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Clemson Roll Tide:44-16

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in Football.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Clemson took out a full year’s worth of frustration on Alabama Monday night in one of the most stunning championship game beat-downs in recent history.

The Tigers (15-0) got better as the night elapsed and rolled the Tide 44-16 at Levi’s Stadium to claim the program’s second national title in three seasons. The contest also served as the birth of a new college football megastar in Clemson true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who absolutely shredded Alabama’s defense by going 20-of-32 passing for 347 yards and three touchdowns.

“It’s amazing,” Lawrence said. “I just love everyone that’s been a part of this journey. It’s really unbelievable.”

The 2019 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship got off to a dubious start for the Crimson Tide when Tua Tagovailoa was picked off by A.J. Terrell, who motored 44 yards the other way for a touchdown. 

Tagovailoa immediately bounced back with a 62-yard scoring toss to Jerry Jeudy, and after the two teams once again traded scores in the first quarter, the nationwide audience surely thought that an instant classic was in the making.

But Dabo Swinney’s Tigers had a different storyline in mind.

Alabama (14-1) tacked on a field goal early in the second quarter, but after that, it was all Clemson. The Tigers buried the Tide under an avalanche of 30 unanswered points — much to the delight of any college football fan fed up with seeing Nick Saban’s sour mug on their television set every January.

Clemson was untouchable during its surge, which saw Travis Etienne tally a 1-yard TD run and catch a 5-yard scoring strike from Lawrence before the Tigers added a field goal to take a 31-16 lead into the half.

Alabama still had a chance to rally after receiving the third-quarter kickoff, and the combination of Tagovailoa and Damien Harris quickly moved the Crimson Tide into the red zone. Clemson’s defense bowed its back and forced a field goal attempt, but Saban rolled the dice and dialed up a high-risk fake. It was stuffed behind the line of scrimmage, and from there, the Tigers clerly smelled blood and began to pour it on.

Lawrence went to the air and hit fellow freshman Justyn Ross for a 74-yard bomb to extend the lead, and after another fourth-down stop from Clemson’s defense, the QB capped the next drive with a 5-yard TD throw to Tee Higgins.

Once more the Tide drove into Tiger territory only to be turned away with nothing to show for it. Following a third straight turnover on downs, Clemson put the finishing touches on its blowout win by controlling the ball, keeping the clock moving and giving its starters a well-deserved curtain call.

“Alabama is Alabama, but I felt like we had the better team,” Swinney said afterward. “Our guys came in with the mindset that we were going to play on the balls of our feet and we were going to attack — and we did.”

The Tigers and Tide are now 2-2 when meeting in the new CFP, but Clemson holds a 2-1 edge with the title on the line. With their lopsided victory on Monday, the Tigers became the first NCAA Division I FBS team to finish a season with a perfect 15-0 record since 1897.

Philly Special Post Season

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NFL FOOTBALL.

CHICAGO — Against all odds, Nick Foles just keeps on delivering in the clutch.

Playing against one of the NFL’s fiercest defenses on the road, Foles led the game-winning touchdown drive to help the Eagles upend the Bears 16-15 at Solider Field. True to form, the Westlake alum was calm and collected in even the most pressure-packed moments, as he fired a side-arm pass to Golden Tate on fourth-and-goal to put the defending Super Bowl champions in the lead.

But the NFC wild-card matchup had plenty more drama in store for both fan bases in the final minute.

After a solid kick return by Tarik Cohen, Mitchell Trubisky fired a pass to Allen Robinson down the right sideline to put Chicago in field-goal territory at the Eagles’ 33-yard line. Following a timeout, Trubisky whipped an 8-yard toss to Robinson to make it an even shorter kick.

What happened next was an unforgettable moment in NFL postseason lore.

In what has been dubbed the “double-doink,” placekicker Cody Parkey saw his opportunity to become a beloved Chicago hero push wide before striking the left upright and caroming off the crossbar and back into the field of play. The faces of Trubisky and Bears head coach Matt Nagy said everything — their jaws simply dropped in stunned silence as Philadelphia went wild.

Upon further review, slow-motion replay shows that Eagles defensive lineman Treyvon Hester got a hand on the kick, which may have altered its trajectory. However, Parkey’s struggles this season have been well documented, and the final boot could have been headed for infamy regardless of Hester’s efforts.

It was a frenetic finish to a game that began as a battle of the two defenses. 

The Bears headed into halftime with a slim 6-3 lead following a dubious decision by the referees on a pass to Anthony Miller. The receiver clearly made the catch and then fumbled, but there was no clear recovery by either team. It was ruled an incompletion, and Chicago saw a chance at a touchdown wiped away.

Foles directed a seven-play, 83-yard scoring drive on Philly’s first possession of the second half that was capped by his 10-yard TD toss to rookie tight end Dallas Goedert.

The Bears opened the fourth quarter with their third field goal to pull within one at 10-9, and following a three-and-out by the Eagles, Trubisky led his team to a go-ahead score, which came on a 22-yard pass to Robinson. 

Down 15-10, Foles got the ball back and led yet another improbable march toward the end zone. The reigning Super Bowl MVP found Alshon Jeffery, Goedert, Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz before hitting Tate for a TD that kept the Eagles’ season alive.

Trubisky showed some mental toughness of his own down the stretch and was more than serviceable in his first career playoff start, as he threw for 303 yards and no interceptions.

In the end, though, Foles’ magic was enough to catapult Philadelphia into a divisional round matchup with the Saints this Sunday in New Orleans. One former Chaparral standout — either Foles or Drew Brees — will guide his team into the NFC Championship.

Cowboys Win Playoff Game.

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NFL FOOTBALL. 1 Comment on Cowboys Win Playoff Game.

ARLINGTON — It turns out stellar defense and a strong running game can still get it done on the gridiron.

The Dallas Cowboys proved that once again Saturday night after beating the Seattle Seahawks 24-22 at AT&T Stadium in an NFC wild-card playoff battle. Unlike the 2006 postseason meeting up north, it never came down to a last-second field goal, but rather a key third down and an onside kick.

On the biggest play of the game, Dak Prescott faced a third-and-14 from Seattle’s 17-yard line and made a determined run up the gut on a quarterback draw to move the chains before being upended at the 1. The scamper all but sealed the victory, and one play later, Prescott plunged across the goal line to help increase the Cowboys’ lead to two scores at 24-14.

Russell Wilson directed a quick touchdown drive the other way and converted a 2-point try to pull Seattle within striking distance at 24-22, but former Longhorn Michael Dickson’s dropkick onside attempt was easily handled by Cole Beasley to seal Dallas’ first postseason win since a 2014 wild card triumph against the Lions.

All of the late drama unfolded as Seattle’s veteran kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, watched from the sidelines with a pulled hamstring that he suffered just before halftime.

The Cowboys and Seahawks entered the game as mirror images of each other, but Dallas proved that its ground-and-pound philosophy was the superior version. Ezekiel Elliott outgained Seattle’s running back committee of Chris Carson, Mike Davis and Rashaad Penny 137 yards to 59 and also ran in a score early in the fourth quarter to give his team a 17-14 advantage.

The Cowboys’ defense was dominant, as it forced six three-and-outs in the contest and limited the Seahawks’ explosive plays. Other than a 28-yard run by Penny in the second quarter and a few pinpoint passes by Wilson to Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin, Seattle’s offense was completely held in check.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrates his first down near the goal line against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half of the NFC wild-card NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

Rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and counterpart Jaylon Smith patrolled the field and combined for 17 total tackles. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie stayed glued to Seattle’s wideouts and in yet another outstanding game, while the defensive line had its way with the Seahawks’ front five.

And then there’s Prescott. The oft-criticized quarterback was 22-of-33 passing for 226 yards, one TD and one interception, although the pick came on what likely should have been a pass interference call in the red zone.

It was only fitting that Prescott was able to punch it in when it mattered most to cap his first career playoff win. The clutch performance came on the heels of a confidence-building fourth quarter win over the Giants in a game that appeared meaningless at the time.

Dallas fans now hope the Week 17 comeback marked a major turning point for the third-year pro from Mississippi State, who has helped his team win eight of its last nine contests. Prescott’s contributions have been vital, as the Cowboys are a remarkable 10-0 this year when scoring 20 or more points.

Dallas will try to advance to its first NFC Championship since 1995 when it travels to Los Angeles to take on Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald and the Rams this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. CT.

Texans fall to Colts in Wildcard Round

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NFL FOOTBALL.

By Tucker Stephenson
HOUSTON — Another year, another disappointment for the Houston Texans.

And this time they can’t blame their struggles on an injured starting quarterback.

Houston flamed out in spectacular fashion Saturday afternoon against AFC South rival Indianapolis during a listless 21-7 loss at NRG Stadium. Led by a resurgent Andrew Luck, the Colts reached the end zone on three of their first four possessions to register an early knockout in enemy territory.

Meanwhile, the usually-explosive Deshaun Watson was out of rhythm, especially when trying to find his No. 1 weapon, Deandre Hopkins. The All-Pro wide receiver hauled in just five of his 10 targets for 37 yards and was clearly the focal point of Indianapolis’ secondary, which usually had a safety playing over the top on Hopkins’ side.

Former Red Raider Keke Coutee caught a touchdown pass from Watson in the fourth quarter, but that was the only time that the Texans were able to cash in points during a frustrating outing. Houston’s next drive reached the Colts’ 24 but turned the ball over on downs after Watson’s pass for Vincent Smith on fourth and long fell incomplete.

Indianapolis then gave Houston a steady diet of Marlon Mack until Luck lined up in the victory formation for three consecutive snaps. Mack finished with 148 yards and a score on 24 carries. 

The Texans fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, but J.J. Watt provided a glimmer of hope when he halted a potential third straight scoring drive by deflecting a pass that was picked off by defensive tackle Brandon Dunn. However, Houston went three and out, and the resulting punt eventually led to an 18-yard TD pass from Luck to Dontrelle Inman.

The two defenses then traded stops for the majority of the second half, allowing the Colts to protect their lead and advance to an AFC Divisional round matchup with Patrick Mahomes and the high-powered Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

For the Texans, it will be another long wait as their reputation for being “next year’s contenders” continues. Houston is now 3-5 in the postseason all-time and will no doubt look to retool its O-line this offseason in an effort to gear up for a run in 2019.

SUGAR IS SWEET

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in TEXAS SPORTS, UT FOOTBALL.

By Tucker Stephenson

NEW ORLEANS — After a full month of hype, everyone wearing the burnt orange and white couldn’t wait to get a piece of the Georgia Bulldogs.

Even Bevo himself.

Texas’ mascot nearly maimed Georgia’s favorite pooch, Uga, during an ill-advised pregame meeting, and the Longhorns finished the job over the next several hours by outmuscling the Bulldogs for a 28-21 win in the 2019 Sugar Bowl. Head coach Tom Herman’s team showed confidence and urgency from the very first snap and ultimately left The Big Easy with the program’s biggest postseason prize in a decade.

And with regard to the obvious question surrounding Texas football, quarterback Sam Ehlinger — the game’s Most Outstanding Player — answered it during the postgame ceremony.

“Longhorn nation,” Ehlinger said, “we’re baaaaaaack!”

It was a nearly flawless start for the Longhorns (10-4), who rattled off 17 consecutive points to take control of the contest. The Bulldogs (11-3) eventually pulled to within two scores with plenty of time remaining in the fourth quarter, but Texas’ defense rose to the occasion and got the stop it needed thanks to a key sack by linebacker Gary Johnson.

The Longhorns survived a penalty-plagued final minute to snag an onside kick that sealed a major upset — in Las Vegas’ eyes, at least.

“We pride ourselves in our physicality,” Herman said after the game. “At this point in our program, that’s how we’re going to win games. That’s always how we’re going to win games.”

Texas moved swiftly after receiving the opening kickoff, marching 75 yards in 10 plays and scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run by Ehlinger — the first of three scores on the ground from the Westlake alum.

The Longhorns then got a short field after Georgia punter Jake Carmada’s knee touched the ground as he reached for a low snap. Cameron Dicker capped the brief drive with a 37-yard field goal.

The Bulldogs survived another disaster courtesy of Carmada — this time a shanked punt that traveled all of 11 yards — but they weren’t so lucky following a fumble by running back D’Andre Swift that was covered up by defensive lineman Gerald Wilbon. The takeaway resulted in more Texas points when Ehlinger ducked under the Georgia rush on third-and-goal from the 9 and bullied his way across the goal line.

Georgia showed signs of life by answering with a 12-play touchdown drive, but Dicker tacked on a 30-yard field goal prior to intermission to give the Horns a 20-7 edge.

The Texas defense kept that lead intact for much of the second half, as P.J. Locke III opened the third quarter with an interception and the Longhorns then forced back-to-back Georgia punts.

Ehlinger then led a determined 14-play, 70-yard drive that eventually found the end zone after four consecutive runs from the 1 by the sophomore signal caller. It was the second fourth-down conversion of the possession, which proved to be a crucial one for Texas.

“Our No. 1 goal coming to New Orleans to participate in the Sugar Bowl was to win the game,” Herman said. “We weren’t just happy being here. We were going to win the game and do everything it took to win it.”

Following a successful 2-point conversion pass, the Longhorns held a commanding 28-7 advantage with 11:49 left to play. 

Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm notched a pair of late TD tosses to try and spark a rally, but the last one was mostly cosmetic. Texas’ Collin Johnson easily handled the Bulldogs’ desperation onside attempt with 14 seconds left, and the Longhorns lined up in the victory formation.

“I’m just so proud of how hard our guys played,” Herman said. “They played hard early, they played hard late, they overcame some adversity and it was a complete team effort.”

Ehlinger became the first Longhorn quarterback to rush for three scores in a bowl game since Vince Young did so in the 2006 National Championship Game. Ehlinger finished with 241 total yards — 169 through the air, 64 on the ground and 8 on a pass from Lil’Jordan Humphrey. 

As a team, Texas ran for 178 yards on 49 carries. Graduate transfer Tre Watson led the way with 91 yards on 18 totes.

Ehlinger and the Longhorns’ youth movement, including freshmen B.J. Foster, Joseph Ossai, Keaontay Ingram and Sam Cosmi — were on display all night long, but the senior class also left a lasting impression in its final college game. Elijah Rodriguez, Patrick Vahe and Andrew Beck helped pave the way for the running game, while Locke, Gary Johnson, Chris Nelson, Anthony Wheeler, Kris Boyd and Davante Davis helped put the brakes on the SEC’s third-ranked offense.

“They are going to go down as the most influential senior class, certainly of our tenure here, because of the culture they have instilled and the culture that they have upheld as well,” Herman said. “That locker room has finally become a player-led team instead of a coach-fed team.”

Cowboys Win NFC East Host Seattle in Wildcard Saturday

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in NFL FOOTBALL.

The Cowboys will start their playoff journey on Saturday night. Will it be short lived or a long one into Feb?

Should the Dallas Cowboys advance to the divisional round who they play still depends on what happens in the other NFC wild card game. If Chicago wins, Dallas would go to New Orleans. If Philadelphia won, Dallas would head to Los Angeles. The Cowboys won their last game of the regular season over the Giants Sunday in dramatic fashion with a 2 point conversion after a Cole Beasley diving catch. Dallas came back to win with 1:19 to play in the 4th. Cowboys 36 – Giants 35. Dallas ended the regular season as the NFC EAST CHAMPS at 10-6 in 2018.

This Weekends lineup:

Colts/Titans at Houston Texans, 4:35 pm ET on ESPN

Seahawks at Cowboys, 8:15 pm ET on FOX

Sunday, January 6th

Chargers at Ravens, 1:05 pm ET on CBS

Eagles at Bears, 4:40 pm ET on NBC


Texas Held Up by Rampage in San Antonio

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in HOCKEY.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, ended the 2018 calendar year on the wrong end of a 4-2 decision against the San Antonio Rampage. The Rampage continued their home win streak, extending the streak to six games.

The Rampage opened the scoring on a beautiful tip by Ryan Olsen nine minutes into the game. Olsen set up at the left side of the net and waited for Mitch Reinke to launch a shot from the blue line. The effort flew three feet wide of the net before Olson redirected the puck past Philippe Desrosiers. Late in the period, the Rampage scored again as Austin Poganski notched his fifth of the season on a rebound. The goal put San Antonio up 2-0 with 20 seconds left in the period.

Texas responded with a goal early in the second period. Nicholas Caamano pushed the puck out to center ice for the Stars to spring up the ice. Adam Mascherin entered the offensive zone and found Gavin Bayreuther for a partial breakaway. The defenseman collected the puck and took a shot between his own legs, causing a rebound off the pads of Jordan Binnington. Stars forward Joel L’Esperance was there to slam the loose puck home and cut the lead in half. It was one of 19 shots in the period as Texas outshot the Rampage 39-30 in the game.

Unfortunately for the Stars, all their shots came with no result on the scoreboard but two rushes for the Rampage put the game out of reach. Zach Sanford and Connor Bleakley each scored goals 33 seconds apart to extend the lead. Sanford was the trailer on a 2-on-1 and collected a pass from Sam Blais to make it 3-1 while Bleakley’s shot deflected into the net off the Stars defense.

The Stars carried a power play into the third period and wasted no time finding the net. L’Esperance again connected, this time on a one timer from the left circle. Ben Gleason and Justin Dowling set the play up for a blast by the rookie to score his 17th goal of the season.

Countless efforts in the third period would be stopped by Binnington and the Stars were unable to best the netminder even with Desrosiers on the bench for an extra attacker. Texas’ loss to the Rampage places them 5-3-1-0 against San Antonio this year, as the teams will not meet again until March.

Liberty Hill Falls to La Vega

Written by Steven Ryan on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Waco La Vega has had Liberty Hill’s number for some time, and that was the case again in the Class 4A Div. I State Championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The Panthers played evenly for most the game but came undone during a disastrous third quarter in a 35-21 loss, their fifth straight defeat to the Pirates in the last four years.

“(The losing streak to La Vega) plays in the back of your head. Even as an adult it does,” said Liberty Hill coach Jeff Walker. “But I felt confident coming in. We felt like we had the team that could beat them this year, but they’re familiar with us. We got up on Sealy and Carthage and some of those guys because they hadn’t seen us offensively and it’s hard to prepare for us in three days, but (La Vega) had seen us… They’re familiar with us. We’re familiar with them. They just made big plays and we didn’t.”

The decisive third period got off to an ominous start with La Vega senior Donta Stewart returning the second half kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. It only got worse from there. La Vega scored on the second play of its next possession when junior wide receiver Malachi Wright caught a short hitch route, juked his defender and raced down the sidelines for a 90-yard touchdown. 

Liberty Hill drove down to La Vega’s 15 on the ensuing drive but fumbled a handoff that was recovered by senior defensive lineman JaCorrey Coaster to extinguish the threat. Five plays later, the Pirates struck gold again as Wright got behind his defender for a 61-yard yard touchdown reception. Wright won offensive MVP honors with four catches for 172 yards and those two game-breaking touchdowns. In the third quarter, La Vega scored 21 points on just seven plays from scrimmage.

“I told the guys all the time earlier in the year (that) late in the season (and/or) playoffs, you have to win turnovers, you have to win special teams and you can’t give up big plays, and we (lost) all three in that quarter,” Walker said. “Momentum is a big part of all sports… At halftime it’s 7-7 and we thought it’s an even football game and it’s gonna be a two-quarter game. Let’s go out and fight, and we kicked off and they returned it (for a touchdown). I think it took a little wind out of our sails.”

Looking at the final stats, you wouldn’t think Liberty Hill lost by double-digits. The Panthers racked up 15 more first downs, almost doubled the time of possession and out-rushed the Pirates by 154 yards with their famed slot-T offense in a game that was expected to be decided on the ground. Senior running back Kyle Harrison capped his stellar career with 114 yards and a score on 27 carries, and in the process set a new Austin-area single-season rushing record with 2,875 yards.

“It sucks to lose but my team made it here and we did leave a legacy,” Harrison said. “That’s also an award for my lineman, too, because they’re the one getting me there. All year it’s been them. That’s pretty cool but it’s not really what I was thinking. I was thinking, come in and get the job done, but it’s pretty cool for me and my lineman… We didn’t get it done, but we got here and not very many teams got here like us, and it’s pretty fun playing in Jerry World.”

La Vega found the end zone on its opening possession when sophomore quarterback Ara Rauls converted a fourth-and-1 with a two-yard sneak and sophomore running back Jar’Que Walton broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run three plays later. 

Liberty Hill’s defense forced punts on each of the Pirates’ other three first-half drives and the offense evened the score with a four-yard touchdown run by Harrison on the first play of the second quarter. That score was set up by a rare pass completion, only Liberty Hill’s 18th of the season, where senior Kristian Taggart caught a throwback screen and followed his blockers for 18 yards and a first down on third-and-8. 

The Panthers got back within shouting distance when junior quarterback Jacob Cearly scampered for a nine-yard touchdown with 8:48 remaining to cap a 13-play, 65-yard scoring drive. But one last home run, a backbreaking 43-yard touchdown run by La Vega senior running back John Richards with 6:59 to go, extended the lead back to 21 and put the game away.

“We had a good season. We had a lot of ups and downs. We had a lot of injuries. We fought and we battled kind of like we did today,” Walker said. “I’m just proud of them. I’ve been proud of them all year long. They’ve given me everything. It’s a group that when they don’t win they apologize to me and say ‘I’m sorry, coach.’ This program has never been about me and never will be about me, and it kind of hurts me when they say that but I’m just proud of them. They put in the time, the effort, the energy. These guys didn’t miss a day in the summer. They come every day. They pay a price and you’d like to see them get rewarded and of course, we didn’t get the reward today.”

Westlake falls to Westbrook

Written by Steven Ryan on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Westlake coach Todd Dodge’s impassioned postgame speech said it all. After his team’s season came to an end with a hard-fought 35-30 loss to Beaumont West Brook in the Class 6A State Semifinals at Legacy Stadium in Katy, TX, Dodge got emotional with his boys as he expressed the emotion he felt about the heart and toughness they played with. Despite missing key offensive starters and trailing by double-digits most the game, the Chaps came back and had the ball with a chance to win before getting stopped on fourth down at midfield in the final minute.

“They’re just a blue-collar, hard-nosed bunch of kids that no matter what the circumstances are don’t think they should lose,” Dodge said. “Just very, very proud of this bunch. This one will hurt, but we’re not going to let it take our joy away.”

West Brook had shown a penchant for making big plays all season and that didn’t stop against a Westlake defense that came into the game allowing only 7.5 points per game. The Bruins scored three touchdowns of at least 66 yards to take a 25-10 lead into halftime. The first was by the defense as junior defensive end Markel Clark and senior safety Darrel Hawkins Jr. combined to force a fumble that was recovered by senior safety Daniel Coleman and returned 70 yards for a touchdown.

Westlake answered with a 29-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Kirkland Michaux to senior wide receiver Penny Baker on the next drive. But Bruin senior running back Robert McGrue broke free for a 68-yard score on the second play of the second quarter, and a few minutes later, senior quarterback La’Ravien Elia hit junior wide receiver Thaddeus Johnson on a quick slant, and Johnson bounced off a tackler and darted to the end zone for a 66-yard touchdown. The Elia-to-Johnson connection was on all day, as Johnson hauled in eight passes for 205 yards.

“Tonight for a three-hour window, we ran into a team that was better than us for this three-hour window, to be honest with you,” Dodge said. “Hats off to West Brook. They did what they needed to do. They put their athletes on the field and made plays… What a great job they did. Tons of speed and good luck in the state championship.”

Michaux, who was making his first career start, struggled early on. He completed just 5-of-15 passes for 88 yards while taking four sacks and losing the fumble that was returned for a touchdown in the first half. But the second half was a different story. Michaux went 8-for-13 for 138 yards with two touchdowns (one rushing, one passing), no turnovers and just one sack taken after the break. His top targets were Baker, who finished with five catches for 96 yards including his first half score, and junior Mason Mangum, who hauled in five balls for 105 yards and 38-yard score near the end of the third quarter.

The Bruins continued making big plays in the second half. They had three of 40 yards or more, including a trick play where senior wide receiver Deonte Thompson got a lateral and launched a 46-yard touchdown to a wide open McGrue to make it 35-17 late in third quarter. But Westlake put the clamps on West Brook’s last two drives. The Chaps got a three-and-out following Mangum’s 38-yard touchdown catch, and then senior linebacker Jake Ehlinger checked in on offense and scored a four-yard run to cap a nine-play, 67-yard drive that made it a single-digit game for the first time since the opening moments of the second quarter.

West Brook got all the way to Westlake’s five on its final drive, but junior defensive back Leo Lowin chased down junior Jakobi Holland for a 14-yard loss and Ehlinger made a nine-yard sack to knock the Bruins out of field goal range. After a fourth down stop, Westlake got the ball and drove to midfield before stalling out. When Michaux’s fourth down pass fell incomplete, West Brook’s sideline and crowd roared with euphoria, while the Chaps’ rampant energy whooshed away. Dodge, however, made sure to pick their heads back up after the game. West Brook will play for its first state title since 1982 Saturday at AT&T Stadium.

“We settled down (after the first half),” Ehlinger said. “At first we got caught off guard, got on our heels. But we stepped it up. We knew that we had to leave all that we had on the field because it could’ve been our last time and it was. We stepped it up and I feel content with how we played in the second half… It just proves what type of team we are. We’re a family. We told ourselves that we wouldn’t feel non-content with ourselves. We knew we would leave it all out on the field and that’s what we did. We have less points than they do at the end of the day, but it is what it is.”

And Then there were Three

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

 

Three Austin-area teams have been carving up opponents like a Christmas ham so far in the 2018 UIL football playoffs.

And each one is doing so in its own unique way.

Westlake, Lake Travis and Liberty Hill have all reached the state semifinals this week and all three look like legitimate title contenders. Here’s a look at how every squad has steamrolled its way into the final four.

Doing it with defense

The Chaparral’s (13-1) are the champions of District 25-6A and proud owners of an impressive 44-14 victory over Lake Travis in the regular season. Since the Class 6A Division II postseason began, Westlake’s scoring is down from 47.3 points per game to 32.8 points per outing,but it hasn’t mattered yet.

That’s because the Chaps are smothering opposing offenses, having just recorded back-to-back playoff shutouts for the first time in program history. Last week in the regional title game against San Antonio Brandeis, Westlake saddled the Broncos early and held them to a measly52 yards of offense and three first downs during a 26-0 victory.

The week before, head coach Todd Dodge’s team shut down Edinburg Vela 28-0.

Of course, there’s a reason the Chaparrals aren’t lighting up the scoreboard as much as they did through the first 11weeks of the season. In addition to an increase in the quality of its opponents, injuries have plagued Westlake recently.

Quarterback Taylor Anderson and running backs Tripp Graham and Jax Crockett have all been sidelined, while center Blake Webster was lost to a season-ending injury more than a month ago.

Still, behind a disciplined and tough defense, the Chaps have built a 12-game winning streak that includes a hard-nosed 28-14 win over a physical Schertz Clemens team in the bi-district round and a 49-7 romp over San Antonio Brennan in an area matchup.

The only thing standing in the way of a trip to the 6A-II championship game is a contest against Beaumont West Brook(12-2) this Saturday at 4 p.m. at Legacy Stadium in Katy.

Airing it out

The Cavaliers aren’t just glad to have star wide receiver Garrett Wilson back — they’re ecstatic.

Opposing defensive coordinators? Not so much.

Wilson gave Judson fits last week during a38-21 triumph in the Region IV-6A Division I title game that saw the wideout make eight grabs for 139 yards and three touchdowns. Two games prior to that,the recent Army All-American torched San Antonio Madison to the tune of 169yards and three total scores on another eight grabs as Lake Travis waltzed to a56-35 area playoff win in New Braunfels.

Wilson’s reemergence helped the Cavs banish the Rockets for a second consecutive season. It was key to the game plan, as Judson has one of the better defensive lines in the state of Texas, including stud DE/DT DeMarvin Leal — a Texas A&M commit.

Junior quarterback Hudson Card, a Texas pledge, was still able to pick apart the Rockets’ secondary and finished with311 yards and four scores, with one TD going to Kyle Eaves.

Lake Travis, which hasn’t flinched since suffering a 30-point loss to district foe Westlake, has now won seven straight games. That includes runaway postseason victories over Smithson Valley (45-14)and Weslaco (56-14) in the bi-district and regional semifinal rounds.

Card even tied the school record for most TD passes in a single game (7) against Weslaco, joining Garrett Gilbert and Matthew Baldwin in that category.

The Cavaliers have now booked a date with Galena Park North Shore (14-0) this Saturday at 2 p.m. at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Ground and pound

The Panthers (12-1) and their vaunted Slot-T rushing attack has to bring a tear to the eye of any football fan who longs for the days of “3 yards and a cloud of dust.”

Except in Liberty Hill’s case, it’s often more like “30 yards and a hail of artificial turf pellets.”

Running back Kyle Harrison is always a threat to take the ball the distance, as the 5-7, 150-pound senior has rushed for an absurd 2,607 yards and 37 touchdowns. As a team, the Panthers have kept the ball on the ground 681 times for a total of 6,601 yards.

In the age of spread offenses and air raid attacks, Liberty Hill has thrown the ball a grand total of 32 times this season. However, that doesn’t mean that head coach Jeff Walker’s team won’t chuck it in key situations.

In fact, during last week’s 35-17 victory over La Vernia in the Class 4A Division I regional final in San Marcos,quarterback Jacob Cearley caught the Bears hibernating on a 61-yard TD pass to Harrison that helped the Panthers rally from a 17-14 fourth-quarter deficit.The pass sparked a string of 21 unanswered points in the final stanza.

Just don’t expect to see Cearley lining up in the shotgun anytime soon.

The Panthers’ path to the Class 4A-Isemifinals also includes a 35-21 win over Sealy in the regional semifinals and triumphs against Bay City (62-14) and Gonzales (56-28) in the opening two rounds.

Harrison and company will look to keep churning out rushing yards and moving the chains this Friday against unbeaten Carthage (14-0) at the Berry Center in Cypress. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.