The Joaquin junior high football teams went on the road Thursday night to face the TAPPS teams from Tyler All-Saints. The Ram seventh grade battled the Trojans to within two points, falling 14-12, while the Joaquin 8th grade fell by a 20-0 count.
Tyler All Saints 7th 14, Joaquin 12 -- Nate Belrose had a big night running the ball for the Joaquin seventh grade, going over the century mark and finishing with 124 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Brock Lawson added 12 yards and a score on three carries, while Peyton Martinez picked up 12 yards on four attempts. Hunter Harper gained three yards on two carries.
The Trojans took a 6-0 lead with 4:18 left in the first period when Jayce Evans scored on a 67-yard run. The try for two failed after the score.
Joaquin came right back and tied the score when Belrose busted free for a 42-yard run with 1:43 left in the first. Joaquin's conversion also failed, leaving the score tied at 6-6 after the opening quarter.
Tyler added a 1-yard scoring run by Shawn Phillips with 3:13 left in the first half. Evans tacked on the 2-point conversion and Joaquin trailed 14-6.
The Rams pulled to within two with 2:09 left in the third quarter. Lawson bulled his way in for a 1-yard scoring run. But the try for two failed and the Rams needed another score to pick up the victory.
Neither team was able to break the plane of the endzone in the fourth quarter.
Tyler All Saints 8th 20, Joaquin 0 -- The Joaquin eighth grade was held to 80 yards of offense Thursday night as the Rams were blanked by the Tyler All Saints Trojans, 20-0, in Tyler.
Nathaniel Retaumar led the Joaquin offense with 51 yards on five carries, while Tanner Williams picked up 12 yards on seven attempts, Coleman Dickerson added 11 yards on three tries and Cole Powdrill managed six yards on five attempts.
After a scoreless first period the Trojans moved out to a 6-0 lead with 4:13 left in the half with a 1-yard run by Luke Lee. The conversion failed.
Tyler All Saints added another score with just 51 seconds left in the half. Chet Wayne connected with Daniel Schulze on a 49-yard scoring connection. Lee tacked on the 2-point conversion and the Trojans led 14-0 at the break.
Neither team was able to punch the ball in the endzone in the third quarter. The Trojans' Schulze broke free on a 57-yard touchdown with 4:52 remaining in the game to close the scoring.
The Joaquin squads will be open next Thursday and then return to action on Oct. 6 when they host Winona in their first District 9-2A D-II contests of the season.
Statistics compiled by Darrell Martinez.