Westwood QB Martinez delivers 5 TDs in dazzling debut
Sophomore quarterback RJ Martinez, operating smoothly behind an offensive line with four returning starters, accounted for five touchdowns in his debut as Westwood came from behind to beat East View 38-21 at GISD Athletic Complex.
Jackson Coulson marched East View 70 yards on its second possession to put the Patriots up 7-3. Coulson connected on a 29-yard scoring pass to Devhaun Little.
The Warriors took control of the game, scoring touchdowns on four straight possessions from midway in the second quarter through the opening possession of the third period. Martinez gave the Warriors a lead they would never relinquish as he scored on a keeper with 6:29 left before half.
Shortly after, Martinez was back in the end zone on a 4-yard run. He closed out the half by tossing his first scoring pass, a 13-yarder to Luca Mazzola to push the lead to 24-7.
Martinez's 1-yard sneak and 17-yard pass to Matt Pravednikov put the game on ice 38-7 early in the fourth.
Martinez finished 21 of 32 for 222 yards. Pravednikov caught nine balls for 123 yards. Backs Nate Anderson and Mario Debs ran for 103 and 101 yards, respectively, as the Warriors finished with 466 yards total offense.
"What is fortunate about a having a sophomore quarterback like RJ is that we have a very experienced offensive line that was able to give him protection," Coach Anthony Wood said. "That allowed him the time to do the things he needed to do."
East View's Coulson found Zion Hester out of the backfield for a pair of scoring passes in the final period.
Coulson finished with 206 yards passing, connecting on 17 of 21 attempts. Little's eight receptions accounted for 108 yards.
–Mark Champ, AA-S correspondent