JR2004
10-27-2007, 01:42 AM
http://www.wacotrib.com/prep/content/sports/highschools/stories/2007/10/27/10272007waccsrobinson.html
China Spring prevails; Rockets make a point
Saturday, October 27, 2007
By Chad Conine
Tribune-Herald staff writer
China Spring left Rocket Field as the victor, but the Cougars’ spoils were, well, spoiled.
A brilliant second quarter by China Spring quarterback Dustin Eskew propelled China Spring to a 17-3A win over rival Robinson, 31-25.
However, the last two minutes left Robinson coach Brian Lewis pumping his fist, and China Spring coach Mark Bell pacing in frustration.
By Lewis’ estimation, Robinson’s late effort to score 11 unanswered points, which included recovering an onside kick, might make the difference in who makes the playoffs from the tightly bunched district.
The Rockets (4-4, 1-2 in 17-3A) defeated Connally (5-3, 2-1) in overtime, 21-14, in the opening week of 17-3A play. That seven-point win, combined with losing by just six to the Cougars (7-1, 2-1), would leave Robinson with a positive-one point differential should Robinson, Connally and China Spring all end up tied for second place. Connally and China Spring play next week, while the Rockets face Gatesville (2-6, 1-2).
Although there are still two weeks left in the regular season, that scenario seems significantly likely.
It was enough of a possibility for Lewis and the Rockets to make a push late against the Cougars.
“We were thinking about strictly points,” said Lewis about his team’s adjusted strategy after the Rockets fell behind, 31-14, in the fourth quarter.
Eskew, who had 215 passing yards and two touchdowns, skirted the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown run, his second of the night, boosting his rushing total to 111 yards on 30 attempts.
Eskew’s touchdown run gave China Spring a 17-point edge, but it would be the final offensive play for the Cougars, who saw their lead shrink dramatically in the last two minutes.
That’s when Robinson quarterback Ruben Martinez began connecting with Rockets receivers. Martinez didn’t start for the Rockets for the first time this season as sophomore Matt Walker got the nod — Lewis said Walker is the better runner and fit Robinson’s game plan better against China Spring.
But Martinez’s arm, and receivers Austin Cleere’s and Blake Vincent’s hands, took the Rockets 80 yards in 1:27. Vincent held on to a pass from Martinez, despite a huge hit by Mike Hicks in the secondary, to keep Robinson going on a third-and-10 from the China Spring 45. That play got the Rockets to the Cougars 17, then Martinez connected with Vincent for a 12-yard touchdown.
Martinez added a two-point conversion run, cutting China Spring’s lead to 31-22.
Cleere recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Rockets, who had little chance of pulling out a win at that point, were nevertheless back in business and moving towards more points.
After Robinson gained one first down, Rockets kicker Remington Harrison booted a 35-yard field goal that split the uprights with two seconds remaining.
Robinson couldn’t recover another onside kick, but the Rockets had salvaged more than respectability.
The significance of Robinson’s surge wasn’t lost on China Spring’s Bell.
“We were successful, but it’s not what we wanted,” Bell said. “We wanted to come out and play 48 minutes and we only played 46.”
The Rockets’ late push didn’t completely overshadow one of the more impressive quarters by a Central Texas QB this season.
Eskew completed 10 of 10 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns in taking the Cougars from a 7-0 deficit to a 21-7 lead at intermission.
“I felt like I was completing a bunch of passes,” Eskew said. “The line was giving me time and my wide receivers were going up and getting those passes.”
Eskew dove into the end zone from one yard out to tie the game, 7-7, midway through the second quarter. Then he threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Hicks and a 23-yarder to Taylor Higdon with eight seconds left in the first half to give the Cougars a huge momentum lift.
Robinson kept China Spring from running away with a gritty defensive effort starting in the third quarter.
Rockets running back Seth Mogavero made it a seven-point game when he ran two yards for a touchdown early in the fourth. The touchdown run capped a 10-play 72-yard drive.
But China Spring responded by scoring on its next two possessions.
Eskew connected with Hicks twice for 36 yards to move the Cougars into field goal range. China Spring kicker James French booted a 33-yard field goal to give the Cougars a 10-point margin, 24-14.
Hicks finished with seven receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown, while leading the Cougars’ charge on defense.
Before the final two minutes, Robinson had gained 181 yards of total offense. The Rockets finished with 283.
China Spring 31, Robinson 25
China Spring 0 21 0 10 — 31 Robinson 7 0 0 18 — 25
First quarter
Robinson — Matt Walker 1 run (Remington Harrison kick), 8:38.
Second quarter
China Spring — Dustin Eskew 1 run (James French kick), 6:59.
China Spring — Mike Hicks 14 pass from Eskew (French kick), 3:25.
China Spring — Taylor Higdon 23 pass from Eskew (French kick), 0:08.
Fourth quarter
Robinson — Seth Mogavero 2 run (Harrison kick), 10:42.
China Spring — French 33 FG, 6:30.
China Spring — Eskew 24 run (French kick), 1:54.
Robinson — Blake Vincent 12 pass from Ruben Martinez (Martinez run), 0:27.
Robinson — Harrison 35 FG, 0:02.
China Spring Robinson
First Downs 21 18
Rushes-Yards 36-120 40-140
Comp-Att-Int 15-22-0 10-21-0 Passing Yards 215 143
Total Yards 335 283
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 2-1
Penalties-Yards 5-52 2-20
Punts-Avg 3-44.3 2-37.5
Individual Stats
Rushing
China Spring — Eskew 30-111, 2 TDs; Jared Welch 5-12; Higdon 1-(-3).
Robinson — Walker 11-18, TD; Mogavero 10-47, TD; Martinez 3-11; Keenan Alford 15-61; Vincent 1-3.
Passing
China Spring — Eskew 15-22-0, 215 yards, 2 TDs.
Robinson — Martinez 10-19-0, 143 yards, TD; Walker 0-2-0.
Receiving
China Spring — Hicks 7-102, TD; Cody Fuller 2-18; Higdon 5-70, TD; Reece Meador 1-25.
Robinson — Mogavero 1-22; Vincent 3-45, TD; Austin Cleere 5-71; Aaron Williams 1-5.
China Spring prevails; Rockets make a point
Saturday, October 27, 2007
By Chad Conine
Tribune-Herald staff writer
China Spring left Rocket Field as the victor, but the Cougars’ spoils were, well, spoiled.
A brilliant second quarter by China Spring quarterback Dustin Eskew propelled China Spring to a 17-3A win over rival Robinson, 31-25.
However, the last two minutes left Robinson coach Brian Lewis pumping his fist, and China Spring coach Mark Bell pacing in frustration.
By Lewis’ estimation, Robinson’s late effort to score 11 unanswered points, which included recovering an onside kick, might make the difference in who makes the playoffs from the tightly bunched district.
The Rockets (4-4, 1-2 in 17-3A) defeated Connally (5-3, 2-1) in overtime, 21-14, in the opening week of 17-3A play. That seven-point win, combined with losing by just six to the Cougars (7-1, 2-1), would leave Robinson with a positive-one point differential should Robinson, Connally and China Spring all end up tied for second place. Connally and China Spring play next week, while the Rockets face Gatesville (2-6, 1-2).
Although there are still two weeks left in the regular season, that scenario seems significantly likely.
It was enough of a possibility for Lewis and the Rockets to make a push late against the Cougars.
“We were thinking about strictly points,” said Lewis about his team’s adjusted strategy after the Rockets fell behind, 31-14, in the fourth quarter.
Eskew, who had 215 passing yards and two touchdowns, skirted the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown run, his second of the night, boosting his rushing total to 111 yards on 30 attempts.
Eskew’s touchdown run gave China Spring a 17-point edge, but it would be the final offensive play for the Cougars, who saw their lead shrink dramatically in the last two minutes.
That’s when Robinson quarterback Ruben Martinez began connecting with Rockets receivers. Martinez didn’t start for the Rockets for the first time this season as sophomore Matt Walker got the nod — Lewis said Walker is the better runner and fit Robinson’s game plan better against China Spring.
But Martinez’s arm, and receivers Austin Cleere’s and Blake Vincent’s hands, took the Rockets 80 yards in 1:27. Vincent held on to a pass from Martinez, despite a huge hit by Mike Hicks in the secondary, to keep Robinson going on a third-and-10 from the China Spring 45. That play got the Rockets to the Cougars 17, then Martinez connected with Vincent for a 12-yard touchdown.
Martinez added a two-point conversion run, cutting China Spring’s lead to 31-22.
Cleere recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Rockets, who had little chance of pulling out a win at that point, were nevertheless back in business and moving towards more points.
After Robinson gained one first down, Rockets kicker Remington Harrison booted a 35-yard field goal that split the uprights with two seconds remaining.
Robinson couldn’t recover another onside kick, but the Rockets had salvaged more than respectability.
The significance of Robinson’s surge wasn’t lost on China Spring’s Bell.
“We were successful, but it’s not what we wanted,” Bell said. “We wanted to come out and play 48 minutes and we only played 46.”
The Rockets’ late push didn’t completely overshadow one of the more impressive quarters by a Central Texas QB this season.
Eskew completed 10 of 10 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns in taking the Cougars from a 7-0 deficit to a 21-7 lead at intermission.
“I felt like I was completing a bunch of passes,” Eskew said. “The line was giving me time and my wide receivers were going up and getting those passes.”
Eskew dove into the end zone from one yard out to tie the game, 7-7, midway through the second quarter. Then he threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Hicks and a 23-yarder to Taylor Higdon with eight seconds left in the first half to give the Cougars a huge momentum lift.
Robinson kept China Spring from running away with a gritty defensive effort starting in the third quarter.
Rockets running back Seth Mogavero made it a seven-point game when he ran two yards for a touchdown early in the fourth. The touchdown run capped a 10-play 72-yard drive.
But China Spring responded by scoring on its next two possessions.
Eskew connected with Hicks twice for 36 yards to move the Cougars into field goal range. China Spring kicker James French booted a 33-yard field goal to give the Cougars a 10-point margin, 24-14.
Hicks finished with seven receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown, while leading the Cougars’ charge on defense.
Before the final two minutes, Robinson had gained 181 yards of total offense. The Rockets finished with 283.
China Spring 31, Robinson 25
China Spring 0 21 0 10 — 31 Robinson 7 0 0 18 — 25
First quarter
Robinson — Matt Walker 1 run (Remington Harrison kick), 8:38.
Second quarter
China Spring — Dustin Eskew 1 run (James French kick), 6:59.
China Spring — Mike Hicks 14 pass from Eskew (French kick), 3:25.
China Spring — Taylor Higdon 23 pass from Eskew (French kick), 0:08.
Fourth quarter
Robinson — Seth Mogavero 2 run (Harrison kick), 10:42.
China Spring — French 33 FG, 6:30.
China Spring — Eskew 24 run (French kick), 1:54.
Robinson — Blake Vincent 12 pass from Ruben Martinez (Martinez run), 0:27.
Robinson — Harrison 35 FG, 0:02.
China Spring Robinson
First Downs 21 18
Rushes-Yards 36-120 40-140
Comp-Att-Int 15-22-0 10-21-0 Passing Yards 215 143
Total Yards 335 283
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 2-1
Penalties-Yards 5-52 2-20
Punts-Avg 3-44.3 2-37.5
Individual Stats
Rushing
China Spring — Eskew 30-111, 2 TDs; Jared Welch 5-12; Higdon 1-(-3).
Robinson — Walker 11-18, TD; Mogavero 10-47, TD; Martinez 3-11; Keenan Alford 15-61; Vincent 1-3.
Passing
China Spring — Eskew 15-22-0, 215 yards, 2 TDs.
Robinson — Martinez 10-19-0, 143 yards, TD; Walker 0-2-0.
Receiving
China Spring — Hicks 7-102, TD; Cody Fuller 2-18; Higdon 5-70, TD; Reece Meador 1-25.
Robinson — Mogavero 1-22; Vincent 3-45, TD; Austin Cleere 5-71; Aaron Williams 1-5.