ANGLETON — The Stings wake up this morning knowing they are in the playoffs. The Wildcats wake up still feeling the sting.
Texas City (7-2, 5-0) clinched a playoff berth and at least a share of the District 23-4A title with a 25-15 win over Angleton on Friday at Wildcat Stadium.
Stings head coach Tim Finn said his team talked about getting into the postseason early in the week while preparing for Friday’s game.
“That was one of the goals, guaranteeing that 11th game,” said Finn. “We got one of those cherished playoff spots.”
Angleton dropped to 2-7 overall and 1-4 in district play.
The contest was a tale of two halves, as the teams combined for 40 points in the first half with big offensive plays and then kept each other off the scoreboard after the break.
Johnny Thomas led the Stings with 165 yards rushing on 28 carries. Texas City quarterback Blake Apffel rushed 11 times for 48 yards, but was 0-for-5 on pass attempts.
Angleton was led in both rushing and receiving by D.J. Monroe, who had 66 yards on three carries and 40 yards on a couple of grabs. He also had both of Angleton’s touchdowns.
Monroe got the Wildcats on the scoreboard first with a 62-yard punt return early in the opening quarter. John Mangum dropped the snap on the point-after attempt, but picked it up and threw to Michael Terry for a successful conversion and an 8-0 lead.
Thomas helped Texas City tie the game 34 seconds later with a 43-yard touchdown run. The Stings went for two and knotted the game as Kyle Myers caught a pass from Apffel.
Monroe put Angleton back on top with a 63-yard touchdown run later in the quarter, but Texas City needed just five plays to again tie the game. Apffel scored on a 1-yard run, and after the point-after the teams entered the second quarter with the score 15-15.
Texas City then scored 10 unanswered points before the break. Mitch Russo kicked a 43-yard field goal and the Stings later scored from the 4-yard line on a fake field goal as Blair Rice passed to a wide open Michael Ray for a touchdown.
Each team stood its ground defensively in the second half, with Angleton quarterback Quandre Diggs also throwing a pair of ill-timed interceptions. In all, Diggs was picked off three times in the games, although a first-quarter Texas City interception went off the face mask of receiver Michael Terry and into the arms of Daryl Young.
Glenn Sumney grabbed the final interception of the game at the Angleton 18-yard line and the Stings came close to adding a score to their total late in the game. The Angleton defense held on a fourth-and-goal play at the 1-yard line, however, with just one second left to play.
Both head coaches said they were pleased with the efforts they got from their teams.
“I think our offense came out and did an outstanding job all night,” Finn said. “Defensively, we faced a lot of things we haven’t seen, but ... we did a great job (after) the half.”
Though Angleton won’t make the postseason, head coach Finis Vanover was upbeat despite the 10-point loss.
“It was a hell of an effort,” Vanover said. “I couldn’t be more proud than I am right now with the way we played against a great, well-balanced team. I can’t compliment our kids’ efforts enough.”
Angleton’s Diggs finished the night completing five-of-22 pass attempts for 87 yards.
Texas City hosts Friendswood next Friday, while Angleton is at Santa Fe.
