Football Recap: Austin Comes Up Short

After soaring to 42 points the game before, Austin was a bit more limited in their match on Friday. They took a blow against the El Dorado Aztecs, falling 47-13. The Panthers lost against the Aztecs in their previous head to head back in September of 2024, too, but the margin this time around was much closer than the 62-6 score last time.

When it comes to explaining why Austin lost, don't look at Joel Castaneda. Despite the final result, he rushed for 163 yards and one score while picking up 9.6 yards per carry. Castaneda was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 51 yards.

El Dorado was led to victory by Ryan Estrada and Brycen Booth. Estrada rushed for 163 yards and a pair of TDs on only eight carries, while Booth threw for 144 yards and three touchdowns on only nine passes. Those three passing touchdowns gave Booth a new career-high. Damian Hinostroza was another key player, rushing for 51 yards and one score.

Austin's defeat dropped their record down to 1-1. As for El Dorado, they have started the season off flawlessly and has a 2-0 record to show for it.

Looking ahead, Austin will take on Mountain View at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. This will be the Panthers' first chance to prove their worth in the conference. As for El Dorado, they will square off against Montwood at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams might be coming in a bit winded given these two teams combined for 1,009 yards in their previous games.