For Rockdale fans deprived of high school football over the past nine months, last Friday night at Tiger Stadium was everything a spectator probably could’ve asked for.
It was a close contest where neither team led by more than a touchdown with an outcome decided on the last play of the game.
However, that decisive last play was a 33-yard field goal attempted by Rockdale with the score tied at 29 that was blocked by the La Grange defense and recovered by LHS junior Bravion Rogers, who ran the ball back for a touchdown to give his team the win to conclude the eventful evening.
Although the game didn’t end in favor of the home team, RHS head coach Jacob Campsey saw the experience as a positive one for his young team that had just 10 seniors active for their season opener.
“You know, it was two good teams playing each other and each team is going to make good plays,” Campsey told the Reporter after the game. “That was such an evenly matched game and we knew it would be.”
“I said all week long that it was coming down to the last four minutes of the game. Didn’t think it was going to come down to the last play necessarily, but yeah, it’s good for our kids to go through this right now,” he said. “You can’t ask for a better game for a bunch of sophomores, juniors and a few seniors.”
G A M E — L a Grange was hot right out of the gate with eight straight running plays before attempting a field goal on fourth-and-10. With an offsides call on Rockdale as the ball was snapped, this led to La Grange getting the ball five yards up the field. Now a little bit closer, Rogers found Andrew Faske open for a 14-yard pass. A failed two-point conversion gave the visiting team a 6-0 advantage a little more than four minutes into the game.
Rockdale didn’t answer back immediately but scored with 1:14 left in the first after sophomore quarterback Blaydn Barcak was forced to improvise after not finding any open receivers and rolling to the right before finding Wyatt Windham open for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Daniel Romero’s successful extra point made it 7-6.
The second quarter was much of the same with La Grange going for it on fourth down on their first possession. On fourthand-12, quarterback Clay Wolff found receiver Jaxon Cooper open for a pass at the four-yard line.
The play was controversial as RHS receiver Robert Owens also came down with the ball when the play was complete. Officials ruled it as a “simultaneous catch” which means the offensive team maintains possession. La Grange’s Dana Baker ultimately scored on a four-yard run. The PAT made by Phillip Arceneaux made it 13-7 with 10:02 left in the half.
Rockdale answered back on a goal line touchdown by Barcak less than three minutes later. Romero’s extra point put the Tigers up 14-13.
La Grange pulled back ahead a short time later when Rockdale’s Gerren Marrero intercepted a pass at the four-yard line which led to a fumbled snap and a safety by the Leopard defense, giving them a 15-14 lead over Rockdale.
Before the half was over, it was Marrero once again making an interception, but this time taking it 65-yards down the field for his first varsity touchdown. Romero’s successful PAT gave the Big Blue a 21-15 lead at halftime.
In the third, the lead would go back to LHS when a 17-yard run up the middle by Wolff made it 22-21 with 3:13 to play in the third.
Late in the fourth, Owens caught a 31-yard pass to give the Tigers a 29-22 lead with a little less than three minutes left in the game.
LHS tied it up at 29 with another run by Wolff this time with 1:31 left in the game.
The entire rendezvous came down the final play when La Grange blocked the field goal recovered by Rogers, who crossed the goal line as the buzzer sounded to give the Leopards a 35-29 victory.
STATS—Barcak finished the night throwing 12-for-19 with 138 yards and two touchdowns. The Rockdale High School sophomore was also the team’s leading rusher with 20 carries for 64 yards.
Owens led the Tiger receivers making five catches for 71 yards.
La Grange was led by Wolff, who was 6 of 17 for 91 yards and Rogers, who led the team in rushing with 17 carries for 93 yards.
PENALTIES—Together, both teams had a total of 25 penalties with La Grange accumulating 16 penalties for 125 yards while Rockdale had nine for 55 yards.
TAYLOR—The Tigers head to Taylor Friday evening to take on the Ducks at 7:30 p.m.
For the lead-up story to the game, see the top of page 1B.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.