The Taylor Ducks varsity football team got a shutout victory 76-0 against the Austin Achieve Polar Bears on Friday, Oct. 4. The game was never in doubt, as the Ducks imposed their will from start to finish.
Taylor’s offense got off to a hot start after the defense forced a three-and-out, and senior wide receiver Mario Aguero scored on a 40-yard rushing touchdown to make it 8-0 after the Ducks converted a two-point conversion.
Taylor then extended its lead scoring on a screen pass from senior quarterback Eli Laurence to freshman all-purpose player Johnny Guzman and a one-yard touchdown rush from sophomore running back Kavon Godwin, making it 23-0. Laurence had another impressive outing, accounting for three scores.
Taylor head coach Earven Flowers talked about gaining confidence in his veteran signal caller as Laurence continues to improve week to week.
“When he is doing what he is supposed to do, he is a good player. We have seen that the past two weeks; we are just trying to continue to build momentum and keep him going,” Flowers said.
The Taylor defense also contributed to the scoreboard, accounting for two safeties. One of the safeties led to a 60-yard kick return that put the Ducks up 32-0 in the middle of the first quarter. The second safety came after Fisher’s 20-yard rushing touchdown, making it 41-0. Fisher went on to have two rushing scores. This initiated the running clock, as the Ducks were too much for the Polar Bears.
This didn’t stop the Taylor offense, as they added to the lead with a five-yard touchdown rush from senior defensive lineman Kaddy Maravilla. Maravilla had an all-around performance, helping on offense and accounting for multiple tackles for loss in an outstanding showing for the defensive tackle.
Austin Achieve finally got a first down late in the first quarter but turned the ball over on the next play, allowing the Ducks to capitalize on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Laurence.
Another notable player for Taylor was sophomore quarterback Caleb Pachicano, who got playing time in the second half and scored a rushing touchdown.
The Ducks would pull their starters in the second half showing mercy to an outmatched Polar Bears team. The win marks the second straight for Taylor after starting the season 0-4.
Flowers discussed what he wants to see from his team moving forward.
“We need to play the next play. We can’t focus on the environment; you can’t focus on somebody’s record,” Flowers said. “We have to focus on what we are doing, executing and making plays.”
The Ducks will be back in action on the road against Northeast Early College on Friday, Oct. 11. The game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m.
