Scoop27
11-02-2019, 03:18 AM
From The Victoria Advocate
BAY CITY — El Campo running back Johntre Davis and offensive lineman Devon Earls had a heart-to-heart talk at halftime of their game against Bay City.
The Ricebirds trailed 14-13 and neither was pleased with the team’s performance.
“It was more like I wanted him to pump up our backs and get them to run harder than in the first half,” Earls said. “I was just going to bring the offensive line along.”
El Campo took the message to heart, running for four touchdowns in the final two quarters to lead El Campo to a 40-14 District 13-4A, Division I win Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
The Ricebirds (8-1, 4-1) improved their series edge over the Blackcats (0-9, 0-6) to 63-44-9 in the 116th overall meeting of the rivals, who were playing for the 100th consecutive year in the state’s oldest continuous rivalry.
More importantly, El Campo clinched a playoff berth and will host Columbia next week with second place in district on the line.
“We went in at halftime and said, ‘Guys there is nothing we’ve got to change. We’ve just got to go out there and execute at a better level,’” said El Campo coach Wayne Condra. “The kids responded.”
Davis, a sophomore, rushed eight times for 39 yards in the first half. But he carried 17 times for 210 yards in the second half to finish with 249 of El Campo’s 473 rushing yards.
“In the first half, I wasn’t really in the zone,” Davis said. “The second half, I came out and we were getting our blocks and my running just improved.”
Davis had seven runs of over 10 yards in the second half and scored on runs of 6, 5, 3 and 7 yards.
“We had to get things right in the locker room,” Davis said. “We were just moving too slow and we had to pick up the pace. In the second half, we always come out fired up.”
The Blackcats were desperate to avoid their first winless season since 2014. They also wanted to win in the final game played in Memorial Stadium before their new stadium opens next season.
“I just hate that this senior group was unable to get a win,” said Bay City coach Pat Matthews. “They played their butts off and came out here and gave them everything they could handle. We caught El Campo by surprise in the first half. We just couldn’t keep it going.”
Bay City scored on a 5-yard run by quarterback Carlos Lara, who also threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Seth Dickerson.
But the Blackcats couldn’t sustain their success, especially after running back/linebacker RJ Mitchell suffered a sprained ankle and played sparingly in the second half.
“I would not expect that,” Mitchell said of the winless season. “I’ve got faith in the next team that’s coming. It was really hard for me. I hurt myself my last game and I don’t know what to do. It’s very emotional.”
The Ricebirds scored on their first three possessions of the second half, one of which came after Bay City failed to field a kickoff.
“That’s what we talked about at halftime with all those guys,” Condra said. “We needed the offensive line to come off the football and the running backs to attack with a purpose and that’s what they did.”
El Campo has won 13 of the last 14 games between the teams. But Bay City defeated El Campo last season, and Earls was determined not to let his senior season end with another loss to the Blackcats.
“I lost to them in JV and last year I lost to them,” he said. “So I was like, I can’t lose again.”
NOTES: At halftime, Bay City inducted its 2019 Hall of Fame class.
The inductees were Buddy Barrett (1953), Paul Cathey (1975), Coach Darin Dabelgott, Carolyn Harris Delano (2001), Perrylon Eaton-Bell (2002), Carl "Cake" Wayne Jackson (1984), Ricky Parker Sr. (1984), and Michael Ray (1985).
BAY CITY — El Campo running back Johntre Davis and offensive lineman Devon Earls had a heart-to-heart talk at halftime of their game against Bay City.
The Ricebirds trailed 14-13 and neither was pleased with the team’s performance.
“It was more like I wanted him to pump up our backs and get them to run harder than in the first half,” Earls said. “I was just going to bring the offensive line along.”
El Campo took the message to heart, running for four touchdowns in the final two quarters to lead El Campo to a 40-14 District 13-4A, Division I win Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
The Ricebirds (8-1, 4-1) improved their series edge over the Blackcats (0-9, 0-6) to 63-44-9 in the 116th overall meeting of the rivals, who were playing for the 100th consecutive year in the state’s oldest continuous rivalry.
More importantly, El Campo clinched a playoff berth and will host Columbia next week with second place in district on the line.
“We went in at halftime and said, ‘Guys there is nothing we’ve got to change. We’ve just got to go out there and execute at a better level,’” said El Campo coach Wayne Condra. “The kids responded.”
Davis, a sophomore, rushed eight times for 39 yards in the first half. But he carried 17 times for 210 yards in the second half to finish with 249 of El Campo’s 473 rushing yards.
“In the first half, I wasn’t really in the zone,” Davis said. “The second half, I came out and we were getting our blocks and my running just improved.”
Davis had seven runs of over 10 yards in the second half and scored on runs of 6, 5, 3 and 7 yards.
“We had to get things right in the locker room,” Davis said. “We were just moving too slow and we had to pick up the pace. In the second half, we always come out fired up.”
The Blackcats were desperate to avoid their first winless season since 2014. They also wanted to win in the final game played in Memorial Stadium before their new stadium opens next season.
“I just hate that this senior group was unable to get a win,” said Bay City coach Pat Matthews. “They played their butts off and came out here and gave them everything they could handle. We caught El Campo by surprise in the first half. We just couldn’t keep it going.”
Bay City scored on a 5-yard run by quarterback Carlos Lara, who also threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Seth Dickerson.
But the Blackcats couldn’t sustain their success, especially after running back/linebacker RJ Mitchell suffered a sprained ankle and played sparingly in the second half.
“I would not expect that,” Mitchell said of the winless season. “I’ve got faith in the next team that’s coming. It was really hard for me. I hurt myself my last game and I don’t know what to do. It’s very emotional.”
The Ricebirds scored on their first three possessions of the second half, one of which came after Bay City failed to field a kickoff.
“That’s what we talked about at halftime with all those guys,” Condra said. “We needed the offensive line to come off the football and the running backs to attack with a purpose and that’s what they did.”
El Campo has won 13 of the last 14 games between the teams. But Bay City defeated El Campo last season, and Earls was determined not to let his senior season end with another loss to the Blackcats.
“I lost to them in JV and last year I lost to them,” he said. “So I was like, I can’t lose again.”
NOTES: At halftime, Bay City inducted its 2019 Hall of Fame class.
The inductees were Buddy Barrett (1953), Paul Cathey (1975), Coach Darin Dabelgott, Carolyn Harris Delano (2001), Perrylon Eaton-Bell (2002), Carl "Cake" Wayne Jackson (1984), Ricky Parker Sr. (1984), and Michael Ray (1985).