By Jim Irish
Photos by Dustyn Werner
Cedar Creek High School bolted to a 14-0 lead after one quarter but was jolted after that, losing 54-21 in the season opener at Class 6A Del Valle on Friday.
The Class 5A, Division I Eagles suffered their 26th consecutive loss dating back to 2021.
At the outset, Cedar Creek performed like a reborn football squad. Junior quarterback Blaze Orr connected with wide receiver Dakota Baker for a 16-yard touchdown at the 4:19 mark in the first quarter.
The Eagles then recovered a dropped punt at Del Valle’s two-yard line later in the quarter. Isaiah Cancino banged into the end zone from the one-yard line with seven seconds remaining in the quarter.
Del Valle booted an opportunity to draw closer in the first when a 69-yard sprint for a touchdown by Braydon Heyward was nullified by a penalty.
“Our kids came out nervous,” said Del Valle coach Todd Patmon, who spent nine years as head at Bastrop High School. “It was a big home opener. Good crowd. You just gotta relax and play football.”
The Cardinals reversed their bad miscues in the second, scoring 29 points without a reply from the Eagles.
They regrouped on a running offense designed around Kenelle Hodges, a 5-foot-8, 215-pound wrecking ball. Hodges, a senior and lone running back in the spread offense, either bounced off or ran through Cedar Creek defenders. He scored on runs of 12, 4, and 9 yards in the first.
Bradley Dent, a swift back, scored on a 15-yard scamper in the second.
“I just think we had to find a rhythm,” Patmon said. “Cedar Creek did a good job to start the game.”
Patmon said Del Valle has built its reputation on a run offense.
"We wanted to establish the run. I'm really proud that the kids kept their focus."
-- Del Valle head coach Todd Patmon
”We wanted to establish the run,” he said. “I’m really proud that the kids kept their focus.”
Scoring on a 46-yard scoring strike from Orr early in the third quarter, Cedar Creek’s Baker displayed an ability to find the open space in the secondary and good hands.
Del Valle erupted for more points in the final two quarters.
Starting quarterback Alex Marcantoni connected with Kaden Nunez on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 6:02 left in the third.
Del Valle’s Coleman Patmon, Todd Patmon’s son and a University of Arizona verbal commit, blocked a Dillon Dubee punt later in the third from his edge position.
After the block, Heyward, who plays quarterback, running back, and defensive back, scored from the one.
Del Valle's Kenelle Hodges rushed for 135 yards and scored 4 touchdowns
Del Valle linebacker Michael Dent intercepted Orr in the fourth quarter to set up the Cardinals' final score. Hodges plowed across the goal line from the six for his fourth touchdown with 11:15 left in the fourth. He finished with 135 yards on 15 carries.
Bradley Dent, Michael's brother, sped for 106 yards on nine carries.
Bryan Flores hit a 20-yard field goal for Del Valle’s final points in the fourth.
Cedar Creek moved the ball via the pass with 147 yards but managed only 22 yards on the run.
The Eagles play host to Class 6A Akins, which lost its opener against Travis 26-0, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Memorial Stadium. Akins blanked Cedar Creek 39-0 the last time they faced off in 2021.
Del Valle, which ended a five-game losing skid, plays at Clemons at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Clemons lost 28-22 against Taft in its opener.
Jim Irish is a freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
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