hadn’t already seen.
The physicality of the Loboes was something that the Bearcats had already seen this year from Comanche and Mason.
Ballinger stood tall and strong against Cisco and held them to 8 points in a very defensive first quarter. Ballinger would score early in the 2nd on a Edgar Nunez touchdown run of 7 yards to make the game 8-6.
Another score in the second and third by Cisco would stretch the lead 22-6. The Bearcats would battle back and with an outstanding touchdown pass from Nunez to Davian Martinez on a 16 yard pass that took tremendous effort Martinez to make it into the end zone. The game would be 22-13 in favor of the Loboes.
Unfortunately for the Bearcats this is where experience and numbers started to wear them down. Cisco would go on to score the final three touchdowns of the game to make a 41 -13 final.
Ballinger continued to battle throughout the game, but the firepower was in favor of the Loboes on this night. Even in a lopsided score Cisco only outgained the Bearcats 423 yards to 332. the Bearcats were in position to score on several occasions, but the Cisco defense was able to consistently stiffen in the red zone and hold them out. Ballinger also had a missed field goal early before electing to go for touchdowns in the red zone the rest of the game.
Ballinger finished the season at 3-8, with wins over Grape Creek, Junction and Texas Leadership Charter Academy. With 15 players returning from this years team, and promising underclassmen in the wings, the Bearcats look to be more experienced in the future. Players such as Jace King, Divad Briones and Caleb Ornelaz, who have combined for 10 years of Varsity play, will be missed. It is time the Bearcats look towards a bright future and away from a tumultuous past.
