Local high school football: Cards at home; Shiner goes to Poth

St. Paul plays its first home game of the season, hosting Corpus Christi John Paul II while the Comanches close out a two-game road trip, taking on 3A Poth.
CC John Paul II at St. Paul
The Centurions (0-2) roll into town as the first of four visiting teams for St. Paul (0-2).
John Paul II is 0-2 after losses to St. Anthony (34-0) and Premont (32-12).
The Centurions have allowed 31.0 points a game while scoring just 6.0 points a game.
After two games, the Cardinals have faired slightly better with 15.0 points for and 25.0 against, following losses to Houston KIPP Sunnyside (30-23) and Bay Area Christian (20-7).
“It is going to be an interesting game,” St. Paul head coach Barry Wolf said.
The Centurions have averaged 263.5 yards a game in two games (70.5 rushing, 193.0 passing).
Quarterback Randy Garcia has completed 23-of-40 passes for 386 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Top receiver is Teddy Chavez who has nine catches for 194 yards; Zach Martinez (4-61) and Isaac Lopez (5-84) have one touchdown each.
Martinez leads a struggling rushing attack with 84 yards on 20 carries.
“Usually, they run out of the spread when they are ahead and when they are trailing, they run the ball or run a more conventional offense, out of the two-back formation,” Wolf said. “They run the ball better when they are in the two back. The key for our defense is to play good technique and stay with their receivers.”
On the defensive side, Gabriel Estrada had 13 tackles ( seven assists, six solo).
Martinez has 2.0 tackles for los and 1.0 sacks, and has five interceptions.
“John Paul II usually runs a 4-3 with linebackers deep and the defensive ends playing loose. It’s kind of deceptive because it looks more like a 3-4,” he said. “We need to not turn the ball over and pass better: quarterbacks have to make good throws and receivers have to catch. Basically, we need to be more balanced on offense.”
Shiner at Poth 
Shiner is looking to find its footing after losses to Hallettsville (22-15) and Rice (23-0) to start the season.
The Poth Pirates have started 2024 on a roll, beating Comanche 35-14 and plundering Shiner’s district opponent Falls City 51-13. Poth is scoring 43.0 points a game and yielding 13.5 points. a game and average 328 yards a game (135.5 passing 192.5 rushing).
“They area solid team and are ranked in their division for a reason. They are big up front and have good skilled players,” Comanches head coach Daniel Boedeker said.
Running back Kane Stover is the key rusher with 25 carries for 233 yards and five touchdowns. 
Quarterback Major Luna had passed for 271 yards on 19-of-33 for three touchdowns. 
Colin Ramzinski has six catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns and will also help with the running attack.
“Stover and Ramzinski are pretty identical in what they do. Luna is a good passer,” Boedeker said. “Our defense will have to slow down and contain those three players.
The key for the Shiner offense will be to avoid the turnovers that hampered their efforts in scoring against Rice and to get a good push upfront to counter Poth’s big defensive line.