November 22, 2025 - The Joaquin Rams seized the 2025 UIL Texas Football Conference 2A Division I Region 3 Area Championships with a decisive 41-8 victory.
The Joaquin and Honey Grove Area Playoff game started off with a good defensive battle between the teams. Until, Rams player Cooper Bragg #2 made a 50-yard long touchdown run to put the first score on the board with 4:57 left in the first quarter.
Joaquin’s defense held Honey Grove the remainder of the quarter with it ending Rams 7 - Warriors 0. They went into the 2nd quarter with possession of the ball and Jacob Gatlin #3 made a big 60-yard run to the 10 and into scoring position. A few more plays and Cooper Bragg #2 on a run from around the 5-yard line makes it in for the second touchdown of the game, Joaquin 14 - Honey Grove 0, with 10:09 left in the 2nd quarter.
The Warriors' offense struggled to make movement down the field and failed to connect passing attempts. With just over 5 mins left in the 2nd quarter, Jacob Gatlin #3 increased the Rams lead to 21-0 with a touchdown run from around the 45-yard line. The first half ended 21-0 Joaquin.
The third quarter started off with a strong defense shown by both sides. With 5 minutes left in 3rd quarter, Cooper Bragg #2 made a long run to give the team good field position. Quarterback Trenton Runnels #1 threw to Conner Rios #87 to get the games 1st reception for the Rams. Next play, Trenton Runnels #1 gets into the end zone. The extra-point attempt is stopped and the score is Joaquin 27 - Honey Grove 0 with 3:04 left.
To finish out the 3rd quarter, the Rams defense continued to put pressure on the Warriors. With fog rolling in, the Rams got the ball and Cooper Bragg #2 quickly took it in for another 60-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was good bringing the score to Joaquin 34 - Honey Grove 0 with 11:05 left on the clock.
The Warriors showed a spark on their next possession, however, on the 3rd down, Joaquin intercepted the ball on a pass attempt by Honey Grove and ends the Warriors chance again to get on the board. On the Rams first play, Amarion Wilson #6 got the ball for a first down followed by Jadyn Brown #9 getting another first down. Amarion Wilson #6 broke through and went untouched into the end zone to bring the Rams to 41 after another good extra point by kicker David Martinez #15, a freshman.
On Honey Groves’ next possession they moved the ball down the field quickly and within a few plays, they made their way into the end zone. A successful two-point conversion gets the Warriors on the board with 8 to the Rams 41.
Degan Lee #4 made a long run on the first play of the Rams possession with 2 minutes left in the game giving the Rams excellent field position on the 10-yard line. The Rams took a knee to end the game with a final score of 41-8.
As the Area Champions, the Joaquin Rams will face the Elysian Fields Yellowjackets in the Quarterfinals on Friday, November 28.
