• OUTCOME — Clear Creek ends its season at 5-6 after falling to the Hightower Hurricanes 30-8 in the first round of the playoffs Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
• PLAY OF THE GAME — After the Wildcat defense held Hightower to three plays and a punt on its opening drive, a bobbled punt gave the ball right back to the Hurricanes on the Creek 14-yard line. Hightower scored a touchdown several plays later — and never looked back.
• WHAT WENT RIGHT — Even after giving up a touchdown pass on the last play of the second quarter to trail 24-6 at halftime, the Wildcats kept playing hard in the second half. The Creek defense contained the Hightower running game fairly well throughout the contest, holding the Hurricanes to 154 yards on 33 rushing attempts.
• WHAT WENT WRONG — Clear Creek was playing from behind virtually the entire game. A pair of Wildcat fumbles in the first quarter helped Hightower take an early 10-0 lead.
• TEAM STARS — Michael Guidry rushed for 106 yards on only 11 carries and scored Creek’s lone touchdown. Bobby Bassett showed a never-say-die determination, returning a blocked extra point attempt 91 yards for a 2-point score after Hightower had stretched its lead to 30-6 with 3:17 left play in the game.
• QUOTABLE — “Even though not too many things went right, we kept clawing and fighting to the end.” — Clear Creek coach Darrell Warden.
• WHAT’S NEXT — It’s coach Warden’s choice: Clear Creek’s underclassmen can look forward to spring practice in a few months, or an extra week of preparation in the August heat before the 2008 season begins.
— Randy Gemmer
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Class 4A, Division I
Dickinson Gators
• OUTCOME — Dickinson (8-3) struggled against defending Region III champion Lamar Consolidated, falling 39-14 at Traylor Stadium in Rosenberg.
• PLAY OF THE GAME — Lamar running back Jacquizz Rodgers concluded his big night with a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter. The highlight-reel run gave the Mustangs a commanding 33-0 advantage. Rodgers finished with 316 total yards and five touchdowns.
• WHAT WENT RIGHT — Not a whole lot. But one bright spot was Dickinson running back Cobert Archie, who rushed for 188 yards on 20 carries.
• WHAT WENT WRONG — The run defense had no answer for the speedy Rodgers. Whenever it appeared the Gators had him stopped, he’d make a few moves and end up with a solid gain. The special teams were also a disaster. Dickinson had a blocked punt, fumbled a punt return and allowed a punt return for a touchdown.
• TEAM STARS — Donald Hunter had a solid night, catching five passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. Kenneth Mullins also scored on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.
• SIDELINES — This was Dickinson first playoff appearance since 2002. Dickinson head coach Warren Trahan had hoped the playoff game would be at the new Sam Vitanza Stadium, but he lost a coin flip with Lamar head coach Lydell Wilson.
• QUOTABLE — “He’s unbelievable. He doesn’t compare to anyone we have faced this season. That kid is unreal.” — Trahan on Rodgers’ performance
• WHAT’S NEXT — The season is over for the Gators. They’ll likely be moved up to Class 5A in the next classification, and should be in the same district as the Clear Creek ISD schools.
— Joshua Buckley
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Class 4A, Division II
Texas City Stings
• OUTCOME — Texas City (10-1) got off to a quick start and then held off Bay City, 28-16, in a Class 4A, Region III, Division II bi-district playoff game Friday in Pearland.
• PLAY OF THE GAME — How about two? Johnny Thomas’ 41- and 45-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter helped set the tone in the early going and helped lead to another big rushing night for the senior running back.
• WHAT WENT RIGHT — The entire first quarter. Thomas had a nine-yard touchdown run in the stanza in addition to his two long scampers, and defender Biko Benefield returned a fumble recovery 30 yards as the Stings scored all their points before the quarter was over.
• WHAT WENT WRONG — Offensively, Texas City stumbled in the second half, picking up just three first downs. Quarterback Blake Apffel struggled with the passes he attempted, completing just one of seven attempts for 23 yards in the game. He also was intercepted. ... Bay City quarterback Shaun Rutherford was able to pass for 248 yards against the Stings’ defense, but he did throw the ball 45 times in the game.
• TEAM STARS — The defense stepped it up in the second half after allowing Bay City to make things look interesting with an early third-quarter field goal to pull within 12. Bay City’s last four possessions ended in three turnovers on downs and a punt. ... Thomas was the story offensively with his 156 yards and three scores.
• SIDELINES — The officiating crew didn’t appear to bring its “A” game for much of the contest. In a particular instance in the first quarter, the crew appeared to allow a Bay City player to take a kickoff backward from the 1-yard line and take a knee in the end zone without awarding Texas City a safety. Instead, an official motioned for the clock to continue and for the Bay City returner to get up and run with the ball. He was tackled at the 10, but after a conference the crew decided to put the ball at the 1-yard line and award the Blackcats first-and-10, as though the player had taken a knee at that spot.
• QUOTABLE — “We came out ready to play and, hey, if we can decide the game in the first quarter, let’s decide it in the first quarter.” — Texas City head coach Tim Finn
• WHAT’S NEXT — The Stings will face Dayton at 7 p.m. Friday at LaPorte’s Bulldog Stadium in an area playoff game. Texas City beat Dayton last season in the playoffs.
— Chris Greene
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Class 2A, Division I
Hitchcock Bulldogs
• OUTCOME — Hitchcock (10-1) defeated Edna, 18-13, in bi-district action at Henry Winston Stadium in Friendswood.
• WHAT WENT RIGHT — The Bulldogs played well on both sides of the ball. Hitchcock’s high-powered offense generated 400 yards offense, 300 in the air, while the defense held Edna’s offense to 264 yards, and forced six Cowboy turnovers.
• WHAT WENT WRONG — Hitchcock had two personal foul penalties, 15-yarders, at inopportune times. In the last two weeks, the Bulldogs have been plagued by these types of calls.
• TEAM STARS — Jordan Turner scored two of the Bulldogs’ three touchdowns, one on the ground, and another on a pass. He had a nice night defensively as well, recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass. Quarterback Morris Tuck had another solid game, throwing for 300 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Shawn Fajkus picked up two of the Edna fumbles.
• WHAT’S NEXT — Hitchcock advances to the area round against Salado, a 17-7 winner over Hempstead. The game will be at 6 p.m. Saturday at Navasota.
— Richard Kotrla
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TAPPS Division III
Bay Area Christian Broncos
• OUTCOME — Bay Area Christian (11-0) demolished San Marcos Baptist 68-7.
• WHAT WENT RIGHT — Everything. The Broncos had a 61-0 lead at halftime as the offense racked up 305 yards rushing. The defense also held San Marcos to 13 yards of total offense.
• TEAM STARS — Alex Hopper scored three touchdowns to go with his team-high 71 yards rushing. Also scoring rushing touchdowns for the Broncos were Karlis Ercums, Austin Kennedy and Will Weeks. Kennedy also scored on a 25-yard pass from Josh Morgenroth, and on a fumble recovery in the end zone. Defensively, end Gary VanderWiele scored his first touchdown of the year on a fumble recovery.
• WHAT’S NEXT — Bay Area will play either Katy Faith West or Austin Hyde Park next week in the second round of the playoffs.
— Staff report
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Players of the Week
Offense
Johnny Thomas Running back, Texas City
• Stat line: Johnny Big Game came up huge again for the Stings on Friday. His touchdown runs of 41 and 45 yards in the first quarter help propel Texas City to a 28-16 win over Bay City in the first round of the Class 4A, Division II playoffs. Thomas finished with 156 yards and three scores.
Defense
Biko Benefield Linebacker, Texas City
• Stat line: The Stings had plenty of stars on defense in their victory over Bay City. But Benefield’s 30-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown put an exclamation point on the dominant first quarter by Texas City.
