By Allan Jamail
Houston, TX. – Saturday, October 9, 2021 at HISD Delmar Stadium, the Yellowjackets offense and defense, under Head Coach Spiro Amarantos, stung the Panthers with a barrage of touchdowns (TDs) and defensively shut them out.
As odd as it sounds, the Jackets this year have won two homecoming games, their own plus spoiling the Panthers’ homecoming by winning it.
Defensively they’ve been effective in stopping both the run and pass plays by keeping the Panthers to zero yards on their run game and only allowing 25 yards passing. The defense plays as a solid unit with many standouts. This week defensive back Joe Christian Ayala (Jacinto City’s Police Chief Joe Ayala’s grandson) scored twice. He sacked the Panther’s quarterback behind the goal for a 2 point safety and later intercepted a pass and made a 41 yard TD.
Amarantos’s team looks like they’re more balanced on offense than last season. They’re still lacking a consistent passing game, which they must develop if they want to go deeper into the playoffs than the year before. Their running game continues to be their strength, making 329 yards, with passing only 49 yards this game.
Offensive TDs were made by: A’Marion Kelly – 2, Joe Ayala – 1 (interception TD), Jose Barrientos – 1, Jonathan Gutierrez – 1, Ivan Reyes – 1 & Bernardo Vasquez – 1. Jose Galarza kicked the Jackets’ extra points.
Coaching staff:
Head Coach, Spiro Amarantos;
Assistant coaches: Steven Botello, Sam Houston IV, Johnathan James, Jeff King, Chris Morales, Justin McNeese, Noe Pena, Flavio Recio, Ron Richmond, John Simms, Carlos Sosa & Ronnie Whigham.
The Jackets next play Houston’s Waltrip Rams in a home district game on Friday, October 15th at 7 pm. In district play they’ve won 3 and lost 1, with 4 games remaining.