By: Carol

The Pleasanton Eagle football team played the Floresville Tigers, on October 28th with home field advantage. The Eagles took the win at this home conference game by a score of 35-14. The following Friday, November 4th The Eagles played and won their last home game against the Beeville Trojans in overtime by a score of 34-28. Entering the first round of play-offs, the Eagles were ready to dominate. Held in Corpus Christi, the Eagles played the Tuloso-Midway Warriors. Within the first 2 quarters the Eagles were leading with a 14-0 score showing no mercy as they continued on. By the third quarter the Eagles had put 28 more points on board which was quickly followed with a single 6 point touchdown made by Tuloso-Midway. In the last few minutes of the game our competitors decided to come and play adding an additional 14 points to the board by the end of the fourth quarter. Despite Tuloso’s hard fought efforts, the Eagles came out with a score of 42-20 advancing them to round 2 of play-offs against the Boerne Greyhounds. For the next week the Eagles prepped for the fight of their lives. On November 18th the Eagles traveled to Alamo Heights Stadium ready for the 7 pm kickoff. First quarter the Greyhounds came out fast with a 1 yard touchdown within the first few minutes of the first quarter. However, Eagles pushed back with a 7yd touchdown only minutes later only to be scored on once again by the Greyhounds ending the quarter with a 7-14 score. Within the second quarter Pleasanton put up another 7 points followed by another touchdown from the Greyhounds. With a 5 yard pass in the third quarter by the greyhounds quaterback they were leading 40-14 and finished the third quarter with a 43-14 lead. By the fourth quarter the eagles were feeling it but were no where close to giving up, they weren’t going down without a fight. Fourth quarter, Boerne had 1st down, with 11 minutes to go, and the ball on Pleasanton’s 12-yard line. The Greyhounds completed a 12 yard pass for a touchdown and PAT bringing the score to 50-14. Pleasanton had a 1st down with 6 minutes to go, and the ball was on Boerne’s 41-yard line. The Eagles completed a mighty 36-yard pass for a touchdown and a good PAT adding another 7 points to the board. With four minutes remaining the Eagles were giving it their all. Despite our team’s efforts, Bernoe came out with a 50-21 score advancing them to the next round and putting our season to an end.

There is no denying that our team was something special, these guys came out every Friday and fought hard in the name of our school. More than anything though this was a family, these were brothers, and the truth of the matter it was some of their last times on field. I had the opportunity to ask one of our seniors, number 78, Joe-Manuel Ortiz about his experiences as a senior on the team and what he wishes for them moving forward. This year the Eagles had a tough schedule but they played as hard as they could and Ortiz can say he was happy with the season the team had. Partly through the season, Ortiz was out of injury and he told us “ I got past my injury by working with our amazing training staff, they helped me get better and back out on the field.” There is no doubt that the ending of every year is difficult and even more so for seniors who will be moving on to the next chapters of their lives, Ortiz saying, “The hardest part of leaving this team is the memories we had together and all the time we spent together as a family.”  

Football teaches many lessons to players, and our amazing head football coach, Coach Liska can say he has seen this firsthand. Coach Liska saw the potential in his players and pushed them to be the best they could be this season despite the hecticness that came with it. “I knew we could be really good, and I knew we had the opportunity to meet all the goals we had set, our team had the opportunity to make district and play-offs,” Coach Liska. Moving into next year the team plans to improve upon discipline and team comradery. For seniors leaving Coach Liska hopes the lessons learned in football will become things they can implement in life as they grow into careers and become future fathers and husbands. For returning players it’s the work that they put in now that will determine the season next year and the coaching staff is eager to see these boys make the best out of every year in football. When asked what would be the hardest part of this season ending Liska told us “Finialty, you see the seniors walk out the door for the last time, that’s always difficult, taking up equipment is never fun, and seeing a kid walk out the door that you’re not gonna get to work with anymore and hope that the life lessons you’ve shared carry on.” 

Good luck to those graduating; your impact left a mark on this program, and we all wish you the best in life.