ROPESVILLE — If the Ropes and Hale Center football teams needed a reminder that last season’s successes are in the past, Friday’s opener at Eagle Stadium did the job.
The Eagles have plenty of starters back from last year’s region-finalist squad, but injuries have already played a role. Kaden Riker, a 2024 district defensive co-MVP who was also expected to handle much of the rushing load, won’t suit up for Ropes’ first few games.
Then in the first half against the Owls, Branson Simental, the ball-hawking defensive back who opened the season with an acrobatic 43-yard catch-and-run, sported a sling in the second half of Ropes’ 33-0 victory.
Those factors played a role in Ropes only managing an 8-0 lead at halftime. Playing against a small Hale Center team — which earned the program’s first district title in nearly 30 years in 2024 — replacing about 10 starters across the board, the Eagles didn’t find much footing until the second half when coach Beau Riker’s team leaned on the running game to wear down the opposition.
“We kind of went in and got on the kids about (how) that’s not Eagle football,” Beau Riker said. “Our style of football is going to be physical, straight downhill, hit you in the mouth. That second half, we really got to see our kids impose their will on Hale Center.”
The Owls, meanwhile, had more penalties (16) than rushing yards (15). Breaking in senior quarterback Carter Gonzales, who didn’t play football the past two years, the growing pains were obvious.
Still, Hale Center hung tough, trailing 14-0 through the third quarter against a much bigger, more experienced Ropes team. That was encouraging to coach Marc Puente.
“Our defense played really well, held them to 14 going into the fourth,” Puente said. “We knew our offense is a work in progress. We got a lot of pieces that we’re trying to put together. … And a lot of these kids, it’s their first time to be on the varsity and be depended on. Just mistakes that we can for sure clean up.”
Ryland Kieth took over as the top rushing option, a role he’s familiar with. He had 24 of the team’s 35 rushing attempts, totaling 154 yards and three rushing scores. Zayden Pittman did a bit of everything, notching a rushing touchdown, another on a punt return and coming up with an interception of Gonzales.
Both coaches have spoken to their respective teams about what 2024 represented: a standard. Reaching that plateau is difficult, hard to replicate. And for Ropes, the target is firmly on its back.
“We’re gonna get everybody’s best,” Riker said, “and with that, we want to beat them at their best. We don’t want any excuses. Iron sharpens iron, and that’s going to get us ready for the deep playoff run.”
Hale Center plans to take the result of its season opener in stride, knowing it’s a long season.
“Last year it was a good standard-setter for us,” Puente said. “We just got to find the pieces. And that’s the big thing. We’re very young in experience. … Most kids just have to learn it’s a different type of ball game when you come out on varsity.”
CLASS 2A DIVISION II NON-DISTRICT
Ropes 33, Hale Center 0
Ropes 8 0 6 19 — 33
Hale Center 0 0 0 0 — 0
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
ROP — Ryland Kieth 4 run (Branson Simental run), 4:26
Third quarter
ROP — Zayden Pittman 2 run (pass fails), 0:34
Fourth quarter
ROP — Kieth 20 run (pass fails), 6:53
ROP — Kieth 8 run (Kade Franklin kick), 2:22
ROP — Pittman 38 punt return (run fails), 0:42
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs: (R) 17; (H) 6
Rushes-Yards: (R) 36-192; (H) 18-15
Passing: (R) 70; (H) 116
Comp-Att-Int: (R) 5-10-0; (H) 13-26-1
Punts-Avg: (R) 4-36.5; (H) 6-30.16
Fumbles-Lost: (R) 3-2; (H) 6-1
Penalties-Yards: (R) 7-85; (H) 16-98
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Ropes, Ryland Kieth 24-154, Zayden Pittman 8-7, Kade Franklin 3-33, Kolter Dockery 1-(-)2; Hale Center, Josiah Vara 6-5, Aiden Shaver 4-(-)7, Martin Cano 2-0, Edwin Alvidrez 1-29.
PASSING: Ropes, Franklin 5-8-0–70, Pittman 0-2-0–0; Hale Center, Carter Gonzales 12-25-1–61, Ryan Mesquite 0-0-0–0, Martin Cano 1-1-0–55.
RECEIVING: Ropes, Branson Simental 2-49, Kieth 1-7, Pittman 1-7, Brayden Hogg 1-7; Hale Center, Alvidrez 4-38, Mesquite 4-74, Jeremiah Guerrero 1-10, Daian Martinez 1-11, DJ Hinojosa 1-(-)3, Team 1-(-)3.
RECORDS: Ropes 1-0, Hale Center 0-1
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Ropes, Hale Center football teams adjusting to new season after historic campaigns
Reporting by Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
