Marlin Upset my connally [Archive]

zeke

09-25-2004, 11:03 AM

http://www.wacotrib.com/sports/newsfd/auto/feed/sports/2004/09/25/1096096574.18121.4490.1881.html

9/25/04 Connally surprises Marlin
By BRICE CHERRY Tribune-Herald staff writer
Despite warnings of inclement weather due to Tropical Depression Ivan, the skies over Central Texas remained clear Friday. And yet Connally's Mac Peoples Stadium was still jolted by thunder and lightning.

Bruising running back Pat Williams provided the thunder and frisky teammate Torian Williams added the lightning as Connally stunned defending state finalist Marlin, 30-13, behind 22 fourth-quarter points.

"This win is humongous," said Torian Williams, who dashed for 160 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. "This is a big boost to the program, and really gives us a lot of confidence."

The Cadets (3-2) took the field without their starting quarterback Jordan Williams, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury. As such, they chose to keep the ball on the ground, which proved to be a more than effective strategy. Connally pierced the Bulldogs’ normally-stingy defense for 363 rushing yards, much of if in the runaway fourth quarter.

"We stuck to our game plan," Connally coach Kevin Johnson said. "We wanted to come right at (Marlin) and make them earn it."

Marlin (4-1), which entered the game winning its games by an average score of 34-6, struck first, zipping 70 yards in 10 plays on its opening drive, most of it on the ground. Tank Smith provided the capper with a five-yard jaunt, and the Bulldogs led, 7-0.

The score remained that way for the rest of the quarter before Connally surged back in the second behind its Williams-and-Williams tandem. Pat Williams, who has the physical makeup of a bowling ball, also runs like one, as he rolled downhill between the tackles for positive yardage all night. Torian Williams, meanwhile, proved as slippery as a wet fish, giving the Cadets a change of pace with his tackle-eluding scampers.

Behind that duo, the Cadets marched 80 yards in a 17-play drive that soaked up more than nine minutes on the clock. Pat Williams, who led all rushers with 166 yards and three scores, ended the drive with a 16-yard run that gave Connally an 8-7 lead which it took into halftime.

Marlin reclaimed the advantage midway through the third quarter when Smith took a pitch and darted 23 yards around the right side for a TD. Little did the Bulldogs know it would mark their final score of the night.

Connally went up 14-13 on a 20-yard scoring run from Pat Williams to open the fourth quarter. Marlin quickly moved the ball downfield and seemed poised to answer, but Smith fumbled on a pinballing run toward the end zone, and the Cadet defense recovered at their own 4-yard line.

Then Connally put the game away, going 96 yards on only six plays, all of them on the ground. The backbreaker came when Torian Williams burst up the middle and sprinted through the Bulldog defense before getting caught from behind by Marlin's Devon Hughes at the Bulldog 4. One play later, Williams walked through a huge hole cleared by the Cadet line to put the game away at 22-13.

"We were a little leery of Marlin at first, because we knew they had a good team," Torian said. "But now everybody believes. We've got a whole team of believers."

Connally added one final insurance touchdown with 4:09 left following a Marlin interception. Then, the celebration was on.

"This is a big-time win for this program," Johnson said. "We knew we had a young team, but they've improved week to week. I can't compliment my coaching staff enough, because they do a great job of putting in a scheme that complements these kids, and then the kids go out and work hard to get it done. That's what they did tonight."

Smith topped Marlin's offensive output with 121 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Quarterback Jeremy Sanders, normally a dangerous threat on the ground and through the air, had a rough night, getting sacked six times and picked off twice by the relentless Connally defense.

M (1st): Tank Smith 5 run (Kevin Nutt kick); C (2nd): Pat Williams 16 run (Torian Williams run); M (3rd): Smith 23 run (run failed); C (4th): Pat Williams 20 run (pass failed); C (4th): Torian Williams 4 run (Torian Williams run); C (4th): Pat Williams 1 run (Torian Williams run).