wildstangs
12-12-2004, 07:17 PM
Turnovers end Snyder's run in playoffs
By Troy Shockley / Reporter-News Staff Writer
December 11, 2004
IRVING — What got the Snyder Tiger there worked well enough to win.
What doomed them to lose, however, was something noticeably absent from all their previous playoff wins: turnovers.
Despite a strong night from Snyder High School’s big three, the Tigers’ run to the state championship was halted by Gilmer High School on Saturday, 53-20 at Irving’s Texas Stadium in the Class 3A Division II state semifinal.
Running back Dee Walker finished the night with 140 yards on 28 carries. Quarterback Dustyn Williams connected with Lico Castillo five times for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Much of those positive gains were nullified, however, as the Tigers committed seven turnovers — four of them in the first half, with all of those leading to Buckeye touchdowns.
"We just had too many turnovers," said senior lineman Ricky McNatt. "I mean, the first (drive) of the game, we fumble ... it just started going downhill for us after that."
That fumble did, indeed, start the Tigers’ slide into a blowout. After Gilmer’s Jeremy Skinner returned the opening kickoff to the Snyder 22-yard line, Snyder’s defense stood strong, holding the opposition to just three points.
On the ensuing possession, however, Snyder ran Walker on the first play for a loss of three, pinning the Tigers on their own 8-yard line. A botched handoff, then, put the ball on the turf and Gilmer recovered in the end zone. After missing the extra point, the Buckeyes were up, 9-0 after just more than two minutes had come off the clock.
Snyder then put together a strong drive, going 59 yards in 13 plays for six, when Walker finished the drive on a 3-yard run. Gilmer answered with a two-play drive, though, covering 84 yards to pull farther ahead, 15-6. The nine-point deficit was the closest the Tigers would come the rest of the night. The Buckeyes went into the locker room up 46-20 and, while the Snyder defense played a much better second half, the offense wasn’t able to manage any points on the tough Gilmer squad.
"We came out ... man, I don’t know," said McNatt. "We’ve just got to eliminate those turnovers if we’re going to win.
"We beat Wylie, and they’re the Division I champs. That just shows that if we come out and do what we can do, we can beat anybody. We could have beaten this team."
Gilmer senior quarterback Manuel Johnson finished his impressive night with 332 yards and two interceptions. He also tossed four touchdowns in the win. His favorite target was Kevin Hollis, who finished with 103 yards on nine catches.
Senior fullback and linebacker Israel Torrez said while he is obviously disappointed at the way the Tigers’ season ended, he is confident those left after graduation will make good where this year’s team faltered.
"It’s up to these juniors now," Torrez said. "We worked harder than any team that had ever been here, and we gave it everything we had.
"Next year," he said motioning to the celebration on the Buckeyes’ sideline, "they will be that team. Next year, they’ll be the state champs."
By Troy Shockley / Reporter-News Staff Writer
December 11, 2004
IRVING — What got the Snyder Tiger there worked well enough to win.
What doomed them to lose, however, was something noticeably absent from all their previous playoff wins: turnovers.
Despite a strong night from Snyder High School’s big three, the Tigers’ run to the state championship was halted by Gilmer High School on Saturday, 53-20 at Irving’s Texas Stadium in the Class 3A Division II state semifinal.
Running back Dee Walker finished the night with 140 yards on 28 carries. Quarterback Dustyn Williams connected with Lico Castillo five times for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Much of those positive gains were nullified, however, as the Tigers committed seven turnovers — four of them in the first half, with all of those leading to Buckeye touchdowns.
"We just had too many turnovers," said senior lineman Ricky McNatt. "I mean, the first (drive) of the game, we fumble ... it just started going downhill for us after that."
That fumble did, indeed, start the Tigers’ slide into a blowout. After Gilmer’s Jeremy Skinner returned the opening kickoff to the Snyder 22-yard line, Snyder’s defense stood strong, holding the opposition to just three points.
On the ensuing possession, however, Snyder ran Walker on the first play for a loss of three, pinning the Tigers on their own 8-yard line. A botched handoff, then, put the ball on the turf and Gilmer recovered in the end zone. After missing the extra point, the Buckeyes were up, 9-0 after just more than two minutes had come off the clock.
Snyder then put together a strong drive, going 59 yards in 13 plays for six, when Walker finished the drive on a 3-yard run. Gilmer answered with a two-play drive, though, covering 84 yards to pull farther ahead, 15-6. The nine-point deficit was the closest the Tigers would come the rest of the night. The Buckeyes went into the locker room up 46-20 and, while the Snyder defense played a much better second half, the offense wasn’t able to manage any points on the tough Gilmer squad.
"We came out ... man, I don’t know," said McNatt. "We’ve just got to eliminate those turnovers if we’re going to win.
"We beat Wylie, and they’re the Division I champs. That just shows that if we come out and do what we can do, we can beat anybody. We could have beaten this team."
Gilmer senior quarterback Manuel Johnson finished his impressive night with 332 yards and two interceptions. He also tossed four touchdowns in the win. His favorite target was Kevin Hollis, who finished with 103 yards on nine catches.
Senior fullback and linebacker Israel Torrez said while he is obviously disappointed at the way the Tigers’ season ended, he is confident those left after graduation will make good where this year’s team faltered.
"It’s up to these juniors now," Torrez said. "We worked harder than any team that had ever been here, and we gave it everything we had.
"Next year," he said motioning to the celebration on the Buckeyes’ sideline, "they will be that team. Next year, they’ll be the state champs."