Final #13 Navasota 28 - #20 (4a) Willis 35

[HEMOTOXIC]

Willis holds the Rattlers on the final play from the 1 yard line to seal the victory. Not bad Rattlers.

[HEMOTOXIC]

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/sports/willis-late-stand-seals-win/article_dd7b3706-74db-5f3d-9950-dc401da577f4.html

Willis’ late stand seals win

Navasota’s Kadarius Baker throws under pressure from Willis’ Ryan Wilgers Friday at Berton A. Yates Stadium. See more photos online at www.yourconroenews.com/photos.

Posted: Saturday, September 3, 2011 12:38 am | Updated: 1:35 am, Sat Sep 3, 2011.

By Howard Roden | 0 comments

WILLIS – Despite its offensive prowess it was defense that vaulted the Willis Wildkats to a 35-28 non-district win over the Navasota Rattlers Friday night at Burton A. Yates Stradium.

The Wildkats defense sacked Rattler quarterback Kadarius Baker throughout the evening, but it was a defensive stand on the game’s final play that preserved the non-district triumph.

The defense stuffed running back Howard Horn as time expired as Horn, who ran for 102 yards on 12 carries, attempted to reach the end zone on fourth-and-goal.

The late defensive heroics rose above the early offensive antics led by quarterback Fred Nixon. The senior completed 15 of 27 passes for 257 yards.

Nixon’s favorite target was Kevin Markham, who snared five passes for 77 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown in the second play of the second quarter that boosted Willis’ lead to 28-14.

Nixon found Robert Johnson all alone behind the Navasota defense for 70 yards and the Wildkats first touchdown of the night.

Less than two minutes after that touchdown, Jarid Deveraux ran five yards off right tackle that put Willis ahead to stay.

Demarcus Kizzie scored a 20-yard touchdown pass from Nixon in the second quarter to complete Willis’ scoring for the night.

Nixon ran 16 times for 65 yards while Autrey Golden, a UTEP commit made his season-debut with 16 carries for 63 yards.

Golden, who had sat out the season opener with a separated shoulder, played a key role in a time consuming drive late in the fourth quarter that consumed nearly eight minutes and died at the Navasota 20 with 48 seconds to play.

[HEMOTOXIC]

http://www.brazossports.com/football/Willis-slips-past-Navasota

Willis slips past Navasota

By SCOTT CLENDENIN
Special to The Eagle

Navasota fought tooth and nail with Willis, and a wild game was decided on the last play when Rattler tailback Howard Horn was stopped half a yard short of the end zone in a 35-28 Wildkat victory.

Trailing 35-21 at halftime, both defenses adjusted to the fast break offensive attacks that were marching up and down the field. After both teams punted on four straight drives to start the second half, Navasota, taking over on their own 37, moved down the field under the direction of quarterback Kadarius Baker. He picked up a first down passing to Austin Collins before a finding Solomon McGinty on a timing pattern on the sideline for 16 yards to the Willis 34. Even after a false start penalty moved them back, Baker scrambled away from Wildkat pressure and went around the right side for 22 yards to the 17. Facing third and five from the 12, his option pitch to Horn was perfect and the 12-yard run cut the lead to just seven.

Navasota had to withstand one last drive to have any chance at the rally, and Fred Nixon's pass to Quan West skipped into the receiver's hands just inside the goal line giving the ball back to the Rattlers with just under 50 seconds left in the game. Baker lofted a deep pass down the Navasota sideline that McGinty corralled before going out of bounds at the Willis 38 with just 29 seconds left. Trying the same play again, the Wildkats interfered with McGinty for 15 yards to the 23. After DeMarcus Kizzie broke up a Baker attempt to an open Collins in the end zone, Baker found McGinty at the 1-yard line and went out of bounds with 4 seconds left, setting up the carry that ended the game.

Baker went 14-of-23 for 202 yards, while Horn carried 12 times for 103 yards and two scores. Nixon was 14-of-25 for 251 yards and carried the ball 12 times for 50 yards as well.

The beginning of the game was full of offensive fireworks in the battle between two playoff contenders. The teams combined for 35 first-quarter points with big plays and turnovers keying the explosion of points.

The Rattlers forced a Jerrid Deveraux fumble on the second play of the game and took just two plays to get on the scoreboard. Jacob Malek carried the ball on both plays and plunged over from one yard out for a quick 7-0 lead.

Nixon, with scouts from both Baylor and Missouri in the stands, answered right back as he hit a wide-open Robert Johnson on a broken coverage for a 70-yard scoring strike on the second play of the Willis possession.

Willis took over the ball after stripping Austin Collins on a screen pass from Kadarius Baker at the Navasota 37. Nixon scrambled for seven yards before a false start penalty moved the Wildkats back to the 35. Nixon faked the pitch on an option play around left tackle and broke into the secondary before being dragged down at the five. Deveraux burst up the middle for a 14-7 lead.

The Rattlers could not answer on their next drive as penalties and a sack cost them and moved the ball from their own 40 back to the 8 before a punt off the side of Malek's foot gave the ball to Willis at the 16. The defense was able to keep the Wildkats out of the end zone when Malek broke in front of a Nixon pass for an interception inside the 1-yard line.

After his defense forced a punt, Deveraux carried the ball for 26 yards down to the 2 and after a short loss, Nixon scrambled right before breaking a tackle at the goal line for a 21-7 lead.

Howard Horn cut into that lead on the very next Rattler snap when he burst up the middle, cut left and picked up two pancake blocks for a 75-yard touchdown run.

The Rattlers just missed recovering an onside kick following the Horn run, but it gave Nixon a short field to work with. On third and thirteen, he found Quan West for a first down at the Navasota 35. Even after a broken play saw Nixon tackled for an eight-yard loss on first down, he found Joey Homan for 12 yards before picking up a first down on two straight carries up the middle. Standing tall in the pocket, he then found a wide-open Kevin Markham for a 21-yard touchdown pass and a 28-14 lead.

After the Wildkats forced a three and out, their offense took over at their 15 and again marched down the field. Autrey Golden picked up 16 yards on back-to-back carries before Nixon hit Golden for a first down completion. Nixon backed that play with a 28-yard pass deep into the Rattler secondary to an open Demarcus Kizzie. After the Rattler defense stiffened, a key personal foul penalty gave it new life, and Nixon hit a wide-open Kizzie on a 20-yard crossing pattern that made it 35-14.

Again the Navasota offense would fight back. A long kickoff return by Malek set up the offense at its own 40. Baker hit Austin Collins on a jailbreak screen that saw him break tackles and pick up 15 yards. Baker saw a sure touchdown pass fall off the finger tips of Solomon McGinty, but the pair hooked up again on a fourth down conversion that turned into a 32-yard touchdown catch and run that made it 35-21.

[HEMOTOXIC]

I must say, I am not the one who complains about the officiating, but this group was the most incompetent group that I have ever seen.

[Caldwell_Raider]

Sounded like a heck of a game! To bad the Rattlers couldn't make the epic comeback in the end

[HEMOTOXIC]

Sounded like a heck of a game! To bad the Rattlers couldn't make the epic comeback in the end

True. This game reminded me of the game against Yoe last year. We lost the game but, it was a big late comeback. Hopefully, the Rattlers will start believing in what they are capable of, like last season. Should be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out.

[mwynn05]

qb from willis is a stud from what i hear

[BoneyFinger]

Willis had better athletes; Navasota has more heart and was better coached. If Willis played with the same passion as Navasota, they would be one hell of a team. Navasota should have won this game. I’m from Willis

[HEMOTOXIC]

Willis had better athletes; Navasota has more heart and was better coached. If Willis played with the same passion as Navasota, they would be one hell of a team. Navasota should have won this game. I’m from Willis

You are right about that. Willis does have some good athletes. Best of luck to the Wildkats!

[HEMOTOXIC]

qb from willis is a stud from what i hear

He is a stud. Only if we could keep him in check we may have stole the victory. The QB, from my view, is definitely the leader on the team....