Under the searing brightness of the stadium lights, the scene felt larger than life. The band blared out our Aztec warchant with force that the ground vibrated, while fans filled every inch of the stands. Standing in the pocket, sophomore quarterback Brycen Booth scanned the field as the defense closed in. Spotting senior receiver Nicolas Figueroa break free, he launched the ball in a tight spiral. The crowd held their breath. In a perfect moment, the ball was caught and the stadium erupted as he dashed into the end zone.
In a close game against the Eastwood Troopers, the number one team in El Paso, the Aztecs pulled off an upset advancing them to a 4-0 record for the first time since 2014. The last offensive drive by the Aztecs gained them the lead in the game and with a defensive stop, the Aztecs ultimately sealed the win 55-54.
Showcasing the glory, senior Nick Lopez holds up the Turnover Chain while looking at the crowd on Sept. 20 at Eastwood High School. The Aztecs took away Eastwood’s title of being the number one ranked team in El Paso and defending 6A champions after this game. “I was hyped when they put it on me because we were playing one of the biggest teams in El Paso. It was a big play and I got to celebrate with my team,” Lopez said. (Photo by Mia Nakiso)
In the second quarter, senior quarterback Elijah Issa had injured his hamstring on a QB sneak when he got tackled running the ball. Booth was brought into the game to run the offense,knowing he had big shoes to fill.
“As soon as I got word I was going in the game, the whole team was behind me and believed in me. It boosted my confidence, and I really appreciate these guys,” Booth said. “In my head, I wasn’t thinking about anything else but to go out there and be myself. I knew what I was capable of and I just had to prove it.”
With the scoreboard clock slowly ticking down, Booth connected with Figueroa to make a fast play that would give the Aztecs the win if executed successfully. Figueroa caught the pass and scored the winning touchdown, put everyone on their feet with him making history.
Uniting with his teammates ,wide receiver senior Nicolas Figeroa is thrown in the air in celebration after scoring the winning touchdown on Sept. 20 at Eastwood. In a nail-biting finish, El Dorado claimed victory with a final score of 55-54.“The atmosphere was great and the stands were packed but our coach reminded us to remain focused on our goal and ignore the external factors,” Figeroa said. “All of the spectators on Eastwood’s side added fuel to the fire and gave us more reason to prove them wrong.” (Photo by Mia Nakiso)
“Pulling off this win was more than special. We went into their territory and showed that we’re one of the top teams in the city,” Figueroa said. “They doubted us and thought they had an easy game for their homecoming week, but this team is special and showed otherwise, being able to crash the party means a lot to us and the community.”
With making that touchdown, came kicking a field goal for an extra point. Senior kicker Elijah Pascale kicked the extra point into the middle of the field goal, which was a crucial part to their victory.
“The atmosphere during that last field goal was incredible. On one side, I had my team rooting for me, and on the other I had a bunch of Eastwood fans praying that I miss. The moment was like nothing I had ever experienced and was truly amazing,” Pascale said. “After scoring the final point, my teammates were extremely hyped and proud of my performance. They approached me from the sideline and told me that they never doubted me.”
Weaving through tackles,senior quarterback Elijah Issa evades oncoming Troopers on Sept. 20 at Eastwood High School. Despite Issa’s injury after being tackled by defenders, he gave the Aztecs a massive lead. “Having to adapt to their environment and home stadium, especially it being their homecoming, was the main challenge of that game,” (Photo by Mia Nakiso)
