Port Isabel, tx. -When it rains, it pours.

Touchdowns, that is.

Such was the case Friday night as P.I. handled Kingsville King with ease on their way to a 41-21 route – in a bittersweet season finale at Tarpon Stadium.

Led by QB Grayson Estes (4/6 passing, 160 total yards, 3 TDs) and RB Alvaro Rocha (12 rush, 101 yards), P.I. racked up 460 yards of total offense and had four different seniors touch paydirt as they left it all on the field in pursuit of one last district victory.

First Half

Either Michael Finona has a great nose for the football, or he got his hands on Kingsville’s game script before the matchup.

The veteran linebacker sniffed out every play of the Brahmas’ first drive, recording three consecutive tackles – including one for loss – to help force a quick three-&-out.

During the punt, “Scary” Jerry Troncoso would come in hot off the edge, arms extended and block the ball.

It was recovered by Jahi Vasquez at the King 43-yard line to set up the Tarpons with great starting field position.

After a few short runs to move the ball inside the 30, Estes dropped back on 2nd-&-seven and launched a dime up high towards the goal line. Sophomore Preston Estes outjumped defenders and came down with a clean reception just inside of the endzone for a touchdown grab – his second in district play.

Following the PAT by Brian Ramirez, P.I. led 7-0 with 7:22 remaining in the first quarter.

King mustered up a couple of first downs on their next drive, moving the ball out near midfield.

QB Isaac Cason tucked the ball himself on 3rd-&-nine and tried to make a break down the sideline.

After getting held up by a couple of defenders, LB Denzel Garza screeched in and finished off the job with a punishing hit that fired up the home crowd and forced another Brahma punt – although P.I. would do nothing on their next possession and give it right back to King.

RB Damarius Montgomery – one of the leading rushers in District 16-4a – was tackled in the backfield twice on their next drive.

First, he was gang-rushed by Garza, Finona, and Jeremy Sollozo for a five-yard loss. Then, two plays later, he’d try running straight through Ivan Medina in the backfield, who was lined up at outside linebacker.

But Medina, the small and scrappy sophomore, took a great angle on Montgomery and cracked him in the ribs for a statement tackle, resulting in a six-yard loss.

King drove all the way down to the 18-yard line and threatened to score, but great pass breakups by the Sticky Bandits – Tristan Green and Mikel Sosa – prevented the Brahmas from advancing any further on the series.

Green deflected another pass near the endzone on fourth down to give possession back to P.I. as the first quarter came to an end.

The Tidal Wave offense ate up almost seven minutes off the clock and went 77 yards down the field on their next drive.

They threw two passes on the series – both to Jesus Ramos – for gains of 10 and 12 yards.

As Estes rolled out on the second attempt, he received a pristine hook-block by OL Jamil Vasquez to help buy some time on the edge before finding Ramos on a crossing route.

RB Brian Ramirez capped off the lengthy series by steamrolling over would-be tacklers on his way to a 4-yard touchdown run.

King blocked the PAT to keep the score 13-0 Tarpons with 5:21 to go in the half.

Troncoso made another standout play on the Tarpons’ next defensive series when he shed off blockers and gobbled up QB Cason for a sack, resulting in an eight-yard loss and some stolen lunch money. The big play by Troncoso forced King into another three-&-out as their frustration on offense began to show.

On the first snap of P.I.’s next drive, Estes dropped back to scan the field before feeling pressure from his right side.

He’d juke a defender, then tuck the ball and escape from a collapsing pocket, before scrambling through a sea of Brahmas for a 38-yard touchdown run.

Ramirez took an inside handoff and converted the two-point attempt to make the score 21-nill with three minutes to go before intermission.

King got on the board during its next series when Montgomery bulldozed his way into the endzone from five yards out to make the score 21-7 headed into the break.

Second Half

After a legit generational-performance by the Silver Belles to celebrate their 50-year anniversary, the Tarpons picked up right where they left and put together another long scoring drive.

Following some solid runs by Rocha and Ramos – as well as a smooth dump-off pass to Ramirez for eight yards – P.I. would call on their big man, Finona, to push them across the endzone.

He took a handoff at the 5-yard line and fought across the plane for his final-career rushing touchdown.

And what a career it’s been. The future Texas A&M Aggie has played both ways the last three seasons, filling in wherever the coaches ask him to, and doing a great job at it – whether it be rushing, defending, or blocking. A player like him doesn’t come around very often. He will be missed!

The PAT by Ramirez increased P.I.’s commanding lead to 35-7 with 8:36 remaining in the third quarter.

After being forced into another three-&-out by the Seawall, a defender for King picked off a prayer-ball by Estes and returned it all the way out towards midfield.

Two plays later, RB Montgomery found the slit he’d been looking for all night as he hit the hole and booked it 49 yards for a long TD to make the score 35-14 P.I. with 4:30 to go in the third period.

He’d find the endzone again on a five-yard scamper halfway through the fourth quarter to put King within two scores of the Tarpons – but that’s as close as they’d get.

Senior Eli Alvarez checked into the game and took a handoff up the gut for a 1-yard TD – capping off a nine-play, 61-yard scoring drive with time winding down to end P.I.’s season on a high-note.

Final score: 41-21 Port Isabel.

The Seawall defense allowed only 210 total yards on the evening. Montgomery was able to reel off 168 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, but he took a beating as the Tarpons made him pay for every inch.

In addition to Estes and Rocha, offensive leaders for P.I. included: Ramos (5 rush, 2 rec, 77 total yards), Ramirez (14 rush, 1 rec, 46 total yards, 1 TD) Tristan Green (8 rush, 55 yards), and Armani Reyna (2 rush, 15 yards).

And aside from a few bonehead-unsportsmanlike conducts, the Tarpons played an otherwise polished game from start to finish.

What’s Next

Well, that wraps up another season of Tarpon football.

Did it go as planned? No.

Should they have won a few more games? Surely.

But I walked out of Tarpon Stadium Friday Night with a lot of hope for the future.

All I’ve got to say is: Hit it hard this offseason, Blue.

Till next year.

Once a Tarpon, Always a Tarpon. Go Big Blue.

All stats are unofficial. Any comments, corrections, or questions are always welcomed at johnslawnstx@gmail.com.

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Thanks for reading.