There's no place like home for Rio Hondo, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Thursday. They claimed a resounding 53-22 victory over the Hidalgo Pirates at home. That's more bragging rights for the Bobcats, who also won the pair's last head-to-head.
Rio Hondo found their leader in underclassman Mario Lopez, who rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 8.6 yards per carry. The dominant performance gave Lopez a new career-high in rushing yards. Another player making a difference was Ruben Atkinson, who rushed for 27 yards and a touchdown.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Rio Hondo's defense and their five sacks. Leading the way was Tomas Cavazos with two.
When it comes to explaining why Hidalgo lost on Thursday, don't look at Jeremy Martinez. Despite the final result, he rushed for 202 yards and a touchdown while picking up 12.6 yards per carry. Martinez was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 69 yards.
Rio Hondo now has a winning record of 2-1. As for Hidalgo, they are on a 13-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-3.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Rio Hondo will take on San Diego at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Hidalgo, they will challenge Port Isabel at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
