Football Recap: Noah Lopez Leads Incarnate Word Academy's Defense on Thursday

The Incarnate Word Academy Angels strolled past the John Paul II Centurions with points to spare on Thursday, taking the game 38-19. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Angels.

Damian Salazar had another great game (as he tends to do), rushing for 215 yards and three TDs while picking up 13.4 yards per carry. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 83-yard run. Paul Afuso was in the mix too, providing Incarnate Word Academy with one touchdown.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Incarnate Word Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 268 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 157 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.

Angels

Interceptions

Noah Lopez	1
JT Lopez	1
Damian Salazar	1

Incarnate Word Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Noah Lopez, JT Lopez, and Salazar picked up one apiece. Salazar's rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his sixth straight game with at least 158 rushing yards dating back to last season. Incarnate Word Academy received some extra help from Afuso, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.

Incarnate Word Academy's win bumped their record up to 4-1. As for John Paul II, their loss dropped their record down to 1-4.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Incarnate Word Academy will welcome Agua Dulce at 7:00 p.m. on October 3. That game will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Salazar and Aiden Martinez. As for John Paul II, they will have a little extra prep time after the defeat as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Holy Cross at 7:00 p.m. on October 10.