In a battle of powerhouse programs, the China Spring Cougars (8-1, 3-0) defeat the Stephenville Yellowjackets (7-1, 1-1) 38-36 to take control of District 5-4A DI.
First Half Heavyweight Bout
With Stephenville coming in averaging 52 points per game, and China Spring averaging 45 points per game, conventional wisdom would say this game was going to be a shootout. But nothing about this game was conventional.
The Yellowjackets received the opening kickoff and did proceed to march down the field. On the 9 play, 75-yard drive, QB Ryder Lambert accounted for 64 yards through the air. The 26-yard touchdown pass to WR Tristian Gentry came on a 4th & 9, showing Stephenville wasn’t afraid to take a chance no matter the down and distance.
Photo by Kim Galvan
The Cougars, who have been slow starting in their last few games, answered with their own 9 play drive. QB Cash McCollum spread the ball around to WR/LB Tristian Exline, WR Jackson Battles, and WR/DB Tre Hafford, the Week 8 Player of the Week for TexasHSFootball.com. Not to be outdone by Stephenville’s 4th & 9 scoring play, McCollum finds Hafford on a 4th & 10 from the Yellowjacket 20-yard line to even the score at 7-7.
Stephenville’s second drive starts marching down the field on the arm of Lambert and the legs of RB Tate Maruska. The 10th play of that drive had Stephenville with a 4th & 1 from the Cougar 39, but a false start backed them up and now Lambert and the Yellowjackets were faced with a 4th & 6. China Spring forced an incompletion and took over on downs.
Both teams’ defenses stiffened up and they traded three punts each for most of the second quarter. The Cougars got the ball back with just over 2 minutes left in the half, and their patented quick-strike offense was back. One play was all Hafford needed to find the endzone. He takes a pass in the left flat and simply outruns the Yellowjacket defenders for a 69-yard score.
On the ensuing Stephenville drive, the ground game of Maruska and Lambert make it down to the Cougar 30, where the drive stalls. With under 10 seconds to go, Stephenville lines up for a 47-yard field goal attempt, with the wind at their back, in hopes of trimming the Cougar lead to 4. DBs Cage McCloud and Gabe Watkins had other plans. McCloud comes off the right edge and is able to block the attempt. Reminiscent of the final play of the first half of the State Championship game last year, the ball bounces in the waiting hands of Gabe Watkins and the speedster takes it 60 yards for the score. China Spring takes a 21-7 lead into halftime.
Second Half Track Meet
Becky Antunes Photography
Everything was flying in the second half. The football, the players down the field, and the flags from the referees. In what was a highly touted matchup between two of the top teams in the state, the performance of the referees, or lack thereof, should not be a focal point of the game. 12 flags were thrown in the second half and both teams suffered from the poor effort from the officials. While having the officials affect the game in such a negative way is not good for the game as a whole, it did serve to intensify the drama.
China Spring took the opening kick of the second half and was unable to move the ball. Stephenville starts their first drive of the second half on their own 10-yard line and they proceed to march down the field in chunks. The Yellowjackets take 13 plays and 7 minutes of the 3rd quarter to pull within 7 of China Spring. Lambert used his arms and legs to lead Stephenville to the score.
China Spring is able to answer quickly on the reliable legs of RB Kyle Barton. The Junior running back takes the ball around the left side and powers to a 46-yard touchdown run to put the China Spring lead back to 14.
Stephenville is able to answer with the help of a questionable pass interference call. Lambert then finds WR Titus Russell from 15 yards out to bring the score to 28-21. But the Cougars answered quickly again. After a six-yard run by Barton, McCollum finds Exline in the right flat. The powerful Exline is able to break a tackle at the line of scrimmage, then races 69 yards for the touchdown and a Cougar 35-21 lead with 6:22 remaining in the game.
The Yellowjackets roar back with a questionable pass interference and targeting call against the Cougars and overcoming a questionable crackback call against Stephenville. Lambert finds Russell for their second 15-yard score and Stephenville is again within 7 of the lead with 3:57 remaining in the game.
The Cougars are unable to move the ball or shave time off the clock. China Spring comes out throwing and is either unable to complete the pass, or McCollum is getting flushed and sacked. This forces the Cougars to punt back to Stephenville with 2:24 remaining in the game.
Becky Antunes Photography
Down by 7, Stephenville starts on their own 40-yard line and moves the ball into China Spring territory, to the 38. Lambert drops back and rolls to his left, looking for Russell and a first down. LB Jaeden Davis stepped in front of Russell, pulling in the interception with 1:23 remaining in the game. The Cougars take over and look to run out the clock, hoping to manage the seconds left and the three timeouts Stephenville still holds.
China Spring comes out surprising everyone by throwing the ball. McCollum finds Hafford, but he is dropped for a 4-yard loss. The second play sees China Spring commit a false start, stopping the clock. On a 2nd & 19, McCollum tries to force the pass to Exline and it is picked off by DB Bradley Beaty. Stephenville now has the ball at the Cougar 35 with 1:03 remaining in the game and down by 7.
One play is all that Lambert needs to find Gentry in the endzone. Stephenville calls a timeout prior to the PAT, trailing 35-34. The Yellowjackets make the call and line up for two. Lambert takes the snap, and after a little misdirection, waltzes into the endzone giving Stephenville the 36-35 lead with 0:56 remaining in the game.
The Cougars take over and with the help of another pass interference call, are set up at midfield with 0:10 remaining. McCollum finds Hafford downfield and Hafford quickly and smartly gets out of bounds.
Photo by Kim Galvan
Enter Mr. Automatic
China Spring is now at the Yellowjacket 25-yard line with 0:03 remaining. The easiest decision of the night is made. K Thomas Barr enters and lines up for the 42-yard field goal attempt. Barr, with ice water in his veins and a stiff wind in his face, calmly and efficiently splits the uprights.
Barr takes control of the rollercoaster of the 2nd half and simply parks it in the win column. China Spring 38, Stephenville 36.
*All stats are unofficial
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