The towns of Little River-Academy and Rogers have a combined population of just over 3,000 people.
Fans filled John Glover Stadium to near capacity on Friday night for the annual rivalry showdown between Rogers and Little River-Academy.
However, it was safe to say both towns were empty on Friday night as fans packed the bleachers at John Glover Stadium in Little River-Academy for the 91st rivalry showdown between the two teams. It was an electric atmosphere with even standing room at a premium throughout.
But after a back-and-forth contest that included five lead changes, it was the Rogers fans who went home happy as the Eagles came away with a 29-23 victory thanks to a nine-yard touchdown run by Zach Davis on a reverse with just over three minutes left.
Rogers head coach Charlie Roten said it was special to earn a hard-fought victory in such a meaningful game for the two towns.
“High school football is important, and these rivalries are what makes it really special,” Roten said. “These teams have been playing for so long. It was a fun game.”
Rogers’ players and coaches celebrate their 29-23 victory with their travelling fans.
Rogers quarterback Cooper Sisneroz was making his first-ever start for the Eagles on Friday night, but it certainly didn’t look like it. The junior completed both of his pass attempts for 64 yards and also added 115 yards on the ground.
“It surprised me a little bit, but not a lot. Cooper did that on JV,” Roten said. “He’s just a smooth cat. He doesn’t get rattled. He doesn’t get nervous. He’s a cool customer. The kind of kid you want at quarterback.
And on a night where the Eagles rushed for 266 yards, Sisneroz was quick to praise his offensive line for paving the way.
“Our o-line up front, they were dogging all night,” Sisneroz said. “They were blocking for us and opening up gaps. And [running back] Garrett Wolfe, he ran hard all night long.”
On the other sideline, despite his team coming up short in the end, Little River-Academy quarterback Kasey Mraz had a big night for the Bumblebees. He finished with 329 passing yards and two scores.
But it was a couple of missed opportunities by the Bumblebees, including getting stopped at the one yard line by the Rogers defense as time expired in the first half, that Little River-Academy head coach Chris Lancaster was left to rue after the game.
Rogers with the goal line stand to end the half! Little River-Academy RB Brayden Bartlett is denied on the one yard line as time expires. #txhsfb @texashsfootball pic.twitter.com/GdMYs5F8jM
— Adam Ogburn (@aogburn00) August 27, 2022
“I thought we played hard; I just did a bad job coaching,” Lancaster said. “We had some opportunities we didn’t capitalize on. Knowing we were going against an option team, possessions were going to be at a minimum. [But] I can’t say enough about what Rogers did. They did what it took, and we didn’t. And that’s on me as a head coach.”
Rogers started with the ball and immediately set the tone with the physicality of their option-based, run-heavy offense. The Eagles marched 71 yards on seven plays as Wolfe powered in from nine yards out to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead just four minutes in.
Unfazed, Little River-Academy answered as Cavalli Nealy finished a 10-play, 65-yard drive off with a one-yard touchdown run. The Bumblebees then added a two-point conversion to take the lead as Mraz connected with Zane Clark.
The trading of touchdowns continued as Wolfe scored his second touchdown of the night, this one from five yards out, and Mraz found Scout Brazeal for a 22-yard score on the Bumblebees’ second possession. However, while Bryce Watson scampered in for a two-point conversion for Rogers, Mraz’s attempt for Little River-Academy fell incomplete. That gave Rogers a one-point halftime advantage after its goal line stand.
In the second half, both teams chewed plenty of clock. Little River-Academy took six minutes in its opening drive of the half before Mraz connected with a wide-open Brayden Bartlett for a eight-yard touchdown. Rogers then took six minutes themselves as Wolfe scored from two yards out for his third touchdown on the night. An ensuing two-point conversion run by Sisneroz gave Rogers a 23-20 lead thirty seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Bumblebees would tie it up four minutes later on a field goal by Lucas Sanderson, but Rogers promptly went 73 yards on just seven plays to re-take the lead on Davis’ nine-yard touchdown run.
Little River-Academy did have two last chances, but an interception by Eagle defensive linemen Jaime Reyna followed by an incomplete Hail Mary attempt on the ensuing possession ensured Rogers held on for a thrilling victory.
Many labeled Rogers as underdogs on Friday night since the Eagles had only nine returning starters from a year ago. But after defying the opinions of those outside Rogers, Sisneroz said the win was a special one for him and the entire Eagles football program.
“We came out as underdogs, but we knew we were going to put up a fight,” Sisneroz said. “We had a bigger heart. We just kept fighting the whole game. We came out and did our jobs, and it turned out the way we wanted it to.”
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