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Sinton Grabs Hold Of 30-3A With Convincing Win Over AP

Box Score

Oct. 22, 2011

Pirates Play Second-place Mathis Next Week

By: Stuart Duncan, Corpus Christi Caller.Times

ARANSAS PASS- Sinton's supposed rebuilding season has turned into anything that.

Instead, the Pirates are in perfect position to retain their District 30-3A title this season after starting district play with three straight wins. Sinton scored the final 29 points of the game to beat Aransas Pass on the road Friday night, 42-14 and set up next week's district home showdown with Mathis.

"A lot of people doubted us coming into the season but I'm proud of our kids for the position they've put themselves in," said Pirates coach Tom Allen, whose team shut out the Panthers in the second half. "Our offensive line is starting to jel and our defense has played lights out all year."

Sinton quarterback Tyler Handson rushed for two scores and threw for another in the first half to help the Pirates overcome an early 7-0 deficit and take a 27-14 lead into the half.

The Pirates (7-1 overall) outscored the Panthers 27-7 after Aransas Pass' impressive 12-play, 72-yard opening scoring drive, which was capped by running back William Butler's three-yard TD run.

Handson scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards to give the Pirates a brief 13-7 second quarter lead. Defensive back Nick Zepeda's interception set up Sinton's first touchdown, while running back Keith Garcia's 60 yard burst down the left sideline led to Handson's second TD run.

Aransas Pass quarterback Erik Johnson answered with a 14-yard scoring run and kicker Marco Bungart's extra point gave the Panthers (5-3, 0-3) a 14-13 lead with 6:07 remaining in the second quarter.

The Pirates scored the final 14 points of the half thanks to running back John Gabriel Guzman's 14-yard TD run and wide receiver Derek Shedd's 20-yard scoring reception from Handson. Handson's ensuing two-point conversion run pushed Sinton's lead to 13 points with 17 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Garcia, who finished with 129 yards rushing on eight carries, then scored from 23 yards out on the opening drive of the third quarter and caught Handson's ensuing 2-point conversion pass to give the Pirates a 35-14 lead.

Sinton defensive back Lee Olbera had a key blind-side sack on Aransas Pass' next possession, which forced the Panthers to attempt a 51-yard field goal that fell short.

Guzman added a 9-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter and the Pirates cruised from there.

"We did a pretty good job in the second half (on defense) when we were doing what we're supposed to do," said Panthers coach Russell Lee, whose team played the game without two starters and it lost two more starters due to injuries Friday. "When we don't pay attention to our keys, that's when we get into trouble."

The Pirates struggled on special teams in the first half, Sinton missed two extra points in the first half and blocked an extra point only to have the play negated by a penality. The Pirates were penalized for running into the kicker on a missed field goal attempt, which led to Aransas Pass' first score of the game. Sinton alsow allowed the Panthers to pull off a fake punt and convert a first down on a 9-yard jump pass form CJ Adame to running back Matt  Johnson, which set up Erik Johnson's touchdown run.