Sweeny 35 Kirbyville 28 Final OT

[g$$]

Great game & hard fought by both teams. Just an emotional rollercoaster all afternoon.

Next up: probably a very good Liberty Hill squad in Bryan/College Station next weekend to be determined tomorrow.

**Site & date to be determined, above was just speculation.

[SWMustang]

you going?

[g$$]

Oh yeah, I will be there. LH is good, very good, but that is why you play the games right? I am going to enjoy this one today (plus my Aggies too!).

Word after the game was LH in B/CS OR Crockett back in Conroe. LH is heavily favored of course over Crockett.

I vote for B/CS to visit the old haunts!

[LHPfactory]

Ill be there for that one for sure. I am in Houston this weekend visiting family for the holidays, I got to catch the WOS-Giddings. It was all I expected... a fight to the finish. The Buffs are solid.

[g$$]

Sweeny wins in OT

By Joel Luna
The Facts

Published November 25, 2006

CONROE — Playing with heavy hearts, the Sweeny Bulldogs took to the field Friday a day after the death of a classmate.

Sweeny pulled out a dramatic 35-28 overtime Class 3A, Region III, Division II, area-round win over Kirbyville at Moorhead Stadium on Friday afternoon. The 10-2 Bulldogs won their 10th game in a row.

Sweeny student Tyler Nicole Glick, 16, was killed in a car accident on Thanksgiving day, and the team had her in their thoughts, Sweeny head coach Tommy Zajicek said.

“There were some heavy hearts with the tragedy and it weighed pretty heavy on our kids last night,” Sweeny coach Tommy Zajicek said. “I didn’t know how they were going to play, but when you come out in a ball game you are just going to have to play regardless of your emotional state. We prayed for the Glick family and we pulled on one another and said let’s go play.”

The win sends Sweeny into a region quarterfinal matchup with the winner of today’s Liberty Hill-Crockett game at Baylor University.

Sweeny had an opportunity to end the contest in regulation, but a 26-yard field goal attempt by Tank Carder went wide left.

But Carder redeemed himself on the first play in overtime, taking the handoff from Marsh Zajicek and going wide right up the sideline and into the end zone for the go-ahead score.

“We had to play, and after I missed that field goal I knew we still had a chance,” Carder said. “They called that play and I knew I had to get them back for that field goal that I missed. I did what I had to do.”

With the Bulldogs leading 7-6 at intermission, Kirbyville came out blazing in the third quarter.

After stopping Sweeny on three straight downs, the Wildcats took over at the Sweeny 48-yard line.

A 10-play drive initiated with a seven-yard gallop by Broderick Jackson, who broke three Sweeny tackles to get into the end zone.

Sweeny fumbled on the its next offensive play to set up the Wildcats at the Bulldog 11-yard line. This time quarterback Aaron Hazlewood plunged in from the 1-yard line, and just like that Kirbyville led 21-7 with 3:53 remaining in the third quarter.

“When it was 21-7 they could have quit,” Zajicek said. “But even though they were down, they still believed they were going to win.”

The Bulldogs marched right back at the Wildcats on an 11-play, 71-yard drive as Carder scored from the 2. With the lead cut to 21-14, it was up to the Bulldog defense to take over.

It did. Kirbyville marched to the Sweeny 4-yard line on 11 plays, but a 21-yard field goal attempt was missed by the Wildcats.

With less than seven minutes remaining, Carder drilled a 75-yard punt that rolled to the Kirbyville 1-yard line.

On Kirbyville’s first play from scrimmage, Hazelwood and the center mishandled the ball and Carder recovered at the 2 for the Bulldogs.

Fullback Josh Fields then bulled in for a touchdown and Carder connected on the extra point to knot the game at 21-21 with 5:56 remaining.

The fireworks continued, as Kirbyville’s Hazelwood hit Jackson in stride for a go-ahead score on an 80-yard pass.

“They got us on a mismatch because of the coverage we were in,” Zajicek said.

Again with their backs to the wall, the Bulldogs started their next drive at their own 29 with 5:31 remaining. This time, Sweeny put together a 12-play scoring drive. On a crucial third-and-nine, Sweeny’s Zajicek completed a 12-yard pass to Carder to keep the drive going. It was senior Tra’Micah Young, however, who put the finishing touches on the series with a 20-yard end around. Carder added the extra point to tie the game, 28-28.

The Bulldogs had an opportunity before the end of regulation after an interception by Michael Knight. At their own 31-yard line with 32 seconds remaining, Carder took over under center.

On second-and-11, Carder evaded an on-coming tackler and heaved the ball to Young, who caught it at the Wildcat 9.

After Kirbyville called back-to-back timeouts, Carder’s boot went left.

In the first half, Brandon Smith ran in from the 13-yard line to put Sweeny ahead in the second quarter 7-6.

Young finished with 78 yards on the ground to lead Sweeny, while Jackson ran for 132 yards for the Wildcats.

[cropduster]

Great job Dogs!!!

Brazoria County keeps rolling through the playoffs. Good luck next week.

[scrub c]

Congratulations Sweeny, great win.