KRXT SPORTS
OCT 2
(ROCKDALE)–IN THE HISTORY OF ROCKDALE TIGER
FOOTBALL, THE LEGEND OF LIBERTY HILL 2007 STANDS OUT
AS A PIVOT POINT AS THEY BATTLED THE DEFENDING STATE
CHAMPS, AND GOT ON A RUN THAT OPENED AN INCREDIBLY
SUCCESSFUL CHAPTER OF TIGER FOOTBALL.
THE SEQUEL TO THAT NIGHT IN LIBERTY HILL MIGHT
HAVE BEEN WRITTEN FRIDAY NIGHT. THE TIGERS FELL
TO FRANKLIN 25 TO 15, BUT THE TIGERS LIVED UP TO THE
SCHOOL’S SLOGAN–“TIGER FIGHT NEVER DIES.”
DOWN 25 TO 3 TO THE DEFENDING STATE CHAMPION
FRANKLIN LIONS ON THE ROAD WITH ABOUT 8 MINUTES
TO GO IN THE 3RD QUARTER, THE TIGERS CAME STORMING
BACK, DRIVING THE LENGTH OF THE FIELD TWICE IN THE
2ND HALF TO CLOSE THE GAP. A FAILED 2 POINT
CONVERSION LEFT THE TIGERS JUST SHORT OF A COMEBACK.
THE LIONS SCORED ON A 6 YARD TOUCHDOWN
RUN BY JAYDEN JACKSON TO GIVE THE LIONS A 25 TO 3
LEAD OVER THE TIGERS WITH 7:58 TO GO IN THE
3RD QUARTER. ON AN ENSUING DRIVE, ISAIAH SAULS
RECOVERED A LION FUMBLE FOR THE TIGERS. LATER,
A TIGER PUNT PINNED THE LIONS BACK AT THEIR OWN
ONE YARD LINE. JAYDEN JACKSON BROKE AWAY DOWN
THE SIDELINE AND DE ANDRE STEPHENS CHASED HIM
DOWN TO THE TIGER 34 YARD LINE. MOMENTS LATER,
STEPHENS STEPPED UP AGAIN AS HE INTERCEPTED THE
PASS FROM CORT LOWRY. THE PICK LEFT THE TIGERS AT
THEIR OWN 4 YARD LINE.
THEN, TIGER QUARTERBACK BLAYDN BARCAK
THREW A PASS TO SAWYER CHALK ALONG THE SIDELINE,
AND HE BROKE A COUPLE OF TACKLES AND BROKE AWAY
FOR A 96 YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS. THE 2 POINT CONVERSION
ATTEMPT FAILED AND THE TIGERS TRAILED 25 TO 9 WITH
8:28 TO GO IN THE GAME.
FRANKLIN PUT TOGETHER ANOTHER DRIVE, AND
THE LIONS HAD ANOTHER BREAKAWAY RUN HEADING FOR
THE END ZONE WHEN THE TIGERS STRIPPED THE BALL
AND KLAY ESCHBERGER CAME UP WITH IT AT THE TIGERS’
4 YARD LINE. FROM THERE, THE TIGERS MOUNTED A
13 PLAY, 96 YARD DRIVE THAT ENDED WITH BLADYN
BARCAK’S 24 YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN WITH 21 SECONDS
LEFT IN THE GAME, MAKING IT 25 TO 15. THE TIGERS
WENT FOR 2 TO CUT THE LEAD TO 8, HOPING FOR AN
ONSIDE KICK RECOVERY. HOWEVER, A RUNNING PLAY
ON THE 2 POINT CONVERSION CAME UP SHORT, AND THE
TIGERS’ COME BACK FELL SHORT, 25 TO 15.
THOUGH IT WAS A LOSS, THE TIGERS SAW WHAT
THEY CAN DO AS THEY STOOD STRONG AGAINST THE
DEFENDING STATE CHAMPION.
ROCKDALE TIGER HEAD COACH HUNTER HAMRICK
SAYS THE TIGERS SHOWED THEIR POTENTIAL, AND
THE DEFENSE STEPPED FORWARD IN A BIG WAY…
“I DON’T KNOW THAT WE SURPRISED OURSELVES,
WE TALKED ABOUT IT, WE JUST TURNED A CORNER.
THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE NEEDED.
EVEN IN A LOSS, YOU ALWAYS FIND POSITIVES. I
DON’T KNOW IF IT CAN BE MORE POSITIVE THAN WHAT
WE JUST DID. DEFENSE STEPPED FORWARD EVERY SINGLE
TIME WE NEEDED SOMETHING, AND THAT’S WHAT KEPT
US IN THE GAME. I MEAN, BOTTOM LINE–WHAT KEPT
US IN THE GAME WAS OUR DEFENSIVE EFFORT.”
THE TIGERS HOST TROY FRIDAY. KRXT WILL HAVE
ALL THE ACTION LIVE.
ELSEWHERE AROUND THE AREA, IN DISTRICT 11-3A
DIVISION ONE, TROY BEAT MCGREGOR 49 TO 30. LORENA
BEAT ACADEMY 56 TO 38.
IN DISTRICT 13-2A DIVISION ONE, THORNDALE FELL TO
FLATONIA 35 TO 28. THRALL BEAT WEIMAR 38 TO 35. AND
SCHULENBURG BEAT HEARNE 27 TO 0.
IN DISTRICT 13-4A DIVISION ONE, ONLY ONE GAME
ON THE SCHEDULE, DAVENPORT BEAT DEVINE 41 TO NOTHING.