AMERICAS ANSWERS THE CALL: TRAIL BLAZERS TAKE DOWN MONTWOOD 35-21

By PREP1 Sports | September 11, 2026 Sometimes a team doesn't need a perfect start. It just needs a breakthrough. For Americas, that breakthrough came Friday night. The Trail Blazers traveled to face Montwood and came away with a convincing 35-21 victory, earning their first win of the 2026 season and giving the program some much-needed momentum heading into the next phase of the schedule. And the engine behind the victory was impossible to miss. Maurice Edwards. EDWARDS PUTS THE TEAM ON HIS BACK Edwards was simply sensational. The Americas standout rushed 24 times for 266 yards and three touchdowns, averaging an eye-popping 11.1 yards per carry. But he wasn't finished. Edwards also completed 15 of 25 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Trail Blazers an extraordinary 467 yards of combined rushing and passing production from their dynamic playmaker. Five total touchdowns. That's the kind of performance that changes a football game. And on Friday night, it changed the direction of Americas' season. THE TRAIL BLAZERS FINALLY BREAK THROUGH Americas entered the matchup at 0-2, coming off a pair of close defeats to open the season. The Trail Blazers lost 28-20 to Canutillo in Week 1 before falling 57-55 to Andress in a wild Week 2 shootout. So Friday wasn't simply another game. It was an opportunity to turn some of those frustrations into something positive. Americas did exactly that. The Trail Blazers scored 35 points, matching their first two games' combined output against Montwood and producing their first victory of the season. Renteria PROVIDES THE BIG PLAY While Edwards commanded the spotlight, Ryan Renteria provided another major piece of the offensive attack. Renteria finished with six receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, giving Edwards a reliable target when Americas went to the air. That balance made Americas difficult to defend. Montwood couldn't simply load up against Edwards' running ability because the Trail Blazers had the capability to hurt the Rams through the passing game as well. The result? 35 points and a 14-point victory. MONTWOOD'S SLOW START CONTINUES For Montwood, Friday's loss was another difficult chapter in what has been a challenging opening to the 2026 season. The Rams fell to 0-3, following losses to Hanks and Del Valle. Montwood opened the season with a 63-27 loss to Hanks before dropping a 56-14 decision to Del Valle. But the Rams did manage to put 21 points on the board against Americas and will have another opportunity to regroup next week. Montwood hosts San Angelo Central on September 18. NOW THE SEASON CHANGES FOR AMERICAS At 1-2, Americas isn't where it wants to be in the standings. But the Trail Blazers now have something they didn't have entering Friday night: Momentum. And perhaps more importantly, confidence. The offense has already demonstrated that it can put points on the board. The 55-point performance against Andress proved that. Now, with Edwards showing the ability to dominate both running and throwing the football, Americas has another dimension to build around. The next challenge is a big one. The Trail Blazers host Eastwood on Thursday, September 17. Eastwood enters that matchup at 2-1, despite coming off a 52-7 loss to nationally regarded Corner Canyon. For Americas, Thursday represents another chance to prove that Friday night's victory wasn't simply a one-night turnaround. But for now, the Trail Blazers can finally celebrate. They took care of business. They got their first win. And Maurice Edwards made sure nobody would forget how they got it. FINAL: AMERICAS 35, MONTWOOD 21 Americas: 1-2 Montwood: 0-3 Next for Americas: vs. Eastwood — Sept. 17 Next for Montwood: vs. San Angelo Central — Sept. 18 Photo: Luis Ramos | @Prods2fye