Things got scary for RHS during Friday night’s Homecoming game at Tiger Stadium when a hungry Lago Vista team scored two consecutive touchdowns early in the second to make the score 17-14 with less than six pn utes eft n the first haof1
“We were starting to doubt ourselves,” said Jeff Miller, Rockdale High School football coach and athoetl dlreftor1 +Oajo ls-ta) had all the momentum and ao the fonfidenfe1È
That all changed on the following kickoff when Enrique Rivera caught the ball and sprinted sideways along the 35-yard line before pitching the ball to Kobe Mitchell who bustled down the fieod for a WG1
ËLt must Úlssed eyeryone in the stadium’s mindset,” Plooer sald1 Ze ere saylnj we have to get some points and that we need to do it on the nlfnoff1
“Shifting momentum is so frufa o1È
The Tiger defense stopped the Vikings on the next series and Cam’Ron Valdez pushed the ball up the field three plays in a row before Jace Robinson found nthony ansey osen for a 23-yard touchdown sass1 Uoss Ooth pade the solnt-after-toufhdon +SDW ) and RHS went into halftle ahead 64-471
Rockdale built on their advantage to open the half with an onside kick that ended lth ljer ossesslon1 This led to Loth catching a 64-yard W sass fro Uoelnson1 Ooth aoso pade the SD NLFNto jlye the Wljers a 6;- 7 OHDG1
Robinson threw another touchdown later in the quarter to ltfheo for fiye yards1 Ooth pade the SD to jlye RHS a 45-14 lead at the end of the thlrd1
Rockdale scored once more on a 55-yard run by FapÎUon Yaode ln the first plnute of the fourth1 Ooth pade hls sl{th straljht SD to give RHS a comfortable - 4 oead1
Lago Vista scored twice ln the repalnln tlpe first on an 11-yard run by quarterback Buck Pounds and then again on a 20-yard pass from Pounds to Gonzo Kldaojo ln the fina sefonds of the game, but it wasn’t enough to take down the undefeated Rockdale Tigers.
“They’re a really good football team and we’ve been saying that all week,” Miller said. “They’re well-coached and they will hit you.
“It was like one of those ood srl}e fijhts Must toe-to-toe early and both of us were giving each other our best punch and we took some right in the kisser. But we responded well.”
Rockdale also scored earlier in the game on a Ross Loth field goal near the start of the first Yaode aoso sfored hls first tzo of three TD’s, one on a breakaway 53-yarder and the other through a dog-pile at the one-yard line.
Miller also said his team came in well-prepared.
“We never had to coax them into practicing hard all week,” He said. “The energy and enthusiasm was there all week.
“I think they knew we had to put forth better effort in order to perform at the level we needed to play at.”
Valdez led the Tigers in rushing with 214 yards on 20 carries and Robinson was eight of 19 with 102 yards from the pocket. Anthony Dansby and Ross Loth were the top receivers with 36 and 31 yards respectively.
TR OY The Tigers face Troy on Friday, a rough-and-tumble team powered behind j unior running back ach Hrabacek who ran for more than 2,000 yards as a sophomore.
“They’re very physical and they have a tremendous running back that we hope to contain a little,” Miller said. “You’re not going to stop him and he’s going to get his yards.
“He’s that special.”
The Tro ans lost early in the season to Class 4A Robinson but have been on a hot-streak since defeating 2018 district champ Cameron 59-41 in their district opener on Friday, Sept. 27.
Since then, they have defeated Marreo 7<-4 and Academy 42-14.
“This is a huge game for them,” He said. “If they win this one, they’re district champions.
“We’re going to get their best shot and it’s going to be at their house and we’re going in as the underdog. This is going to be one of those really fun games.”
This will be the second of a tough, three game stretch for the RHS football team. before taking on Cameron in the Battle of the Bell on Friday, Oct. 25, at Tiger Stadium.
For fans interested in attending, Troj an Stadium is located off the back right corner of Troy High School which has the address of 205 N . Waco Rd. THS is left of I-35 when heading northbound.
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