By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
The Port Isabel 7on7 team is currently participating in Brownsville’s 7on7 league. Besides Port Isabel, the other teams involved in the league are Bro. Hanna, Bro. Rivera, Bro. Porter, Bro. St. Joe and San Benito.
This past week, the Tarpons traveled to Brownsville Rivera HS to participate in two 7on7 games.
The first matchup featured Port Isabel versus Brownsville Rivera.
The Tarpons offense took the field first with QB Grayson Estes at the helm. On the second play of the drive, Estes found Edward Garza open for a 15-yard gain. Then on the next play, Estes connected with Luis Ramos for a 30-yard touchdown play. The Tarpons led 6-0 after a failed extra point play.
With the help of a 36-yard pass play, Rivera answered right back as they took a 7-6 lead.
Two drives later, Estes marched the team down the field as Ramos made a leaping two-handed catch in the endzone for the score. Garza secured the extra point play as the Tarpons retook the lead, 13-7.
With a minute left in the first half, Rivera managed to reach the Tarpons 8-yard line, but failed to score as the time expired.
Rivera opened the second half with a 45-yard scoring drive as they recaptured the lead, 14-13.
The Tarpons responded with a 5-play scoring drive capped by a 4-yard touchdown catch by Bryan Ramirez, and Port Isabel now led 19-14. Ramirez had 3 catches in that drive for 38 yards.
Rivera went back on the attack. Having reached the Tarpons’ 11-yard line, the Rivera QB attempted a throw into the endzone, but PI defensive player, Ryan Cienfuegos intercepted the ball, ending the Rivera drive. Not to be outdone, Rivera intercepted a bobbled ball, ending the Tarpons’ possession.
With the game winding down, Rivera started their two-minute drill. After a couple of plays, Rivera got down to the Tarpons’ 15-yard line. A final throw into the endzone went incomplete as the Tarpons came out victorious with a 19-14 win.
The second matchup featured Port Isabel versus Los Fresnos.
Los Fresnos struck first as they scored on a 15-yard TD play to go up 7-0.
On the second play of the PI drive, Estes found a streaking Ramos for a 17-yard gain. Unfortunately, the ball was intercepted in the end zone in the very next play.
Los Fresnos turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, while the Tarpons threw another INT right before the half.
PI QB in Joseph “JoJo” Martinez started the second half for the Tarpons. His first play of the day was a 19-yard completion. He then followed it up with back-to-back 13-yard pass plays to Garza, the latter a TD play.
The game was tied at 7-7, which stood as time ran out.
The league games started back on April 30, 2025, and will continue to be played every Wednesday until concluding on May 28th. As for the Tarpons’ next game, it will take place on Wednesday, May 21 at Bro. Hanna HS, where they will face off against San Benito, with a 5:30 p.m. game start.
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