Friday night, two teams trying to rebound from difficult losses will meet when the Uvalde Coyotes face the Kennedy Rockets.
The game begins a stretch that Uvalde Coach Wade Miller pointed to before district play started. The Coyotes host Fredericksburg on October 21st, then visit Memorial on October 28th. Uvalde’s playoff hopes are best served by at least two victories among those 3 games.
Uvalde (3-3, 0-1 in 14-4A-I) opened district play with a 62-7 loss in Boerne. Miller isn’t worried about a carryover effect in the Kennedy game. “We’ll be ready. For us to achieve what we want to achieve as an improving football team, our goal is to win as many games as possible, and make the playoffs. In order to do that, we have to beat Kennedy this week.” “We’ll play hard Friday night.”
Kennedy (1-5, 0-1 in 14-4A-I) made the playoffs in 2021 after winning just one game the preceding four years combined. The Rockets went 7-4 last year, finishing tied for 3rd with Brackenridge in 13-5A-DI; they lost to Southwest 27-12 in the first round. It was Kennedy’s first playoff berth since 2009 and their fifth in the history of their football program.
2022 saw Kennedy and Edgewood ISD sister school Memorial drop to 4A-DI, separating them from the SAISD schools and grouping them with Boerne, Fredericksburg, Somerset, and Uvalde. The Rockets’ non-district schedule included games against Randolph and Jourdanton, 2 of the top 8 teams in 3A-DI Region IV in the Padilla Poll. The Rockets suffered a 53-0 loss in their district lid lifter at Somerset.
Injuries have forced Kennedy into a youth movement ahead of schedule. Their defense started 8 sophomores in a recent game.
Head Coach Ben Benavides has kept his spirits up. “Even with just the one win, I’m still having a good time coaching our kids.”
Joseph Simmons led the Rockets in passing and rushing yards last year, and is back to spearhead the offense.
What position does he play? What do you need?
“He’s our quarterback-slash-receiver-slash-safety-slash-corner. He makes plays when there aren’t plays there. He can put (the ball) on the money as a thrower, but when he runs, he’s very elusive. He’s also one of our best DBs.” “He is a dynamic football player,” agreed Miller.
The Kennedy defense is led by Ethan Dranowsky, an All State player as a junior last year. “Everybody’s been running away from him. Jourdanton began their game against Kennedy by running right at Dranowsky. By the second half, the Indians were calling audibles to run away from Dranowsky.
After Somerset had their turn against the Rockets, their head coach Koy Detmer told Benavides, “that kid (Dronowsky) is a monster!”
The Rockets will be on red alert for the Uvalde passing game. Benavides called Jarrett Hernandez “one of the best route runners I’ve seen all year, and all
praised Devon Franklin’s hands and route running. Both are three years starters for the Coyotes.
Despite the recent struggles, Miller sees a simple path to return to victory. “Avoid turnovers. Tackle better. Play smarter. Play better.”
There will be nothing ceremonial on the field to recognize the Uvalde Tragedy, honoring Uvalde’s wishes, but indoors at the stadium, the campus officer at Kennedy will be recognized. His sister was one of the teachers who was killed. His nieces will be present at the ceremony.
“Every varsity player has a sticker on the back of our helmets that say, `Prayers for Uvalde’, ” said Benavides. “We’ve been wearing it all year.”
Mark Kusenberger
October 9, 2022
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