Plus: Lady Horns Dominate Balmorhea in four-set victory
MARFA — Under the Friday night lights with the stands packed full of purple, the Marfa Shorthorns delivered a thrilling performance to secure a 29–18 win over the Sanderson Eagles.
Following the Homecoming festivities and the crowning of this year’s king and queen, the Shorthorns hit the field with focus and fire. They wasted no time making a statement. With five minutes left in the first quarter, Manny Dominguez powered into the end zone for the game’s opening touchdown, and Ayden Alvarez followed up with a clean kick for 2 extra points to put Marfa ahead 8–0.
Sanderson answered back with a touchdown of their own but failed to add extra points. The Horns weren’t finished yet. In the final seconds of the first quarter, Austin McGary reeled in a 50-yard touchdown pass that brought the crowd to its feet.
In the second quarter, the Shorthorns kept the momentum going with more scoring action. Alex Rodriguez and Ayden Alvarez each found the end zone, extending Marfa’s lead. Sanderson managed to punch in another touchdown just before the halftime buzzer, but the Horns remained unfazed.
The energy from the stands was electric, with loyal Shorthorn fans dressed head-to-toe in purple, cheering on their team throughout the night. The combination of school spirit and solid execution on the field made this Homecoming game one to remember.
Lady Horns Dominate Balmorhea in four-set victory
The Lady Horns hit the road Tuesday evening and delivered a strong performance, defeating the Lady Bears of Balmorhea in four hard-fought sets: 25-21, 22-25, 23-25, 22-25.
The opening set was rough and tightly contested, with Marfa narrowly falling 25-21. However, the Lady Horns bounced back, winning the next three sets in a row, showcasing their teamwork, and talent on the court.
In the second set, Ava Flores sparked the momentum with seven consecutive serves, while Itzel Urrutia followed up with a kill to keep the energy high. The Lady Horns jumped to a solid 13-7 lead, but Balmorhea clawed their way back to tie it at 19. A well-timed timeout by Marfa gave the team a chance to regroup, and they closed out the set with determination.
The third set turned into a back-and-forth battle. Defensive efforts by Giselle Torres and Zoey Salgado, both making clutch, ball-saving digs helped the Lady Horns stay in it. In the end, Marfa edged out the win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The fourth set started strong, with Ava Flores once again making her mark. Receiving the first serve and returning it over the net for the opening point. That put her on the service line, where she tallied six straight points, forcing Balmorhea to call a timeout at 0-6. The set remained close, with frequent ties in the score, but it was Itzel Urrutia who sealed the match with a powerful game-winning kill.
Contributions came from all around the court: Liliana Zubia and Dariela Muñoz were key on blocks and passes, Amaya Gomez made crucial plays and Adeline Marquez added an ace off the bench. Raven was a powerhouse, racking up over a dozen kills and proving to be a dominant force.
This exciting win has the Lady Horns fired up as they look ahead to their official district opener.
Correction: In our previous report, we stated that the match against Balmorhea was the district opener. That was incorrect—our apologies. The Lady Horns’ district play begins this Saturday in Fort Davis @ 1pm, where they’ll face the Lady Indians.
