HEMOTOXIC
09-22-2012, 10:45 AM
http://www.brazossports.com/article/20120922/BS01/120929883/1043/bs
Top ranked Navasota faced fellow Brazos Valley football power Lexington on Friday, but the Rattlers were focused on victory and not the No. 1 ranking. A close game turned into a blowout with Navasota running away in the second half for a 45-13 victory.
Despite losing to rival Cameron two weeks ago, the Eagles were stepping up in class and talent on the trip to the Snake Pit. Navasota coaches knew the high-pressure Lexington defense would try to overwhelm the Rattler protection and force Kadarius Baker into bad passing decisions. After solving the blitz with extra protection, Baker went on to complete 15 of 28 passes for 407 yards and four touchdowns. Solomon McGinty was a beast, catching eight passes for 277 yards and two scores. Austin Collins made five catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns — one receiving, one rushing.
Navasota had four touchdowns called back by penalty, and its 12 flags for 111 yards nearly derailed the Ratters. The Eagles also had a touchdown called back while being flagged eight times for 73 yards.
“Those mistakes are things that would make an average team hold their head down,” Navasota coach Lee Fedora said. “I challenged them at halftime, and we came out and played Navasota football after that.”
Lexington QB Kogan Garrett was 10-of-23 for 114 yards and two touchdowns while throwing one interception. Both touchdowns were to Logan Jacob, who finished with three receptions for 63 yards.
On the third play of the game, Baker rolled right away from Eagle pressure, and his pass down the field found McGinty behind the coverage. McGinty caught the ball despite being face-guarded by Kevin Letbetter and skipped in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Rattler defense stepped up and forced a punt following its touchdown drive, but the ball was inadvertently tipped. One of the Rattler blockers picked up the ball at the Navasota 16. Garret stepped away from the rush on third and 12, and his 18-yard strike found London Jacob breaking free in the end zone for a touchdown. Chase Hibbeler’s extra point was wide left, and the Rattlers held on to a precarious 7-6 advantage.
Lexington had a great chance to take the lead when Keyone Johnson muffed the kickoff and gave the ball back to the Eagles in Rattler territory. Garret found Cash Flot on the screen play, and he cut back inside and carried the ball to the 19 before going down. The play was costly on the injury front as all-state linebacker Will Imhoff was injured and taken from the stadium with a right leg injury. Flot looked to have a first down inside the Rattler 5 on a fourth-down carry, but he was hit by several tacklers and coughed the ball up at the 7.
Both defenses took over and stymied the high-powered offenses they faced, but after taking over at the Navasota 24, the Eagles again mounted a scoring threat.
After Logan Meuth carried the ball to the 12, the Rattler defense held Flot to six yards on three carries. Lexington coach Jason Holcomb sent Hibbeler out to attempt the 24-yard field goal, but after Fedora called time out the Eagles returned their offense to the field. Pressure on Garret forced him to throw the ball away, and the Rattlers retained the lead.
Penalties cost the Rattlers field position, but Baker stood tall in the pocket on a long scoring strike to Austin Colllins. Facing a tremendous rush, Baker’s 48-yard spiral found Collins alone on the deep post for a 14-6 lead. The defense forced a three and out, and Xavier Creeks looked to score on 65-yard punt return, but a penalty moved the ball back to midfield. Baker found McGinty breaking free, and again the deep pass resulted in a Rattler touchdown for a 21-6 halftime lead.
The second half was more to Fedora’s liking, with his defense forcing a quick three and out and a punt back to his offense. Howard Horn had a long touchdown run called back by a holding penalty, but the offense wouldn’t slow down. Baker hit Johnson for a 25-yard touchdown in the left hand corner of the end zone for a 35-6 lead.
The Rattler defense put points on the board when Jake Bauer picked up a Flot fumble at the 27-yard line and rumbled 73 yards for a 42-6 lead.
Navasota padded its advantage with a 24-yard field goal from Michel Martinez and 9-yard touchdown run by Austin Collins. Garrett hit Jacobs for a 20-yard touchdown with 1:27 left for the final points of the game.
Top ranked Navasota faced fellow Brazos Valley football power Lexington on Friday, but the Rattlers were focused on victory and not the No. 1 ranking. A close game turned into a blowout with Navasota running away in the second half for a 45-13 victory.
Despite losing to rival Cameron two weeks ago, the Eagles were stepping up in class and talent on the trip to the Snake Pit. Navasota coaches knew the high-pressure Lexington defense would try to overwhelm the Rattler protection and force Kadarius Baker into bad passing decisions. After solving the blitz with extra protection, Baker went on to complete 15 of 28 passes for 407 yards and four touchdowns. Solomon McGinty was a beast, catching eight passes for 277 yards and two scores. Austin Collins made five catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns — one receiving, one rushing.
Navasota had four touchdowns called back by penalty, and its 12 flags for 111 yards nearly derailed the Ratters. The Eagles also had a touchdown called back while being flagged eight times for 73 yards.
“Those mistakes are things that would make an average team hold their head down,” Navasota coach Lee Fedora said. “I challenged them at halftime, and we came out and played Navasota football after that.”
Lexington QB Kogan Garrett was 10-of-23 for 114 yards and two touchdowns while throwing one interception. Both touchdowns were to Logan Jacob, who finished with three receptions for 63 yards.
On the third play of the game, Baker rolled right away from Eagle pressure, and his pass down the field found McGinty behind the coverage. McGinty caught the ball despite being face-guarded by Kevin Letbetter and skipped in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Rattler defense stepped up and forced a punt following its touchdown drive, but the ball was inadvertently tipped. One of the Rattler blockers picked up the ball at the Navasota 16. Garret stepped away from the rush on third and 12, and his 18-yard strike found London Jacob breaking free in the end zone for a touchdown. Chase Hibbeler’s extra point was wide left, and the Rattlers held on to a precarious 7-6 advantage.
Lexington had a great chance to take the lead when Keyone Johnson muffed the kickoff and gave the ball back to the Eagles in Rattler territory. Garret found Cash Flot on the screen play, and he cut back inside and carried the ball to the 19 before going down. The play was costly on the injury front as all-state linebacker Will Imhoff was injured and taken from the stadium with a right leg injury. Flot looked to have a first down inside the Rattler 5 on a fourth-down carry, but he was hit by several tacklers and coughed the ball up at the 7.
Both defenses took over and stymied the high-powered offenses they faced, but after taking over at the Navasota 24, the Eagles again mounted a scoring threat.
After Logan Meuth carried the ball to the 12, the Rattler defense held Flot to six yards on three carries. Lexington coach Jason Holcomb sent Hibbeler out to attempt the 24-yard field goal, but after Fedora called time out the Eagles returned their offense to the field. Pressure on Garret forced him to throw the ball away, and the Rattlers retained the lead.
Penalties cost the Rattlers field position, but Baker stood tall in the pocket on a long scoring strike to Austin Colllins. Facing a tremendous rush, Baker’s 48-yard spiral found Collins alone on the deep post for a 14-6 lead. The defense forced a three and out, and Xavier Creeks looked to score on 65-yard punt return, but a penalty moved the ball back to midfield. Baker found McGinty breaking free, and again the deep pass resulted in a Rattler touchdown for a 21-6 halftime lead.
The second half was more to Fedora’s liking, with his defense forcing a quick three and out and a punt back to his offense. Howard Horn had a long touchdown run called back by a holding penalty, but the offense wouldn’t slow down. Baker hit Johnson for a 25-yard touchdown in the left hand corner of the end zone for a 35-6 lead.
The Rattler defense put points on the board when Jake Bauer picked up a Flot fumble at the 27-yard line and rumbled 73 yards for a 42-6 lead.
Navasota padded its advantage with a 24-yard field goal from Michel Martinez and 9-yard touchdown run by Austin Collins. Garrett hit Jacobs for a 20-yard touchdown with 1:27 left for the final points of the game.