TURKEY – This game had all the makings of a classic West Texas showdown for the District 5-1A Division I title as Valley and Petersburg were both on unreal runs through district action after the two squads were a combined 1-11 before district play started.
When the dust settled in Valley Friday night it was the Patriots who controlled the game from the outset and never gave the Buffaloes any kind of life registering a 46-0 win and the title of district champions.
No one was more excited about the win then former Valley alum and now first year head coach Dax Allen. His squad started out 0-6 with the toughest non-district schedule in the state but Allen felt like that prepared them for this game.
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“That prepared us for district, and we started peaking at the right time,” Allen said. “However, this team bought in and there playing really well together and it feels good to get that district title”
Under the haze of cotton stripping dust because the wind was nonexistent, both offenses started slow, exchanging possessions to start the game. On the Patriots second possession, that started in Petersburg territory, Cole Walden made the Buffaloes play. Racing around the left side of the line, the speedster toted the rock in from 22-yards outs to give the home team a 6-0 lead.
That lead held until the second quarter when Walden made his mark again 31 seconds into that period. The Patriots offense marched down the field and found it’s self in a first and goal situation where the freshman running back found paydirt around that left side again, going in untouched for a 12-0 lead.
The Patriots (4-6, 4-0) offense wasn’t done, though, and neither was Walden. After forcing a turnover on downs, Valley used Walden’s speed to outrace the Buffaloes to the near sideline where he found another gear and raced to the endzone for his third of six scores on the night and a 20-0 lead.
Petersburg (4-6, 3-1) only had two real scoring threats in this one. The first came right at the end of the half as they moved the ball inside the Patriots twenty-yard line but couldn’t muster a score as the half ended with Valley up 28-0.
After the Patriots scored on their first possession of the second half, Carson Tucker intercepted a pass deep in his own territory and raced thirty-three yards into Buffaloes country where Walden another one in.
That setup the Buffaloes only other scoring opportunity. Behind the running and passing of Demetrius Mendez, Petersburg was set up with a first and goal from the two. Three straight running plays resulted in no gain and, on fourth down, the Buffaloes tried to find the right edge, but Valley stacked it up for a two-yard loss.
The defense, led by Tucker and Damian Valdes made the night tough on the Buffaloes all night long. Mendez gained 84 hard-earned yards on 16 carries as Valley controlled the line of scrimmage and held Petersburg to 123 yards total offense including that impressive goal-line stand.
Allen was impressed by the defensive effort led by Tucker and Valdes.
“Those guys are two leaders on our team,” Allen said. “Not only on the field but in the school and the weight room. They are two staples of our defense”.
On top of a great defensive performance, Tucker and Valdes closed the show for Allen’s squad.
Starting at their own four-yard line, the Patriots offense quickly moved into Buffaloes territory as Walden scampered 26-yards to put the ball at the Valley 36. On the next play, Tucker dropped straight back into the pocket and dumped off a pass to Valdes.
The bowling ball runner took the ball in the middle of the field and avoided two tacklers while pursuing the right sideline. Once Valdes found the edge, he raced untouched for the score to put an exclamation point on a district title for the Patriots.
Walden was the stalwart on the evening racking up 221 yards on the ground on only twelve carries. Tucker finished 2-of-2 for 60 yards as the passing game wasn’t needed as Valley’s ground game chewed up the Buffaloes defense.
Valley now moves into the playoffs to face Vernon Northside, the second-place squad out of District 6-1A while Petersburg faces off with the eight ranked Newcastle Bobcats. Both games will be at a time and place to be determined.
Week 11 quick hits
McLean entered the final game of the season with a shot at making the playoffs needing a win by 13 or more points. However, Motley County wanted nothing to do with the Tigers (3-7, 1-2) joining the playoffs as the Matadors (9-1, 3-0) captured the District 2-1A Division II title with a convincing 58-13 win at Duncan Field on Friday night.
Thursday night, Amherst wrapped up the second spot in district 3-1A Division II by scoring early and often to beat Lazbuddie (1-7,0-3) 56-7. With the win the Bulldogs (5-4, 2-1) will get second ranked Klondike next week in bi-district action.
Despite 107 yards rushing from Kyson Swick, San Jacinto Christian Academy fell to Lubbock Kingdom Prep 50-28 on Thursday. The Patriots (5-5, 2-2) will begin TAPPS Division III playoff action next week on the road.
Though they came up short of a playoff berth, it was still a special night for the Boys Ranch Roughriders on Thursday. The Roughriders beat Wildorado 74-12 to earn their first seven-win season since 1979.