(Port Isabel, Texas)-Welcome to Texas High School Football 2022! It was a CrampFest too! More than 30 players went down to leg cramps as the Port Isabel Tarpons escaped a 41-40 overtime victory against the Lyford Bulldogs in a wild non-district finish at Tarpon Stadium on Thursday night. “I don’t like seeing players with leg cramps during a football game,” said Port Isabel head football coach, Tony Villarreal. “Lyford played a great tonight, they almost won.”
And that they almost did. In overtime, the Port Isabel Tarpons drove into the end zone first and then added the all-important-extra-point by kicker, Joaquin De Leon to make it 41-34. Lyford answered right back with a touchdown by quarterback Osmar Martinez to make it 41-40. The Bulldogs decided to go for the win. QB Martinez rolled out and threw a shuttle pass to WR Qmar Martinez and he would find an open receiver in the end zone for a bobbled drop. “It was a tough loss,” said Lyford head coach, Jerry Jauregui. “Still, I’m so proud of the way our team played tonight. Yes, we lost a close one, but I’m darn proud of these boys. This is Texas High School Football”
In the second half, the Bulldogs had only 23 players listed and dressed for Thursday’s night game and with players playing offense and defense, it came with a price too. After a great catch, WR Omar Martinez fell to the ground with a painful cramp. “I had cramps throughout the game,” said Martinez. “It was hot.” Still, the Bulldogs managed to overcome a 34-12 deficit with 8:31 left to play. QB Martinez scored on a 20-yard touchdown run to make it 34-18 after the two-point conversion was good. On the ensuing kickoff, the Bulldogs recovered a perfect “pooch and catch” onside kick at midfield. Martinez would take it in for another score to make it 34-26 with 5:17 left to play. “We still have plenty of time to win this one,” coaches told their Bulldog players.
Players continued to go down with cramps, including Bulldog John Barron as PI Christian Garcia picked up nine yards to the 46-yard line with 4:22 left in the game. Lyford would stop the Tarpons, forcing them to punt with 1:48, trailing 34-26. Martinez took over again and led the Bulldogs to the game-tying score as they converted the two-point conversion to make it 34-34 with 1:17 left.
Athletic trainers spent the night running on and off the field, attending to their players, who found themselves going down in the second half with leg cramps. At one point in the fourth quarter, four players were on the field, down on their backs with cramps. One fan said it best, it was a “Crampfest“.
The Tarpons (1-0) will play host to Rio Hondo next Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. while the Lyford Bulldogs (0-1) will play La Villa at home next Friday night.
Oh, Those Awful Cramps! More than 30 players went down to leg cramps during the Port Isabel-Lyford football game on Thursday night at Tarpon Stadium. The night was humid, hot, and muggy. (HSSMIMages)