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Sandcrabs top Tigers
BY BILL HARVEY
What a football game was this one.
A summer of waiting for the opening kickoff of the season had passed and there the Sandcrabs were, again, in the Alamodome. The stands were rocking, the band was playing, the cheerleaders were flying and the Sandettes were high-stepping. Yes, it was time for the 2008 season to begin.
From the opening play of the first period, it seemed evident that the Mercedes Tigers were in for a long night in the Alamodome. After winning the toss and electing to receive, the Sandcrabs set up camp on the fifty-yard-line where quarterback James Ezzell took the first snap of the contest and raced untouched into the end zone. The failed point after touchdown was little consolation for the Tiger faithful as the Sandcrabs grabbed a 6-0 lead with only 16 seconds having expired on the clock. The Sandcrabs scored again at 8:32 of the period and added the PAT to take a 13-0 lead on another Ezzell touchdown run.
Mercedes was down, but certainly not out. After trading punts, Mercedes took over on its own 23 yard line and scored on two plays as Israel Vela broke a 57-yard touchdown run to narrow the score to 13-7. Still, as soon as it looked as if Mercedes was back in the game, Daylan Bubenik scored on a 12 yard run and the PAT widened the margin of scoring to 20-7. Mercedes came right back, scoring with just over a minute having expired in the first period; Calhoun 20-14.
The Sandcrabs fielded the kickoff and set up camp on their own 35 yard line and drove the ball to the Mercedes 35 yard line. The next play was the perfect example of why the Sandcrabs’ triple option offense is so hard to stop and why Richard Whitaker is brilliant at deciding upon the right play at just the right time.
“We had run the loop sweep twice and had scored once on that play,” said Whitaker. “Their cornerback was really itchy.”
Itchy, indeed; defensive end turned receiver Corey McDonnough lined up on the outside and gave the oncoming cornerback a perfunctory bump as James Ezzell pitched the football to Daylan Bubenik. The cornerback bit on the run and what transpired was a thing of wonder if not a thing of beauty. Bubenik launched a pass to McDonnough who was so far down field and so totally alone that the nearest Mercedes defender was in another time zone. Now, the pass itself had the hang-time of a punt and McDonnough had to skid to a complete stop to keep from running out from under it, but he gathered it in and rumbled, stumbled and bumbled into the end zone just as the flabbergasted Tiger defense arrived at the scene of the bushwhacking. On the sideline an elated Whitaker was running down the sideline (figuratively, of course) until he stopped and executed a perfect Tiger Woods fisted arm pump. It was just really cool. Calhoun 27, Mercedes 14.
The Sandcrabs widened the score to 34-14 on an Xaviar Archangel run and then regained possession of the ball when Jeremy Boyd poked the ball out the hands of a Mercedes runner and the Sandcrabs scored again as the half ended when Ezzell added his third touchdown of the game, Calhoun 41-14.
In reality, the game was over at the half. But no one told the Mercedes Tigers who came out and scored on a 77 yard kickoff return by Israel Vela. The PAT failed when Mercedes attempted a two-point conversion and the pass was batted harmlessly to the ground by a leaping Joey Calzada. Calhoun answered immediately when Sterling Jones took a handoff straight up the middle and raced 76 yards for the score. The PAT was successful and Calhoun jumped out to a 48-20 lead. A total of 13 points had been scored in the first 33 seconds of the second half.
Mercedes would add another score but failed to convert the PAT and Calhoun scored again in the third quarter when Daylan Bubenik added his second TD of the night. The third period ended - as would the game - with a score of 54-26, the highest scoring game in Texas Football Classic history.
The Calhoun offense rolled up a staggering 435 yards of offense, 360 yards on the ground and 75 in the air. Sterling Jones rolled up 137 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown, James Ezzell was close behind with 133 yards and three TD’s, Daylan Bubenik had 64 yards rushing, two touchdown runs and a touchdown pass, while Xaviar Archangel had 20 yards on six carries and one TD. Quarterback James Ezzell was selected as the game MVP.
“Our game plan was pretty simple,” said Whitaker. “We wanted to run the football, run the clock and keep their offense off the field and on the sidelines. We did a pretty good job. They are a very good team and they will be very competitive in their district, but their early turnovers really hurt them and helped us. Our offensive line did an outstanding job and James Ezzell did a great job of running the offense and reading their defense. Daylan Bubenik had a great game for us, as well.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Defensive Coordinator Cory McFall pointed to the tenacious play of the defense in general and the individual performances of three senior stalwarts, Jeremy Boyd, Joe Vaughn and Xaviar Archangel. “It was a big plus for us to get Jeremy back,” said McFall. “He has worked so hard to come back from his knee injury and the preseason elbow injury. Having Jeremy Boyd on the field lifts up the players around him and they all play harder. We had Joe Vaughn shadow Mercedes’ running back Alex Trevino and Joe harassed him the entire game. He did a terrific job of neutralizing an outstanding running back. Xaviar Archangel played great on defense for us. He had nine tackles, three assists, a fumble recovery and a huge hit on one of the Mercedes receivers. Having “X” in the game on defense takes us a long way toward where we want to be. “
Calhoun returns home on Friday to host the Brazosport Exporters, a team that Whitaker describes as “having one of the best running backs in the state, a tough defense and good offensive line.” The Sandcrabs have not lost at home since the opening game of the 2006 season, but the Exporters will not be a pushover, by any means. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sandcrab Stadium.
A summer of waiting for the opening kickoff of the season had passed and there the Sandcrabs were, again, in the Alamodome. The stands were rocking, the band was playing, the cheerleaders were flying and the Sandettes were high-stepping. Yes, it was time for the 2008 season to begin.
From the opening play of the first period, it seemed evident that the Mercedes Tigers were in for a long night in the Alamodome. After winning the toss and electing to receive, the Sandcrabs set up camp on the fifty-yard-line where quarterback James Ezzell took the first snap of the contest and raced untouched into the end zone. The failed point after touchdown was little consolation for the Tiger faithful as the Sandcrabs grabbed a 6-0 lead with only 16 seconds having expired on the clock. The Sandcrabs scored again at 8:32 of the period and added the PAT to take a 13-0 lead on another Ezzell touchdown run.
Mercedes was down, but certainly not out. After trading punts, Mercedes took over on its own 23 yard line and scored on two plays as Israel Vela broke a 57-yard touchdown run to narrow the score to 13-7. Still, as soon as it looked as if Mercedes was back in the game, Daylan Bubenik scored on a 12 yard run and the PAT widened the margin of scoring to 20-7. Mercedes came right back, scoring with just over a minute having expired in the first period; Calhoun 20-14.
The Sandcrabs fielded the kickoff and set up camp on their own 35 yard line and drove the ball to the Mercedes 35 yard line. The next play was the perfect example of why the Sandcrabs’ triple option offense is so hard to stop and why Richard Whitaker is brilliant at deciding upon the right play at just the right time.
“We had run the loop sweep twice and had scored once on that play,” said Whitaker. “Their cornerback was really itchy.”
Itchy, indeed; defensive end turned receiver Corey McDonnough lined up on the outside and gave the oncoming cornerback a perfunctory bump as James Ezzell pitched the football to Daylan Bubenik. The cornerback bit on the run and what transpired was a thing of wonder if not a thing of beauty. Bubenik launched a pass to McDonnough who was so far down field and so totally alone that the nearest Mercedes defender was in another time zone. Now, the pass itself had the hang-time of a punt and McDonnough had to skid to a complete stop to keep from running out from under it, but he gathered it in and rumbled, stumbled and bumbled into the end zone just as the flabbergasted Tiger defense arrived at the scene of the bushwhacking. On the sideline an elated Whitaker was running down the sideline (figuratively, of course) until he stopped and executed a perfect Tiger Woods fisted arm pump. It was just really cool. Calhoun 27, Mercedes 14.
The Sandcrabs widened the score to 34-14 on an Xaviar Archangel run and then regained possession of the ball when Jeremy Boyd poked the ball out the hands of a Mercedes runner and the Sandcrabs scored again as the half ended when Ezzell added his third touchdown of the game, Calhoun 41-14.
In reality, the game was over at the half. But no one told the Mercedes Tigers who came out and scored on a 77 yard kickoff return by Israel Vela. The PAT failed when Mercedes attempted a two-point conversion and the pass was batted harmlessly to the ground by a leaping Joey Calzada. Calhoun answered immediately when Sterling Jones took a handoff straight up the middle and raced 76 yards for the score. The PAT was successful and Calhoun jumped out to a 48-20 lead. A total of 13 points had been scored in the first 33 seconds of the second half.
Mercedes would add another score but failed to convert the PAT and Calhoun scored again in the third quarter when Daylan Bubenik added his second TD of the night. The third period ended - as would the game - with a score of 54-26, the highest scoring game in Texas Football Classic history.
The Calhoun offense rolled up a staggering 435 yards of offense, 360 yards on the ground and 75 in the air. Sterling Jones rolled up 137 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown, James Ezzell was close behind with 133 yards and three TD’s, Daylan Bubenik had 64 yards rushing, two touchdown runs and a touchdown pass, while Xaviar Archangel had 20 yards on six carries and one TD. Quarterback James Ezzell was selected as the game MVP.
“Our game plan was pretty simple,” said Whitaker. “We wanted to run the football, run the clock and keep their offense off the field and on the sidelines. We did a pretty good job. They are a very good team and they will be very competitive in their district, but their early turnovers really hurt them and helped us. Our offensive line did an outstanding job and James Ezzell did a great job of running the offense and reading their defense. Daylan Bubenik had a great game for us, as well.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Defensive Coordinator Cory McFall pointed to the tenacious play of the defense in general and the individual performances of three senior stalwarts, Jeremy Boyd, Joe Vaughn and Xaviar Archangel. “It was a big plus for us to get Jeremy back,” said McFall. “He has worked so hard to come back from his knee injury and the preseason elbow injury. Having Jeremy Boyd on the field lifts up the players around him and they all play harder. We had Joe Vaughn shadow Mercedes’ running back Alex Trevino and Joe harassed him the entire game. He did a terrific job of neutralizing an outstanding running back. Xaviar Archangel played great on defense for us. He had nine tackles, three assists, a fumble recovery and a huge hit on one of the Mercedes receivers. Having “X” in the game on defense takes us a long way toward where we want to be. “
Calhoun returns home on Friday to host the Brazosport Exporters, a team that Whitaker describes as “having one of the best running backs in the state, a tough defense and good offensive line.” The Sandcrabs have not lost at home since the opening game of the 2006 season, but the Exporters will not be a pushover, by any means. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sandcrab Stadium.
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