The China Spring Cougars (14-1) are returning to AT&T Stadium in search of another State Title as they knock off the Decatur Eagles (11-4) 33-27.
A Tale of Two Halves
In the first half, China Spring was dominant, which is par for the course. The Cougars first opportunity to strike was after China Spring held Decatur to their first 3 & out. A bad snap on the punt attempt set up China Spring on the Eagle 27 with 7:34 remaining in the 1st quarter. The short field proves beneficial as RB Kyle Barton puts the Cougars on the board from 1 yard out.
Photo by Becky Antunes Photography
The second consecutive 3 & out by the Cougar defense gave China Spring the ball back beginning at their own 33. The ensuing 7 play drive got all members of the Big 4 involved. WR/LB Tristian Exline takes the direct snap for 17 yards. Barton contributes 7 yards on two hard runs, but it was the pairing of QB Cash McCollum and WR/DB Tre Hafford at the heart of the drive. Hafford had a 13 yard run on the ground and McCollum found the Cougar big play maker three times for 30 yards, the last being the touchdown from 12 yards out. With 1:29 remaining in the 1st quarter, China Spring holds a 14-0 lead over Decatur.
The Eagles start to move the ball on their 3rd drive, led by QB Preston Escobar. Starting on their own 18, the 13 play drive keyed by an Escobar 26 yard run, moved the Eagles into the red zone. On a 3rd and goal from the 12, Escobar forces a pass over the middle that is intercepted by Exline, giving the ball, and the momentum, back to China Spring. From their own 31, the Cougars need just 3 plays to find the endzone. After a pickup of 8 yards by WR Jackson Battles from the wildcat, McCollum finds Exline for 36 yards. It is Hafford again from McCollum for the score from 25 yards out to put China Spring in a commanding 21-0 lead.
Photo by Becky Antunes Photography
The Eagles received the opening kickoff of the second half and slowly moved the ball to just passed midfield. Facing a 3rd & 11, Escobar is being pressured by DL Jaylen Trotter. It appears Trotter not only gets the sack of Escobar, but forces a fumble that is recovered by China Spring. After a pause in play, meetings between the officials and meetings between the referee and both coaching staffs, it was ruled that an inadvertent whistle was blown. Decatur was allowed to replay the 3rd & 11, which resulted in a pass interference call by China Spring that set up the Eagles with a 1st & 10 at the Cougar 28. Four plays later, Palmer scored from 7 yards out to draw the Eagles within 10.
A short Cougar punt sets up Decatur on the Cougar 36 for their next drive. Palmer and RB Devin James chip away yardage to get Decatur with a 1st & 10 on the 11. China Spring forces a fumble that is recovered by LB Ryder Reeves. The China Spring offense is unable to capitalize and turn the ball back over to Decatur with a McCollum interception by LB Brody Eddins. The Cougar defense, with the help of a Decatur false start penalty, do not allow the Eagles to gain a yard and get the ball back after an incomplete pass on 4th & 10 by Escobar. This starts the only China Spring scoring drive of the 2nd half.
With the score 31-14, Decatur has great field position to start their next drive on the Cougar 40. The ground attack of Palmer and Escobar put the ball into the endzone to bring the score to 31-20, pending the extra point try. Big Play Tre Hafford blocks the extra point try. In that kick formation, with the Cougars blocking a kick, there is only one logical result: DB Gabe Watkins. Watkins, for the third time in a calendar year, in a big moment in a big game, returns a blocked kick to the endzone, making the score 33-20 with 5:35 remaining in the game.
The Eagles attempt and cover the onside kick and begin their drive at the China Spring 40. The first play sees Escobar find WR Hunter Smith down the sideline, setting up Decatur with a 1st & goal from the Cougar 2. With the help of an Eagle false start, the Cougar defense stuffs Palmer on a 4th & goal from the 2. China Spring is unable to move out of the shadow of their own goal post and punt it back to Decatur after a 3 & out that does not gain a yard. A poor punt only to the Cougar 23 sets up Decatur for another attempt to close the gap.
photo by Kim Galvan
Taking over with 1:52 remaining in the game, and down by two scores, Decatur only needs two plays to reach the endzone to make the score 33-27, with 1:19 remaining in the game. With no timeouts left, Decatur’s only chance to win the game is to recover another onside kick. With the “hands team” on the field, Exline recovers the onside kick to seal the win and a trip back to AT&T Stadium to face the Boerne Greyhounds for the State Title.
Questions Answered
China Spring had two big questions coming into the game. The first, the health of QB Cash McCollum. McCollum suffered a leg injury late in the last game. While it was known he would play, his mobility was uncertain. The Cougar offensive line understood their quarterback was not at 100%. Anchored in the middle by C Landon McMillian and on the outside by T Colby Hale, the offensive line allowed very little pressure and kept McCollum clean in the pocket on most plays.
The second question the Cougars had was how would they contain RB Nate Palmer. The junior is turning heads of many college recruiters, receiving offers from Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee, USC and Notre Dame, just to name a few. The China Spring defense answered in emphatic fashion, holding Palmer to 91 yards on 23 carries.
16 Games, 2 Years In A Row
For the second consecutive year, the China Spring Cougars are playing for a State Title. They will face a very tough task in the Boerne Greyhounds. Their last two wins have been extremely impressive over Corpus Christi Calallen and Tyler Chapel Hill. Boerne defeated Chapel Hill 35-0 to reach the title game, which is one point more than their lowest scoring output on the season. It is another tough test for the Cougar defense, but it is a test they will be prepared for.
*All stats are unoffical
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