Two dominant backs in Damian Salazar and Aiden Martinez are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Incarnate Word Academy Angels will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Agua Dulce Longhorns at 7:00 p.m. Incarnate Word Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past five contests -- so hopefully Agua Dulce likes a good challenge.
On Thursday, Incarnate Word Academy strolled past John Paul II with points to spare, taking the game 38-19. Given the Angels' advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 49th, while the Centurions are ranked 1198th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Incarnate Word Academy found their leader in sophomore Salazar, who rushed for 215 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 13.4 yards per carry. Paul Afuso was in the mix too, providing the Angels with one TD.
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.
Damian Salazar
| 09/25/25 @ John Paul II | 215 |
| 09/19/25 @ Bruni | 182 |
| 09/12/25 @ Medina | 158 |
| 09/06/25 vs Jubilee Lake View University Prep | 291 |
| 08/29/25 vs Hill Country Christian | 326 |
| 09/28/24 vs Bishop Reicher Catholic | 163 |
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.
Meanwhile, Agua Dulce got themselves on the board against Non Varsity Opponent on Thursday, but Non Varsity Opponent never followed suit. They breezed past Non Varsity Opponent to the tune of 53-0. The Longhorns might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matchups by 26 points or more this season.
Incarnate Word Academy's win bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Agua Dulce, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Incarnate Word Academy was dealt a bruising 49-14 defeat at the hands of Agua Dulce when the teams last played back in October of 2024. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Angels were down 35-0.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
