By Kevin Askeland
MaxPreps.com
SAN ANTONIO - Bill Yeoman would have been proud.
After a weekend that featured eight teams running four-receiver sets and shotgun spread offenses, the Calhoun Sandcrabs used the offense Yeoman made famous at the University of Houston – the Veer – to produce the most impressive offensive performance at the Texas Football Classic in a 54-26 win over Mercedes on Saturday.
The Sandcrabs attempted just five passes against Mercedes, but racked up 360 yards on the ground in scoring the second highest point total in the history of the Dave Campbell Texas Football Classic. The 80 points combined between the two teams topped the old record of 79 points set by San Antonio Madison (59) and Corpus Christi Carroll (20) in 2001.
It took Calhoun exactly one play to set the tone of the game. Following the kickoff, James Ezzell faked the handoff to the fullback and rumbled to the outside for a 48-yard scoring run.
Ezzell scored three touchdowns on the night and ran for 131 yards on 17 carries to earn the game’s most valuable player award.
On Mercedes’ ensuing possession, the Tigers fumbled the ball, which would be a reoccurring theme during the night. Ezzell got the Sandcrabs into the end zone five plays later on a 17-yard run.
Mercedes made a game of it later in the first quarter thanks to a 54-yard touchdown run by Israel Vela and a 2-yard touchdown run by Alex Trevino.
But after Mercedes had closed to within six points at 20-14, Calhoun scored three times in the second quarter to take a 41-14 lead into the break.
Daylan Bubenik, who had scored on a 12-yard run in the first quarter, tossed a 35-yard scoring pass to Corey McDonnough on an end around midway through the second quarter.
Xavier Archangel added an 11-yard touchdown run and Ezzell bulled his way into the end zone from 6 yards out with 1 minute, 47 seconds left in the half.
Meanwhile Mercedes fumbled twice in the quarter and set up two scores for Calhoun. The Tigers had a chance to score just before the buzzer after the Sandcrabs muffed a Mercedes punt that Vela recovered on the 1-yard line.
But Mercedes fumbled for a 19-yard loss on the next play and Calhoun sacked the quarterback for a 12-yard loss to end the half.
It looked like Mercedes’ fortune might turn in the second half when Vela ran back the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown.
But Calhoun scored on the first play after the ensuing kickoff when Sterling Jones scored on a 74-yard run. Jones was the leading rusher in the game with 140 yards on 16 carries.
Mercedes scored a touchdown late in the third period on a 1-yard run by Albert Chavez. Once again Calhoun answered quickly, scoring in just three plays. Bubenik scored the final touchdown of the game on a 29-yard run. Bubenik finished with 63 yards on five attempts.
Calhoun finished with 437 yards of total offense while Mercedes had 286. Vela led the Tiger offense with 108 yards rushing on eight carries. Trevino added 71 yards on five carries.
Brownwood 35, Burnet 24
The Lions built a huge early lead and held off a late charge by Bulldogs to collect a 35-24 win in the second game of the Texas Football Classic on Saturday at the Alamodome.
Preseason 3A all-state quarterback Casey Pachall threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter and was 14 of 21 for 174 yards and four scores in the game.
Pachall sandwiched touchdown passes of 24 and 8 yards to Parker Taylor around a 21-yard scoring toss to Travis Holleman.
Brownwood led 21-0 after one quarter and 21-3 at halftime.
Burnet nearly scored at the end of the first half when Josh Barrera intercepted a Pachall pass and returned it 95 yards to the Brownwood 5. But an offsides penalty on the defense negated the interception.
Burnet cut Brownwood’s lead to 21-10 with a 9-yard pass from Dillon Chafin to Hunter Ulmer. Chafin finished the night with 241 yards passing while completing 18 of 34 passes.
However Brownwood answered with two straight scores to move ahead 35-10. Pachall connected with Holleman for a 6-yard touchdown and Tyler Harth ran 78 yards on the first play following a missed field goal attempt by the Bulldogs.
Burnet scored twice in the final four minutes to cut the final margin to 11 points. Jathan Craig scored on a 3-yard run with 3:38 left and Barrera returned a Pachall pass 50 yards for a touchdown two plays later.
Cinco Ranch 21, Reagan 17
Despite falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter and trailing Reagan in total offense by 80 yards, Cinco Ranch rallied for a 21-17 win in the early game Saturday.
Reagan opened the scoring on its second play of the game when Derrick Walls dashed 61 yards around end for a touchdown. One possession later, Travis Hunt kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Rattlers up 10-0 with 6:01 left in the first quarter.
Cinco Ranch responded with a 13-play, 86-yard drive culminating in a 19-yard pass from Shane Ros to Tyler Mack in the left corner of the end zone.
Reagan added to its lead with a 19-yard scoring run by Kyle Davis, but the Cougars scored twice before the break to gain a 21-17 advantage.
Ros and Mack hooked up for their second touchdown of the game on a broken play with 5:27 left. With Reagan putting on the pass rush, Ros scrambled to his right and looked like he was going to run for the first down. Instead, he pulled up and threw to Mack for a 37-yard score.
Reagan’s next drive stalled at the Cinco Ranch 22 and the Cougars drove 78 yards in the final minute to take the lead. Ros threw to Ryan Moos for a 46-yard gain down to the Reagan 13. From there, Ros did the rest, scoring on a 13-yard run with 28 seconds remaining.
Neither team scored in the second half, but Reagan missed out on several chances to regain the lead. A 43-yard field goal attempt fell short and two other drives inside the red zone ended with fumbles.
Ros was chosen the game’s most valuable player after completing 14 of 31 passes for 178 yards and two scores. He also ran eight times for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Walls led Reagan’s offense, completing 12 of 16 passes for 174 yards and running 19 times for 115 yards.