The Pioneers ended pre-district play Friday night with a 51-14 victory over Columbia — the same score the Roughnecks defeated the Pioneers in the team’s inaugural matchup last season. Iowa Colony defeated the three teams who either blew them out last year or handed the Pioneers (4-0) one of four one-score losses. Iowa Colony won those games by a 196-37 margin this season and opens District 12-4A, D-1 play on a bye next week, then will travel Sept. 29 to Stafford (2-1).
“Our kids have done a great job of staying the course and going week by week, and that’s something we talk about — whatever happened last week is last week, so it’s time to go on to a new week,” Iowa Colony coach Ray Garza said. “4-0 is great. It’s great for our program, it’s great for our kids and something to be happy about and celebrate, but that’s the first part of the season, and now, everybody is going to be 0-0.”
It has been the opposite for Columbia (1-3), who lost a game by 35 points or more three times in non-district play. However, Needville is 4-0, and the new startup programs — Randle (4-0) and Iowa Colony — have grown into juggernauts much faster than expected. The ’Necks’ four non-district opponents are 12-4.
“We’re sticking together, and we’re not falling apart,” Columbia coach Earnest Peña said, “I have been a part of teams where things like this happen — we struggle and then crumble apart. But we have good leadership with our seniors, and they are keeping everyone together, and our underclassmen work their tails off.”
The Pioneers scored on six of the team’s first eight drives Friday, thanks to big offensive plays. Quarterback Camren Renfro threw for four touchdowns and rushed for another. His four scoring passes averaged 50 yards and totaled 200 yards.
The Pioneers also enjoyed the return of running back Jacody Miles. The junior had a 24-yard catch-and-run touchdown reception in the second quarter, beat the corner on a post route for a 52-yard scoring pass in the first quarter and got Iowa Colony’s opening drive of the game going with a 31-yard reception on the second play of the game to get into ’Necks’ territory. Those three plays racked up 107 yards and two touchdowns.
“Jacody is such a good football player, and I don’t use that term all the time, but a football player is what Jacody is,” Garza said. “He’s a tough kid, he’s a very gifted individual, great ability and like we saw last year, you can put him on offense or defense at any position, and he is always going to compete.
“Jacody is electric for us.”
Iowa Colony running back Eric Mosley III has picked up the slack, with Miles used elsewhere. The sophomore back finished with two scoring runs of 4 and 11 yards.
“Eric allows us to put people in different places,” Garza said. “He’s a great running back. He’s got great vision, and he’s strong and a burst of speed to him. Having Eric helps us in the run game, which, in turn, helps us in the passing game.”
Mosley ripped off a 21-yard gain on the Pioneers’ opening drive, culminating in a Renfro 1-yard QB sneak on fourth and goal from the 1.
After a Columbia drive ended with a Mason Brown interception, Renfro found Miles for the 52-yard passing score for a 14-0 lead.
Following a ’Necks’ punt, Renfro’s sharp pass found Landrew Ward, who turned a simple slant route into a 40-yard run down to the 4. One play later, Mosley scored near the left side to extend the Pioneers’ lead to 21-0 with 2 minuutes remaining in the opening quarter.
Iowa Colony found the end zone with 7:45 left in the first half when Renfro and Miles connected again on a 24-yard pass to begin an avalanche of points for the visiting team.
Iowa Colony got a safety on the ensuing kickoff, and one play later, Renfro hit Carson White on a pass to the flat, and the freshman took it 67 yards to the house for a 37-0 lead with 7:22 remaining in the second quarter.
Renfro to Antoine Martin for 57 yards and Mosley on an 11-yard run were the Pioneers’ two scores of the first half.
The Roughnecks got on the board on their final drive of the first half thanks to a 75-yard run by Trevon Lewis to set the ball inside the red zone. One player later, quarterback Major Marshall found Logan Lewis for a 14-yard touchdown pass.
Columbia’s final score was a 5-yard run by Trevon Lewis. Marshall hit Logan Lewis again to start the drive — this one on a 30-yard pass to get into Pioneers’ territory. Unofficially, Marshall passed for 84 yards Friday night.
The 14 points were the team’s most scored in a game this season, and the Roughnecks forced two turnovers on Iowa Colony in what was possibly the team’s most productive night of the young season and something to look forward to in District 10-4A, D-II play.
“We did some things OK tonight,” Pena said. “We didn’t tackle well, we threw the ball OK — I think this is the most receiving yards we... Click here to read full article
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