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Mustangs party like it's 1986
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| Taylor's Colin McWatters (left) embraces Adam Traxler-MacDonough while the two celebrate the Mustangs' 17-3 victory over Memorial Friday night at Rhodes Stadium. (Times photo Nick Georgandis) |
Scott Kaiser
Times Sports Writer
Taylor coach Flint Risien wanted to know why anyone would ask where he was in 1986.
Until Friday night, he was told, 1986 was the last time the Mustangs won a playoff football game.
“Really?” Risien asked. “Wow.”
Wow is right, and wow would be the best way to describe Taylor’s 17-3 win over Memorial in a Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game at Rhodes Stadium.
Against a team that prided itself on winning both lines of scrimmage, Taylor proved to be the more physical and tenacious bunch.
“Our district is a blue-collar district,” Risien said. “We know what it’s like to play in physical games.”
And that experience paid dividends as Taylor (7-4) advanced to the area round against either Lamar or Kingwood next Saturday.
If the Mustangs play Lamar, it would be at 1 p.m. at Delmar Stadium; another Mustangs vs. Mustangs affair would kick off at 6 p.m. at Rhodes.
“Are you satisfied?” Risien asked his team after the emotional victory.
If Taylor can match their effort and execution against Memorial, it will be a tough foe for either Lamar or Kingwood.
Offensively, Taylor spread the field and softened Memorial’s vaunted defense with the short pass, then pounded the ball down their throat in the second half.
“Coming in, we knew they had a real good defense,” said Taylor back Steven Sartory, who had 102 yards on 22 carries.
“The line played great and I just lowered my shoulders and got what I could.
“Our coaches put together a great game plan and we limited our mistakes.”
On defense, Taylor basically took away Memorial’s running game, allowing just 69 yards on the visitor’s last five possessions and stopping them three times on fourth down.
“Our coaches told us that their line was really strong and that their backs would run north-south, not east-west, so we had to just man up in the middle and go make tackles,” Taylor defensive tackle Nathan Rodgerson said.
Special teams also proved to be vital for Taylor as Josh Thomas recovered a high punt snap in the end zone for a touchdown,
Marshal Bond hit a 35-yard field goal into a stiff wind midway through the fourth quarter, and Will Walker kept Memorial backed up with deep kickoffs.
“We knew we needed to put together solid first and second halves,” Risien said. “We came out with a lot of energy and focus, and we made plays.”
The first came after Memorial had moved from its 30 to the Taylor 16 on its opening series.
An ineligible-receiver-downfield penalty negated a screen pass for a touchdown, then Dan Daugherty stuffed Nolan Miller on a third-and-long draw. That forced Memorial to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Kevin Soto at the 5:35 mark.
Taylor responded with its best drive of the season. Using nine passes and seven runs, Taylor went 77 yards and consumed 8:41 to take a 7-3 lead on a 1-yard dive by Sartory.
Quarterback Lee Rodgers was coolly efficient, completing nine-of-nine passes for 54 yards as Taylor converted four third downs.
“We were just taking what they were giving us,” Rodgers said. “Their corners were inviting us to pass, so we did.”
Rodgers only threw two more passes the remainder of the game, but one was picked off by Memorial’s Michael Williams at the Taylor 44 with 3:51 left in the half.
Facing fourth-and-1 at the Taylor 35, Memorial quarterback Davis Miller tried to sneak up the middle, but was stacked up by Rodgerson and Daugherty for no gain.
“On fourth-and-short, we just had to go (upfield),” Rodgerson said. “We knew where they were going.”
Late in the half, Miller completed a pair of passes to move Memorial from its 39 to the Taylor 35, but Andrew Pujats broke through for a sack and then Nevin Sneed picked off Miller’s heave downfield at the 4.
Sneed’s momentum took him back into the end zone and it looked like he might be downed for a safety, but he used a couple of big blocks to scramble out of the end zone before being run out of bounds at midfield as time expired.
Memorial got the ball first in the third quarter, but was forced to punt from its 37. The ensuing snap sailed high over the head of punter Josh Withers and he was crushed by Sneed as he tried to cover the ball inside the 5.
The ball then bounced into the end zone, where Thomas pounced on it to give Taylor a 14-3 lead.
Memorial answered by moving from its 20 to the Taylor 20, but Pujats dropped Jarred Espinoza for a four-yard loss on second-and-two and Miller missed an open De’Mairo Thibodeaux at the goal line. An illegal-procedure penalty pushed Memorial back five more yards, and Miller’s pass to Thibodeaux came up two yards short of a first down.
Taylor’s offense, which hadn’t been on the field since the 1:36 mark of the second quarter, touched the ball for the first time at its 20 with 2:14 left in the third and proceeded to slam the ball down Memorial’s throat.
With Sartory rushing eight times for 48 yards and Rodgers keeping it three times for 25 yards, Taylor ground out yards and used up the clock in moving 73 yards to the Memorial 7.
A high snap and a sack kept Taylor out of the end zone, but Bond’s clutch kick gave the hosts a 14-point cushion with seven minutes left.
“Memorial had some long drives, so our offense had to come back and get some first downs,” Risien said. “They did just that.”
Miller tried to get Memorial back in the game by completing five passes for 67 yards, but a pair of penalties stalled the last-gasp drive and Taylor got the ball back again on downs after Mfon Ubaha smacked Miller as he tried to throw on fourth-and-30.
Taylor then used up the final 4:53 with 10 straight runs. Although gaining only 194 yards of total offense, Taylor ground out 15 first downs and played keep away from Memorial. The District 18-5A runner-ups managed just 225 yards of total offense, 69 of which came on its last possession.
“I know I sound redundant, but we keep talking to our players about how do we get better each week,” Risien said.
“The kids are believing in what we’re doing and we’re just making more and more plays.”
Times Sports Writer
Taylor coach Flint Risien wanted to know why anyone would ask where he was in 1986.
Until Friday night, he was told, 1986 was the last time the Mustangs won a playoff football game.
“Really?” Risien asked. “Wow.”
Wow is right, and wow would be the best way to describe Taylor’s 17-3 win over Memorial in a Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game at Rhodes Stadium.
Against a team that prided itself on winning both lines of scrimmage, Taylor proved to be the more physical and tenacious bunch.
“Our district is a blue-collar district,” Risien said. “We know what it’s like to play in physical games.”
And that experience paid dividends as Taylor (7-4) advanced to the area round against either Lamar or Kingwood next Saturday.
If the Mustangs play Lamar, it would be at 1 p.m. at Delmar Stadium; another Mustangs vs. Mustangs affair would kick off at 6 p.m. at Rhodes.
“Are you satisfied?” Risien asked his team after the emotional victory.
Taylor's last playoff win came on Nov. 21, 1986, when the Mustangs defeated Baytown Sterling 14-14 on penetrations in an area finals match-up at the Astrodome.
“No, sir,” was the loud and unanimous reply.If Taylor can match their effort and execution against Memorial, it will be a tough foe for either Lamar or Kingwood.
Offensively, Taylor spread the field and softened Memorial’s vaunted defense with the short pass, then pounded the ball down their throat in the second half.
“Coming in, we knew they had a real good defense,” said Taylor back Steven Sartory, who had 102 yards on 22 carries.
“The line played great and I just lowered my shoulders and got what I could.
“Our coaches put together a great game plan and we limited our mistakes.”
On defense, Taylor basically took away Memorial’s running game, allowing just 69 yards on the visitor’s last five possessions and stopping them three times on fourth down.
“Our coaches told us that their line was really strong and that their backs would run north-south, not east-west, so we had to just man up in the middle and go make tackles,” Taylor defensive tackle Nathan Rodgerson said.
Special teams also proved to be vital for Taylor as Josh Thomas recovered a high punt snap in the end zone for a touchdown,
Marshal Bond hit a 35-yard field goal into a stiff wind midway through the fourth quarter, and Will Walker kept Memorial backed up with deep kickoffs.
“We knew we needed to put together solid first and second halves,” Risien said. “We came out with a lot of energy and focus, and we made plays.”
The first came after Memorial had moved from its 30 to the Taylor 16 on its opening series.
An ineligible-receiver-downfield penalty negated a screen pass for a touchdown, then Dan Daugherty stuffed Nolan Miller on a third-and-long draw. That forced Memorial to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Kevin Soto at the 5:35 mark.
Taylor responded with its best drive of the season. Using nine passes and seven runs, Taylor went 77 yards and consumed 8:41 to take a 7-3 lead on a 1-yard dive by Sartory.
Quarterback Lee Rodgers was coolly efficient, completing nine-of-nine passes for 54 yards as Taylor converted four third downs.
“We were just taking what they were giving us,” Rodgers said. “Their corners were inviting us to pass, so we did.”
Rodgers only threw two more passes the remainder of the game, but one was picked off by Memorial’s Michael Williams at the Taylor 44 with 3:51 left in the half.
Facing fourth-and-1 at the Taylor 35, Memorial quarterback Davis Miller tried to sneak up the middle, but was stacked up by Rodgerson and Daugherty for no gain.
“On fourth-and-short, we just had to go (upfield),” Rodgerson said. “We knew where they were going.”
Late in the half, Miller completed a pair of passes to move Memorial from its 39 to the Taylor 35, but Andrew Pujats broke through for a sack and then Nevin Sneed picked off Miller’s heave downfield at the 4.
Sneed’s momentum took him back into the end zone and it looked like he might be downed for a safety, but he used a couple of big blocks to scramble out of the end zone before being run out of bounds at midfield as time expired.
Memorial got the ball first in the third quarter, but was forced to punt from its 37. The ensuing snap sailed high over the head of punter Josh Withers and he was crushed by Sneed as he tried to cover the ball inside the 5.
The ball then bounced into the end zone, where Thomas pounced on it to give Taylor a 14-3 lead.
Memorial answered by moving from its 20 to the Taylor 20, but Pujats dropped Jarred Espinoza for a four-yard loss on second-and-two and Miller missed an open De’Mairo Thibodeaux at the goal line. An illegal-procedure penalty pushed Memorial back five more yards, and Miller’s pass to Thibodeaux came up two yards short of a first down.
Taylor’s offense, which hadn’t been on the field since the 1:36 mark of the second quarter, touched the ball for the first time at its 20 with 2:14 left in the third and proceeded to slam the ball down Memorial’s throat.
With Sartory rushing eight times for 48 yards and Rodgers keeping it three times for 25 yards, Taylor ground out yards and used up the clock in moving 73 yards to the Memorial 7.
A high snap and a sack kept Taylor out of the end zone, but Bond’s clutch kick gave the hosts a 14-point cushion with seven minutes left.
“Memorial had some long drives, so our offense had to come back and get some first downs,” Risien said. “They did just that.”
Miller tried to get Memorial back in the game by completing five passes for 67 yards, but a pair of penalties stalled the last-gasp drive and Taylor got the ball back again on downs after Mfon Ubaha smacked Miller as he tried to throw on fourth-and-30.
Taylor then used up the final 4:53 with 10 straight runs. Although gaining only 194 yards of total offense, Taylor ground out 15 first downs and played keep away from Memorial. The District 18-5A runner-ups managed just 225 yards of total offense, 69 of which came on its last possession.
“I know I sound redundant, but we keep talking to our players about how do we get better each week,” Risien said.
“The kids are believing in what we’re doing and we’re just making more and more plays.”
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| Mistakes, turnovers doom Rams vs. Strake | Katy swept out of playoffs |
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of katytimes.com.
Lee wrote on Nov 15, 2008 8:31 PM:
" I'm a Katy Tigers fan and alum, but I always pull for the KISD schools when they play anyone but Katy. GREAT GAME TAYLOR MUSTANGS!!!Congrats Katy Tigers. I may be a bit early, but Cinco is up 50-0 at the half. Congrats to the Cougars. Maybe next year all 4 teams will get out of the first round. Better luck next year Mayde Creek. Gooooo Tigers!!!!! "
Jacqueline Cooke wrote on Nov 15, 2008 8:47 AM: