WATCH: Ozona Claims Big Rivalry Win Over Sonora

OZONA, TX — “I’ve been telling them all week it was going to be a battle. We were going to have to fight, fight fight and then fight some more. And they did!” said Ozona Lions Head Football Coach Jarryed Taylor. This is his first year as head coach and in his first game of the 2020 season against their rival to the east on Interstate 10, the Sonora Broncos, he delivered a 15-8 win.

The game in Ozona began with a surprise onside kick by the Lions but the ball went out of bounds after traveling just 12 yards, giving the Broncos good field position. Ozona’s defense held them back with little yardage, however. Ozona was unable to move the ball much during either, and the game was scoreless at 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Ozona found the end zone first during the second quarter. The score came when Ozona QB Jesse Vega handed off to Jose Dominguez who ran for approximately 28 yards before being forced out of bounds by a Sonora defender. The next play, Vega once more handed the ball to Dominguez who found the end zone after a short run of approximately 7 yards. The point after was good and Ozona led 7-0.

Sonora answered quickly during the ensuing kickoff return where Bronco Preston Gonzalez ran the kickoff back to the end zone for 6. The two-point conversion was good and halfway through the second quarter Sonora was up 8-7.

Both teams’ defenses held tough and the score remained unchanged going into the half.

The third quarter was a battle of the defenses again as neither team found the end zone. Towards the end of the third, Sonora’s QB Kale Sherrill dropped a snap and Ozona’s Colby Mendez recovered the loose ball.

Momentum was slow to shift Ozona’s way during the fourth quarter, however. But in the last few minutes of the game, the Ozona Lions found their footing.

Then, Ozona QB Vega found Dominguez again on a pass behind the line of scrimmage. Dominguez ran for a short gain before being brought down at the Ozona 22 yard line. A couple plays later, Dominguez charged forward from the Ozona 2 with a keeper and found the end zone. Ozona was up 13-8 with about a minute left in the game.

Ozona’s Coach Taylor decided to go for 2 and the conversion was good. The final score was Ozona 15, Sonora 8.

Friday, Sept. 4, Ozona (1-0) travels to Wink. Sonora (0-1) will face Llano in Sonora.