A Small Star Was Born For Abbeville Wildcats

A little star was born Friday night for the Abbeville Wildcats.
That little star is junior Jose Pedroza.
Pedroza had a hand in Abbeville’s three touchdowns and came up with a big defensive hit for the Wildcats in their 21-6 jamboree victory over the North Vermilion Patriots. It was also his first varsity start.
Last year Pedroza was the starting cornerback despite being 5-feet-5 inches tall. He was also the second string running back.
Well, good things comes to those who wait.
Pedroza, still around 5-feet-5, scored all three of Abbeville’s touchdowns. He had a 9-yard TD run on the opening drive. Then in the second half he caught a 74-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Demarcus Collins. He sealed Abbeville’s win with a 69-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes to play in the game.
After the game, Pedroza was all smiles.
“I have been moving up the ladder on the depth chart,” said Pedroza. “I was always second-string running back.”
No longer.
The Wildcats, behind the running of Kavon Brown, Pedroza and Matt Johnson, took their opening drive and marched it 70 yards down field. Brown had three touches for 15 yards on the drive.
Pedroza had two, including a nine yard run around the right side for a score.
Billy Arceneaux nailed the first of his three extra points for AHS.
It stayed 7-0 until the second half.
In that second half, AHS quarterback Darmus Collins faced a third down and long deep in NV territory. He rolled right and looked down field and saw a wide open Pedroza. He waited for the football to get to him and then he turned and ran 20 yards into the end zone.
“It was a little nerve racking when you are by your self waiting on the ball,” he said. “I was focusing on the ball, watching it until it got to my hands.”
Late in the second half, the play called for Pedroza to go left, but that was stopped by a North Vermilion defender. He cut back right and ran 69 yards down field for a touchdown.
Abbeville Head Football Coach Gary Atkins saw some positive things, especially the opening drive.
“I thought our first drive was excellent, but then it got ugly,” Atkins said. “You have to expect that in a jamboree.”
North Vermilion’s Dylan Dent carried the football for the game. He had a 62-yard touchdown run late in the second half for North Vermilion’s only score.
This Friday, the season begins.
North Vermilion is at home against Hanson, while Abbeville travels to Kaplan.