Class 4A Playoff Schedule – Week 4: Quarterfinals

Austin area schools will be in bold.

By Luther Xue

Friday, December 3

7:30 PM	Wylie (10-3) vs. Tyler John Tyler (12-1)	Wylie ISD Stadium
7:30 PM	Corpus Christi Calallen (12-1) vs. Boerne Champion (12-1)	Alamodome
7:30 PM	Aledo (13-0) vs. Stephenville (8-5)	Floyd Casey Stadium (Waco)

Saturday, December 4

1:30 PM	Cedar Park (13-0) vs. Lake Travis (11-2)	DKR Memorial Stadium
2:00 PM	Wichita Falls Rider (9-4) vs. Denton Ryan (13-0)	Collins Athletic Complex (Denton)
2:00 PM	Bastrop (10-3) vs. Mesquite Poteet (11-2)	Waco ISD Stadium
2:00 PM	LaMarque (9-3) vs. Manvel (11-2)	Wildcat Stadium (Angleton)
7:00 PM	Montgomery (12-1) vs. Friendswood (12-1)	Rice Stadium

Lake Travis Romps, Setting Up Rematch with Cedar Park

By Sam Bohmfalk

Lake Travis had no problem finding the end zone against Victoria East.

For an eight-minute stretch of time between the third and fourth quarters, Victoria East showed why it was a playoff team. For the other 40 minutes, it was all Lake Travis.

As the final horn sounded, Victoria East was left to ponder a season that no one saw coming, while Lake Travis was already gearing up for a rematch with district foe Cedar Park.

Things started off on the wrong foot for Victoria East, as they muffed the opening kickoff, giving Lake Travis a short field to work with. The 26-yard drive would end with quarterback Michael Brewer rushing it in from 4 yards out, his first of three on the day.

Much like in the Cedar Park-Weslaco East game, the opposition would hit right back. For Victoria East, it was Jonathan Garner who took the ball 75-yards to pay dirt, tying the game at 7.

But the next 15 minutes for Victoria East were, in a word, hell. Colin Lagasse caught sandwiched two touchdown catches around a Brewer 7-yarder and a Dannon Cavil 17-yard run as Lake Travis took a 35-7 halftime lead.

Victoria East was plagued by a bevy of mistakes after their first touchdown, including a fumble and penalties that derailed drives. Quarterback Ervin Yates tried to right the ship, especially after Garner left the game with an injury, but he didn’t have the ability to carry the team.

Looking deflated as the third quarter started, the Titans quickly surrendered two more touchdown runs as the Cavaliers pulled their starters.

For eight minutes, Victoria East looked like a team that belonged as Yates connected on a 74-yard touchdown to Steve Martinez and two separate 9-yarders to pull the Titans within 21 with 7 minutes remaining. The ensuing onside kick just eluded the Titans, who didn’t have enough left in the tank to stop Lake Travis from scoring twice more.

The win by Lake Travis sets up a fourth round matchup with district rival Cedar Park, a team to whom the Cavaliers fell earlier this year, 35-21.

Timberwolves Trounce Wildcats, 48-7

By Sam Bohmfalk

Click the visualization to see how Cedar Park spread the ball around against Weslaco East

The stat sheet may show that Brian Hogan has been Cedar Park’s most important player this season, and maybe he has. But don’t let that fool you, because the Timberwolves have had more balance than any other team in the state all year long.

With Hogan nursing a knee injury on the sideline, coach Chris Ross called not on one player, but the team to step up. And step up they did.

How’s this for balance? Nine different players had at least three rush attempts for the Timberwolves, which had success on the ground all day, running for 393 yards on 49 carries.

That, combined with Cedar Park’s always-stingy defense, was more than enough as the Timberwolves romped, 48-7.

In last week’s 28-23 closer-than-it-should-be victory, Cedar Park fumbled six times; against Weslaco East, Cedar Park didn’t seem to want to relinquish the pigskin. Ryan Roberts’ 39-yard fumble return just before halftime was the figurative nail in the coffin for Weslaco East, as the Timberwolves took a 35-7 lead into half.

Cedar Park didn’t do anything fancy to get to that point. Ethan Fry scored the first of his three touchdowns early in the first quarter to put Cedar Park up. The lead was only brief though, as Weslaco East marched down the field before Aaron Munguia ran one in from 23-yards out. It was the only sustained offense for the Wildcats on the night.

While Cedar Park seemed content to change running backs every two plays, Weslaco East was a one-trick pony. Bobby Gonzalez, Weslaco East’s star running back, got his yards—138 of them—but he didn’t have enough help around him to move the chains consistently.

Sandwiched between Fry’s first two touchdowns for the Timberwolves, were scores from Efren Collier and Michael Watterfield. Watterfield was the Timberwolves’ leading rusher on the night, springing for a season-high 124 yards on just 12 carries.

The win by Cedar Park sets up a re-match with district foe Lake Travis. In a week 10 match-up, the Timberwolves handed the three-time defending state champions their first loss since 2007, 35-21.

Class 4A Playoff Schedule – Week 3: Regional Round

Austin area high schools will be in bold.

Friday, November 26

12:00 PM	Boerne Champion (11-1) vs. Port Lavaca Calhoun (9-3)	Alamodome
1:00 PM	Denton Ryan (12-0) vs. Hewitt Midway (12-0)	Cowboys Stadium (Arlington)
4:00 PM	Wylie (9-3) vs West Mesquite (10-2)	Cowboys Stadium (Arlington)
4:00 PM	Cedar Park (12-0) vs Weslaco East (11-1)	Alamodome
4:00 PM	Canyon Randall (10-2) vs. Stephenville (7-5)	Grande Communications Stadium (Midland)
5:00 PM	SA Alamo Heights (10-2) vs. CC Calallen (11-1)	Alamo Heights
7:00 PM	Hereford (9-3) vs Aledo (12-0)	Sweetwater
7:00 PM	Frisco Liberty (12-0) vs. Bastrop (9-3)	Cowboy’s Stadium (Arlington)

Saturday, November 27

12:00 PM	Lake Travis (10-2) vs Victoria East (11-1)	Alamodome
1:00 PM	Montgomery (11-1) vs Pearland Dawson (8-4)	Turner Stadium (Humble)
2:00 PM	Dayton (9-3) vs. La Marque (8-3)	Tully Stadium
2:00 PM	Humble (11-1) vs Friendswood (11-1)	Houston’s Thorne Stadium
2:00 PM	Carrollton Smith (7-5) vs Tyler John Tyler (11-1)	Waco ISD Stadium
2:00 PM	Wichita Falls Rider (8-4) vs Birdville  (9-3)	Pennington Field (Bedford)
7:00 PM	Highland Park (12-0) vs. Mesquite Poteet (10-2	Cowboys’s Stadium (Arlington)
7:00 PM	Port Neches-Groves (8-4) vs. Manvel (10-2)	Stallworth Stadium (Baytown)

Regional Round Preview: Cedar Park vs. Weslaco East

By Sam Bohmfalk

Saturday November 28, 4 p.m., Alamodome

Click to see how Bobby Gonzalez has faired against the competition this year

Over the last five years, the state of Texas became enamored with the spread offense passing game. These two teams, however, buck the trend, as they combined to only average 19 passes per game.

Weslaco East relies on the legs of senior Bobby Gonzalez. Whereas most running backs aim to gain 100 yards per game, Gonzalez sets a goal at averaging 200. And he accomplished that goal nine times this year, and thus has over 2,600 yards rushing this season. The Wildcats will depend heavily on Gonzalez, as quarterback John Arevalo has just 155 yards passing over the last four games combined, throwing no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Unfortunately for Weslaco East, stopping the run is Cedar Park’s specialty. In last week’s area round game against Smithson Valley, the Timberwolves held the Rangers’ running backs to 34 yards on 22 carries. Smithson Valley had limited success through the air, but was given short fields to work with due to Cedar Park’s inability to hold on to the ball.

While Gonzalez guns for 200 yards per game, the Timberwolves tend to give up less than 100 yards rushing per game. The last opponent to break 100 on Cedar Park was Dripping Springs, and they had to grind out 33 carries on the ground at 3.8 yards per carry to do that.

The Timberwolves offense is heavily dependant on the run itself, with quarterback Brian Hogan proving to be somewhat of a dual threat. Hogan left last week’s game against Smithson Valley, and his status for this week’s game is up in the air. If he cannot go, the onus will most likely fall on Matt Posey.

Cedar Park will attempt to grind this game out on the ground, using their rusher-by-committee that has seen eight different players rush for over 170 yards this season.

Series: Neither team has ever made it this far, and the two teams have never played.

Prediction: Weslaco East’s defense has proven time and time again that they are able to stop the pass, but Cedar Park’s downhill running approach will be too much. Cedar Park 40, Weslaco East 21

Regional Round Preview: Lake Travis vs. Victoria East

By Sam Bohmfalk

Click to see who the rushing and receiving threats at Victoria East.

Saturday, November 27, 12:00 p.m., Alamodome

One hails from a program that started booking hotel rooms at the state championship site before the season begins. He hails from a program that is developing a lineage of sorts within the college football quarterbacking ranks.

The other hails from a small town two hours southwest of Houston. He plays for a program that is in its first year of existence.

And yet both of them will gather at the Alamodome Saturday, with eerily similar numbers. One has thrown for 2090 yards, the other for 2189. One has thrown for 22 touchdowns, the other just 20. Both lead their teams in rushing.

Michael Brewer, of Lake Travis, and Ervin Yates, of Victoria East, will square off in a game that no one would have expected to happen at the beginning of the season.

The three-time defending state champion Cavaliers have barely scooted by in their first two playoff games, winning each by just a touchdown. Now they’ll face off against a team that seems to have caught fire at the right time, averaging 58 points a game thus far in the playoffs. Maybe most impressive about their 54 points last week, was the fact that they turned the ball over four times.

Turning the ball was not a problem for Lake Travis last week, as they defeated Kerrville Tivy 48-42. Any turnover might have been enough for Tivy quarterback Johnny Manziel to swing the game, but he wasn’t given that opportunity. Brewer rebounded from a tough bi-district game against McCallum to combine for 440 total yards, having a hand in four of the Cavaliers’ touchdowns.

A week after dealing with Manziel, Lake Travis will once again have its hands full with an athletic quarterback in Ervin Yates. Unlike Manziel, Yates has a cast of characters who can step up and carry the load when needed. Running backs Roderick Warren and Jonathan Garner split carries, and each went for over 1000 yards this season. In last week’s game against Veterans Memorial, Garner ran for a season-high 217 yards and two touchdowns as Victoria East rolled 54-40.

Series: The two teams have never met.

Prediction: Lake Travis has too much experience and strength. They prevail in another close one, 35-31.

Bastrop wins in shootout; Connally’s season ends

Bastrop 58 – Sulphur Springs 44

The Bastrop Bears roared to the third round of the UIL High School Playoffs with a shootout win over the Sulphur Springs Wildcats, 58-44. Bastrop quarterback Josiah Monroe had the game of his life, throwing for 400 yards and running for 164 yards and scoring 6 touchdowns combined. They led the game 21-10 at halftime before holding off a furious comeback attempt by the Wildcats. Monroe’s favorite target in the game was receiver Robert Nunn, who caught 18 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears helped their cause by winning the turnover battle, forcing two interceptions and two fumbles. The main weapon for the Wildcats was their running back Kendrick Daniels, who ran for 305 yards and scored five of the Wildcat’s six touchdowns.

Bastrop will continue their postseason campaign 7 p.m. Friday against Frisco Liberty at Cowboy’s Stadium.

Connally 24 – Tyler John Tyler 48

The Connally Cougars couldn’t get out of their own way in a 48-24 loss to the Tyler John Tyler Lions. The Cougars passing game was stifled all night with quarterbacks Devon Lewis and Dajon Williams combining to complete only 7 of their 32 passes, throwing five interceptions and fumbling the ball away once.  Tyler John Tyler jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the second quarter, helped out by the turnovers from Connally, and the Cougars couldn’t fight their way back into the game.

Connally ends their season with a 10-2 record

 

Cedar Park Stumbles On; Vista Ridge, Marble Falls Fall

By Sam Bohmfalk

Click to see how area quarterbacks stacked up.

Cedar Park 28, Smithson Valley 23

The Cedar Park Timberwolves rumbled, bumbled and fumbled their way into the third round, beating Smithson Valley 28-23 in a game in which the Timberwolves almost beat themselves. As they’ve done all year, the Cedar Park defense made the opposing offense look inept. Smithson Valley completed just 40% of its passes and rushed for only 34 points, but managed to stay in the game thanks to a Timberwolves rushing game that was all to happy to put the ball on the ground.

The Timberwolves exhibited a ground-it-out approach from the get-go—rushing 51 times on the night—but put the ball on the ground six times, losing three of those. The Timberwolves’ problems started late in the second quarter, when quarterback Brian Hogan injured his knee on a 1-yard touchdown run. Matt Posey, who had attempted just 16 passes all season, calmed the offense down and led it to 14 second-half points, just enough to overcome the Rangers.

San Antonio Alamo Heights 52, Vista Ridge 24

Alamo Heights scored 28 unanswered over a 12-minute span over the third and fourth quarters to turn a close 24-17 game into a route. Mules’ quarterback Steven Elder had his best game of the year, completing a remarkable 25 of 28 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Down 31-17 in the fourth, Vista Ridge had three consecutive drives end in interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns as they fell to the Alamo Heights Mules, 52-24.

Boerne Champion 42, Marble Falls 28

When Marble Falls stacked the box against the Travis Rebels in their bi-district game, the Rebels were not able to take advantage through the air. Boerne Champion is no Travis, however. Quarterback John Free completed just seven passes, but three went for touchdowns including two in the last three minutes of the second quarter that re-established the Chargers’ 14-point lead, one that the Mustangs could not overcome for a second time.

The Mustangs made the game much closer than many thought it would be, considering the Chargers’ 24-point victory early in the season that was hardly close.  In this game, the Zed Woerner to David Morgan connection was working, but it was not enough for Marble Falls to overcome their foes from Boerne.

Brewer bests Manziel as Lake Travis Edges Tivy, 48-42

By Sam Bohmfalk

If it was possible to out-Manziel Kerrville Tivy quarterback Johnny Manziel, Lake Travis quarterback Michael Brewer did it. The Cavaliers’ senior quarterback passed for 248 yards, but it was his 192 rushing yards that propelled Lake Travis to a 48-42 victory over Tivy.

None of the drives was more important than the 19-play drive at the end of the fourth quarter that ran out the clock. On that drive, Brewer steadily moved the Cavaliers down the field, depriving Manziel of a chance to win the game.

And win the game he just might have. Manziel was largely unstoppable on the night, accounting for all but 15 of the Fighting Antlers’ yards. Manziel got Tivy on the board early, marching the team down the field before finding Sean Kibbett from 31-yards out.

Brewer responded in style, capping off a drive with a 1-yard plunge to tie the game and then leading the Cavaliers on a second first-quarter scoring drive that ended in a Michael Pojman 1-yard run. The lead was one that Lake Travis would not relinquish for the rest of the game.

It looked as if the two offenses were going to match each other touchdown-for-touchdown. The Cavaliers got the last laugh of the second quarter, however, returning a kickoff 100-yards to pay dirt, giving them a 42-28 halftime lead.

Manziel immediately brought the game closer, scoring his first of two rushing touchdowns on the night from 6-yards out.

The Fighting Antlers’ defense—to use the old adage—bent but did not break in the second half, holding Lake Travis to two fourth quarter field goals. Unfortunately, the defense bent a little too much on the last drive, and was unable to give Manziel a shot to defeat Brewer.

The two senior quarterbacks haven’t seen the last of each other, as they’re soon-to-be Big XII rivals, with Manziel having a verbal commitment to Texas A&M and Brewer to Texas Tech.

Area Round Preview: Boerne Champion vs. Marble Falls

By Sam Bohmfalk

Boerne Champion (left) and Marble Falls (right) Offensive Production.  Click to enlarge.

When Marble Falls wins, they win big, as evidenced by their 28-point margin of victory in wins.  Conversely, when they lose they do it in a big way, generally finishing 24 points behind the opposing team.  Such was the case in week 4 when they fell to their area opponent Boerne Champion, 31-7.

In that game, Champion quarterback John Free bested Marble Falls’ Zed Woerner, completing an impressive 68% of his passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 42 yards on the ground.  Woerner, on the other hand, struggled to an 11-22 line with 128 yards, losing 31 yards on 16 rushes.

Thus far this season, Champion has relied on its offense to outscore the opponent, which is not a bad bet with a quarterback like Free.  On the season, Free threw for over 2,100 yards with an 8 : 1 touchdown to interception ratio, while adding 19 more touchdowns on the ground.  Free has been adept at spreading the ball around, with three separate receivers having at least 400 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

The onus will be on the Mustangs’ defense to stop the dual threat Free and his many weapons.   Last week, Marble Falls jumped out to a quick 26-0 lead, effectively shutting down the Crockett rushing game and forcing them to go through the air.  If Marble Falls wants a different result from their week 4 game, they’ll want to force the Chargers to become one dimensional.

Prediction: Different week, same result.  Woerner should have a little more success against a Chargers defense that has struggled of late, but John Free and Boerne Champion will simply be too much.  Boerne Champion 42, Marble Falls 14