RSS Feed |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Ricebirds end year with difficult loss
Through constant effort by the Ricebirds, the game was much closer than the final score indicates. It even started with the 'Birds taking the first advantage. After a squib kick to start the match, the Cougars lined up on their own 29 yard line. Troy Lawson made El Campo fans cheer on the first snap. The lineman shot through La Marque's offensive line untouched for a 4-yard loss on a back-field tackle. The Cougars punted two plays later and El Campo drove for a score in the next series. A series of great runs by Anthony Terrell, Maverick Smith and Landon Appling helped the 'Birds move to La Marque's 15-yard line. Tyler Woods kicked a 32-yard field goal to put El Campo ahead 3-0 with 5:14 left in the first quarter.
The Cougars moved 58 yards in eight plays for a touchdown to take the lead. Designed as a pass play, the Ricebird defense put good pressure on La Marque. Quarterback Jarius Ker- legan improvised after a nice block to take the ball up the right sideline for a 7-yard run to put his team ahead 7-3. El Campo's offensive line handled La Marque in the following drive for another score. Once again, the Ricebirds drove the field with runs through big holes up front. For the second time of the game, the 'Birds moved the ball inside La Marque's 20-yard line and had to settle for a field goal. Woods kicked a 33-yarder to cut La Marque's lead to 7-6. El Campo's defense answered by stopping La Marque on an interception in the next series. Five plays into the Cougars' drive, Kris Escobar hit Kerlegan while he was throwing and changed the flight of the ball. Defensive back Thad Deiss came up with the pass around El Campo's 40-yard line and returned it to the La Marque 39. El Campo drove the ball to the 13-yard line, but a disputed fumble gave La Marque the ball.This time, the Cougars scored with 11 seconds left in the first half to take a 14-6 lead. La Marque came out in the second half and played much stronger against El Campo's ground game. The Cougars held the Ricebirds to a punt in the first series of the half and scored on the next possession to take a 21-6 lead. El Campo responded with another great scoring drive. Dakota Pietsch led the 'Birds at quarterback on a drive that went to La Marque's 9 yard line. He connected on a 5-yard pass to Terrell on the second play of the drive. Terrell made a big run on third down and four from the El Campo 44-yard line to put the ball on La Marque's 9 yard line. An ankle tackle made at the last second prevented a touchdown on the 47-yard run. A fumble on the following play prevented a score and gave La Marque the ball back on the 11 yard line. The Cougars moved 11 yards and finished with a 78-yard pass play to extend their lead to 28-6. A field goal with 9:15 left in the game was La Marque's final score, but it was not the only time the Cougars threatened the defense. Late in the fourth quarter, El Campo drove to the 19 yard line and attempted a pass to get closer to the end zone. A La Marque defensive back picked off the pass and after a few plays, had nothing but the green field in front of him, but plenty behind him. Smith showed his speed on the play to run down the Cougar and tackle him out of bounds at El Campo's 11 yard line. La Marque was only able to move three yards against the defense and turned the ball over on fourth down. El Campo's defensive stop and Smith's play showed an example of the effort the Ricebirds have played with throughout the year. |
for larger version       Ads have a Patent Pending. Click Here for More Information |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
)
)