Red Storm holds off Blue Thunder in high scoring All-Star football game
Red Storm held off the Blue Thunder on Saturday in the 30th Annual Greater El Paso Football Showcase All-Star game at the SISD Student Activities Complex
Coronado's Little shines
Receiver Cade Little was the Overall MVP for the Red Storm. He started the scoring with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Del Valle’s Jesse Ramos to give the Red Storm a 7-0 lead. He later added a punt return to the Blue Thunder 10-yard line. In the second half he caught a 13-yard touchdown pass and also had a 43-yard reception to set up a score and a 28-yard reception that up another score.
Franklin's Sparks steps up
Receiver Beau Sparks was the Overall MVP for the Blue Thunder. He caught a 51-yard touchdown pass from El Dorado quarterback Quincy Estrada for the team’s lone touchdown of the first half. He also took a short pass, reversed field and had a 30-yard gain in the first half. In the second half, he caught a 45-yard touchdown pass. Sparks has received college attention, including a preferred walk-on offer from New Mexico State.
Pebble Hills' Ledesma steps up
Jacob Ledesma can play either quarterback or running back effectively and he did both on Saturday. His two second half touchdown runs of 1 and 8 yards helped seal the victory for the Red Storm.
Lobos RB scores TD
Running back Gilbert Gamboa scored the Red Storm’s second touchdown of the first half on a seven-yard run, which he helped set up with a 13-yard reception. Gamboa gained more than 1,600 yards for the 6-5 Lobos this past season.
Eastlake kicker steps up
Juliah Melucci was clutch during his career for the Falcons and on Saturday showed how good of a kicker he is with a 42-yard field goal for the Blue Thunder.
Jefferson's Gomez contributes
Jefferson’s Roman Gomez had a solid first half with four receptions for 39 yards for the Red Storm.
Blue Storm defense makes plays
In the first half, the Blue Storm had three sacks and a fumble recovery. In the second half, Chapin defensive back Yoshua Yhisreal intercepted a pass and returned it 35 yards for a score.
What the players said
"It was a great time with these guys and it was a fun atmosphere," Sparks said. "The quarterback got me the ball and he did a great job putting me in great spots."
Added Little: "I love playing against Beau one more time. He's a great player. It was a tough game, the chemistry I had with my quarterback Jacob Ledesma was unmatched."
Estrada finishes it off
Riverside's Adrian Estrada, who led the Rangers to a District 1-4A title with a big season on offense and defense, capped Saturday's win with an interception on the final play of the game. He played defensive back on the final play.
More: Coronado's Little makes impact Coronado's Cade Little helped set foundation for future of football program
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on Twitter
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Red Storm holds off Blue Thunder in All-Star football game
