“It started in practice,” said Rebs senior running back Taurean Johnson, a dynamo all game long with two touchdowns and 104 yards rushing. “Practice makes perfect and we knew we had to work hard. We had such good practices we knew this was going to be our night.”
Tascosa said night, night to one of the top 2025 turnaround stories in all of Texas putting on a display a devastating running game disposing of previously unbeaten Saginaw 35-13 in the second round of the playoffs at Memorial Stadium.
The Rebs triple option offense rolled up 26 first downs, 491 rushing yards while the Tascosa defense came up with two turnovers, didn’t allow a point in the second half and had Saginaw quarterback Roman Morales on the run all game long with its pressure up front.
Tascosa 16th-year coach Ken Plunk wasn’t a little bit pleased with the win. He was thrilled with his 15th playoff win at Tascosa.
“This means a tremendous amount to us,” Plunk said. “We have been stuck in the second round for the past three years and I don’t think we are a second-round program. We are a Thanksgiving program and beyond. I just really, really wanted to get past this one. I’m proud of these guys.”
Saginaw had entered the game 11-0 and riding massive momentum from last week winning the first-ever playoff game in the schools’ 19-year history. All this from a team 1-9 a year ago and a program sputtering out a 3-36 record over the last four seasons.
Saginaw third-year coach Mike Peters, who arrived from Fort Stockton, said when he started at Saginaw he asked this year’s 28 seniors when they were sophomores to believe things can change.
“I came from West Texas and they didn’t know me from anybody,” Peters said. “But I told them if you do what we are coaching you to do we will get this thing turned around. Those seniors stuck through the whole thing and it came to fruition. It makes me extremely proud. Our school, our campus has done great things, and, man, our community is really fired up.”
The Rebs had gashed Saginaw for 282 rushing yards in the first half with junior
quarterback Coltyn Fulton had 15 carries, 110 yards and a TD leading the Rebs triple option offense before leaving the game because of a leg injury with 2:27 play in the opening half.
“We were focused all week,” Fulton said. “You make it to the second round of the playoffs you are a good team like Coach Plunk says. When you make it to the third round people remember who you really are. We did it. Great guys behind me. Unfortunately, I got knocked out but Charlie (McKinney) went out there and did his thing and he brought us to a win.”
Johnson had showed his speed in the opening half adding a 61-yard TD run to the Rebs cause in finding the corner on a pitch, breaking a tackle at the Saginaw 40 and sprinting in untouched putting Tascosa up 21-7 with 5:25 left in the half.
Johnson’s 61-yard run was the 10th longest TD run in Tascosa playoff history.
“God was working,” Johnson said whose five carries resulted in two touchdowns and those 104 yards. “I put my team first and we worked together and we got the dub.”
The Rough Riders had moved 70 yards in seven plays going to the air with all but one yard gained passing as senior QB Morales was 5-of-5 on the drive with passes of 27, 22, 19-yards, ending with 6-yard swing toss for the TD to running back Corey Baker.
Tascosa did let a golden opportunity go to up by two scores before half finishing on the Saginaw 1-yard line, but the Rebs would pitch a shutout in the second half and turn this game around on a penalty that proved to be a 14-point face mask.
The Rebs defense, like it did most of the game, put pressure on Morales on the opening drive of the second half forcing a punt and getting their offense the ball back with 10:33 to play in the third.
Included in that pressure was a key batted down pass by Tascosa junior tackle Krush Johnson.
With Tascosa senior Charlie McKinney taking over at QB for the injured Fulton – “We have confidence in Charlie. Both our quarterbacks take the same reps each week in practice, run the sane plays and do the same drills,” Tascosa coach Plunk said – the Rebs pulled off a classic triple option drive.
Tascosa moved 73 yards in 13 plays every one of them a run with the Rebs offensive line dominating play.
Rebs junior fullback Tendrick Sargent was equally impressive on the drive beating up Saginaw defenders in the middle by spinning, twisting and bullying his way to 41 of the 73 yards and carrying on eight of the 13 plays.
Brown sprinted the 96 yards into the end zone and this game looked like a 21-19 score and a wild finish ahead.
However, a face mask penalty on Saginaw denied the Rough Rider TD setting up Tascosa in a first-and-goal from the 3.
“I thought what turned out to be the biggest key was our mistake on the fumble return,” Peters said. “That gets us right back in it. And we were going to go for two. Get us back to even. Then they go score and I kind of felt the wind come out. But that’s football.”
After a Tascosa false start, Johnson took a pitch from McKinney and scored from six yards out and kicker Charlie Whittenburg’s PAT – the junior was 5 for 5 on extra points in the game – made it Tascosa 28-13 with 5:06 to play in the third.
Tascosa’s defense ended the final two Saginaw drives with interceptions from a diving linebacker EJ Scott and safety Brett Whatley to put the icing on this impressive win.
Sandwiched inbetween the two picks was a 44-yard, 7-play scoring drive – you guessed it, all runs – with junior running back Reese Cabe going in from 17 yards out for the Rebs icing-on-the-cake TD.
Tascosa’s defense played fast, physical and tackled well in open spaces.
Saginaw sputtered its way to 82 yards rushing and 125 yards passing for the game with its’ biggest play a 29-yard pass caught by Isiah Verdun.
Morales led the way with a team-high 64 yards rushing and had all 125 yards passing.
Tascosa senior defensive back/wide receiver Tillman, who recently committed to the University of Texas-El Paso, said this was a hungry Rebs defense.
“Our defense just executed,” Tillman said. “Our coaches put together a good game plan and our defense was just flying around. We wanted it more than they wanted it.”
Tascosa finished with 504 yards of offense with the 491 rushing yards spread around – Fulton 110, Johnson 104, Sargent 97, Cabe 72 and McKinney added 49 yards rushing and showed how critical it is in the playoffs to have a talented and trusted backup QB.
“The hardest thing about the triple option is, and I’ve coached against it for years, when you don’t have players who don’t do it you can’t ever get it right in practice,” Peters said.
“Overall, I was pleased with the first half and extremely pleased with the second half,” Plunk said. “I thought we won the line of scrimmage on defense and got after the quarterback. This feels great to be in the third round. We will enjoy this one tonight and get back after it tomorrow.”
Tascosa is in the third round of playoffs for the first time in four years and awaiting is No. 1 ranked and defending state champion Aledo at 1 p.m. Friday at Snyder High School Stadium in Snyder.
Tascosa will be a heavy underdog. They don’t care. Bring on the best.
“Aledo is one of the best programs in the state and the defending start champions,” Plunk said. “We have never matched up with them. Of course, we have seen them and the last couple of years we have played teams who have played them. They will certainly be a good team but we will just be us and get ready for the third round.”
Said Fulton: “We can win. Everyone is 2-0 in these playoffs at this point. They are just another team.”
Said Johnson: “This feels wonderful to be in the third round. What a feeling. That Aledo game, that’s going to be THE game.”
Said Tillman: “We are ready. Aledo, we got it.”
Tascosa certainly “had it” Friday night against Saginaw.
TASCOSA TALK
Fulton said he will have an MRI as soon as possible to determine the extent of his injury … Aledo won its area round game Friday night 59-14 over Abilene High. Tascosa lost a heartbreaker 31-29 to Abilene High on September 25 as the Eagles scored on a late, late kickoff return. … Tascosa completed one pass against Saginaw as QB McKinney found running back Za’Cory Fisher for 13 yards on its final drive of the first half. Fisher scored the Rebs go ahead touchdown on a 10-yard run with14 seconds remaining in the first quarter. … Coach Plunk is 15-6 in playoff games with Tascosa.