Scoop27
11-14-2020, 04:52 AM
From The Brazospor Facts
NEW CANEY — A stricken quarantined by COVID-19 two weeks prior going up against the second-ranked team in the state went about as would be expected Friday night.
West Orange Stark lived up to its ranking with an impressive 59-8 victory over Sweeny in a Class 4A Region III bidistrict contest at Randal Reed Stadium.
The Bulldogs they threw everything at the Mustangs that they had, but it just wasn’t enough.
“They played their guts out, but even with injuries — a kid is in a sling but he kept playing, plus we had a couple of kids whose ankles were wrapped about eight times, but they just kept playing and that is what we preach,” Sweeny football coach Randy Lynch said. “There aren’t many of them this year, but the ones we have I am real proud of.”
There were only three scores in the second half, all by West Orange Stark. The Mustangs ran only three offensive plays in the second half, but were still dominant, scoring on two turnovers and a punt return.
Mustangs’ Jalen Thompson intercepted a Trace Holmes pass with 9:42 left in the third quarter and returned it 27 yards for a score and a 45-8 lead. A series later, Elijah Gales took a Mason Taylor punt and zig-zagged through the Bulldog special teams unit to go 60 yards for a 52-8 advantage.
The final score came on a fumble recovery by Tyrone Brown, who scampered 55 yards into the end zone.
“They are a good football team. Their defense is real good, they were good two years ago and they are good this year,” Lynch said. “There were times when we thought we had some big gains on offense, but their speed on defense is incredible.”
Sweeny had a good start to the contest, stopping West Orange Stark on its initial series of the game with a three and out.
On the Bulldogs’ first offensive series, facing a third and eight, Holmes completed a 9-yard pass to Curtis Gibson that could have kept the drive moving forward. But an illegal formation penalty pushed them back, and on the next down, Holmes threw an interception to Atravious Samuel.
The Mustangs took advantage of the takeaway with a first down burst from Gales up the middle for 30 yards and the score. Gales actually bumped into linebacker Mason Taylor, but just ran right through him into the end zone, 7-0.
Two more scores followed by West Orange Stark on connections of 38 and 53 yards from quarterback Jerrell Terrell to Jalen Thompson for a 21-0 lead before the opening quarter had ended.
Sweeny finally responded with 2:07 left in the first period. Xavier Woods went on a 42-yard run down the right sideline to place the ball at the Mustang 18. Holmes took care of the rest when he went up the middle and reached the end zone untouched.
Hogan Ashford then barreled into the end zone on a two-point conversion to bring the Bulldogs within 21-8. The eight points are the most West Orange Stark has surrendered to any opponent this season.
“We knew what we were getting when we came into the game, but our kids played hard, and when it was 21-8, we had stopped them and were driving again, Lynch said. “But we stumbled on that series and were hoping to get it within one score, but they just snuck up on us.”
For Woods, it was his longest run of the game as he finished with 49 yards on 13 carries. Four of his carries went for negative yards and three more with zero gains as the Mustangs really keyed on him.
“He had a few good runs and got us down there for our only score, but we missed some blocking assignments as well,” Lynch said. “By halftime we were down quite a few scores, but we came out the second half and started moving the ball again. There were times we actually moved the ball, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”
The Bulldogs will be returning quite a few players next season.
“The offense is returning nine or 10 starters and the defense with another five or six, but we have to hit the offseason and we missed out on that earlier this year, which is a big part of our player development,” Lynch said. “We just have to find a way to get stronger and better. That’s what we have to do.”
Sweeny finishes at 3-8 after making the playoffs for the eighth straight season.
“I told the kids this afterwards, that this has been the most unusual football season from offseason to football season that I hope they ever experience,” Lynch said. “It was different for all of us, not just the Sweeny Bulldogs, and it’s still going on. I am proud of the fact that they came out and played tonight with one day of practice.”
West Orange Stark (8-0) moves on to the area round next week to take on China Spring, a surprise winner Friday against state-ranked Jasper.
NEW CANEY — A stricken quarantined by COVID-19 two weeks prior going up against the second-ranked team in the state went about as would be expected Friday night.
West Orange Stark lived up to its ranking with an impressive 59-8 victory over Sweeny in a Class 4A Region III bidistrict contest at Randal Reed Stadium.
The Bulldogs they threw everything at the Mustangs that they had, but it just wasn’t enough.
“They played their guts out, but even with injuries — a kid is in a sling but he kept playing, plus we had a couple of kids whose ankles were wrapped about eight times, but they just kept playing and that is what we preach,” Sweeny football coach Randy Lynch said. “There aren’t many of them this year, but the ones we have I am real proud of.”
There were only three scores in the second half, all by West Orange Stark. The Mustangs ran only three offensive plays in the second half, but were still dominant, scoring on two turnovers and a punt return.
Mustangs’ Jalen Thompson intercepted a Trace Holmes pass with 9:42 left in the third quarter and returned it 27 yards for a score and a 45-8 lead. A series later, Elijah Gales took a Mason Taylor punt and zig-zagged through the Bulldog special teams unit to go 60 yards for a 52-8 advantage.
The final score came on a fumble recovery by Tyrone Brown, who scampered 55 yards into the end zone.
“They are a good football team. Their defense is real good, they were good two years ago and they are good this year,” Lynch said. “There were times when we thought we had some big gains on offense, but their speed on defense is incredible.”
Sweeny had a good start to the contest, stopping West Orange Stark on its initial series of the game with a three and out.
On the Bulldogs’ first offensive series, facing a third and eight, Holmes completed a 9-yard pass to Curtis Gibson that could have kept the drive moving forward. But an illegal formation penalty pushed them back, and on the next down, Holmes threw an interception to Atravious Samuel.
The Mustangs took advantage of the takeaway with a first down burst from Gales up the middle for 30 yards and the score. Gales actually bumped into linebacker Mason Taylor, but just ran right through him into the end zone, 7-0.
Two more scores followed by West Orange Stark on connections of 38 and 53 yards from quarterback Jerrell Terrell to Jalen Thompson for a 21-0 lead before the opening quarter had ended.
Sweeny finally responded with 2:07 left in the first period. Xavier Woods went on a 42-yard run down the right sideline to place the ball at the Mustang 18. Holmes took care of the rest when he went up the middle and reached the end zone untouched.
Hogan Ashford then barreled into the end zone on a two-point conversion to bring the Bulldogs within 21-8. The eight points are the most West Orange Stark has surrendered to any opponent this season.
“We knew what we were getting when we came into the game, but our kids played hard, and when it was 21-8, we had stopped them and were driving again, Lynch said. “But we stumbled on that series and were hoping to get it within one score, but they just snuck up on us.”
For Woods, it was his longest run of the game as he finished with 49 yards on 13 carries. Four of his carries went for negative yards and three more with zero gains as the Mustangs really keyed on him.
“He had a few good runs and got us down there for our only score, but we missed some blocking assignments as well,” Lynch said. “By halftime we were down quite a few scores, but we came out the second half and started moving the ball again. There were times we actually moved the ball, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”
The Bulldogs will be returning quite a few players next season.
“The offense is returning nine or 10 starters and the defense with another five or six, but we have to hit the offseason and we missed out on that earlier this year, which is a big part of our player development,” Lynch said. “We just have to find a way to get stronger and better. That’s what we have to do.”
Sweeny finishes at 3-8 after making the playoffs for the eighth straight season.
“I told the kids this afterwards, that this has been the most unusual football season from offseason to football season that I hope they ever experience,” Lynch said. “It was different for all of us, not just the Sweeny Bulldogs, and it’s still going on. I am proud of the fact that they came out and played tonight with one day of practice.”
West Orange Stark (8-0) moves on to the area round next week to take on China Spring, a surprise winner Friday against state-ranked Jasper.