Sotomayor shuts out Eagle Pass to advance to second round of 6A-II playoffs

Sotomayor senior Ayden Williams and junior Jemarco Brooks react after getting a defensive stop during the Class 6A Division II first-round playoff game between Sotomayor and Eagle Pass at Gustafson Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. (Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News) With senior star Cameron Grady nursing an ankle injury he suffered last week against O'Connor, Sotomayor had to look elsewhere for its rushing production.Grady started the game, but something wasn't quite right. His ankle was still bothering him.The Wildcats turned to sophomore Dominique Wells and senior Xavier Victor. The duo combined for 141 rushing yards and two touchdowns as Sotomayor bounced Eagle Pass from the opening round of the Class 6A Division II playoffs with a 25-0 win Thursday at Gustafson Stadium."That's the way it's been all year long," Sotomayor coach Juan Morales said. "We get every single one of those guys ready. We've got two other quarterbacks that are all set and ready to go as well. So, we're blessed in that fashion."We didn't have to bring another quarterback in, but we worked our way down the running backs. With the big cats up front, it's stable. I think almost anybody can run behind those guys."Sotomayor advances to the second round and will play the winner between Edinburg Vela and Brownsville Veterans Memorial, which play their bi-district game Friday night.Junior Jemarco Brooks helped Sotomayor start quickly Thursday when he picked off junior Alex Ruiz on the Eagles' opening drive.The interception set up a 21-play drive that burned over nine minutes off the game clock. Sotomayor rushed 12 times on its opening drive, alternating carries between Grady and sophomore quarterback Isaiah Pena. The Wildcats' drive stalled out after a costly illegal man downfield penalty, forcing Sotomayor to settle for a 37-yard field goal from junior Brayden Luna.Late in the second quarter, the Wildcats began to pick up steam after a chunk run from Wells and an unsportsmanlike penalty from Eagle Pass. Sotomayor rolled with Wells until fourth-and-4 from the Eagles' 32-yard line, where they called in Grady for the first time since the opening series. Grady found a hole through the left side of his offensive line and picked up eight yards to move the chains. Two plays later, Pena found senior Alexander Lujan wide open up the seam for a 21-yard touchdown. Sotomayor senior Alexander Lujan makes a catch in the end zone during the Class 6A Division II first-round playoff game between Sotomayor and Eagle Pass at Gustafson Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. (Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News) Coming out of halftime, Wells broke off a 34-yard rush to put Sotomayor inside the Eagles' red zone. Morales called in Victor to give Wells a breather, and Victor punched in an 11-yard score. After a successful 2-point try, the Wildcats led 18-0 with 9:11 remaining in the third quarter."I really wanted that touchdown. I'm not going to lie," Wells joked.Sotomayor senior Eden Jackson snagged the Wildcats' second interception of the game and had his touchdown return negated by a holding call. Nevertheless, Sotomayor iced the game a few plays later after Victor dodged a pair of would-be tacklers for his second touchdown, a 2-yard score.Ayden Williams nabbed the Wildcats' third interception of the night for good measure.Grady has been Sotomayor's go-to guy all year long, but Morales said that Wells and Victor taking the reins for a night didn't bother Grady in the slightest. Even with the ankle injury, Grady was finding ways to chip in. His effort against Eagle Pass was a microcosm of the Wildcats' identity, according to Morales."Cam right there at the beginning of the second half, we knew we were getting the ball. That was a situation where we said, ‘Hey, can you lead this block?' and he said, ‘Coach, I got it,'" Morales explained. "He knew he wasn't getting the ball. He knew he was instrumental to the team as a blocker. And boy, he went out there and did that."He does everything that we ask him to do. And that's the great player he is. He's become such a great, mature young man. I'm super proud of him."SubscribeThere’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Sotomayor shuts out Eagle Pass to advance to second round of 6A-II playoffs.