PFLUGERVILLE — Usually tranquil and gathered, Smithson Valley coach Larry Hill was a mess of thoughts adhering to his Rangers’ 26-21 decline in opposition to College or university Station in a Class 5A Division I point out quarterfinal on Saturday.
The Rangers had just enable a golden opportunity slip away, and Hill could not comprise his disappointment.
“We just had a good probability to win a soccer recreation, and we did not,” Hill explained. “That’s it.’
Higher education Station senior linebacker Harrison Robinson stopped Smithson Valley jogging again David De Hoyos at the 1-property-line on the last play of the video game at The Pfield to ship the Cougars to the state semifinals for the next 12 months in a row.
It was a heartbreaking end to Smithson Valley’s period, which finished at 12-2.
The Rangers ended up gifted a prospect to win the sport in the final minute when University Station botched a snap on a punt. The punter corralled the ball on one knee at the Cougars’ 4-lawn-line with 44 seconds left in the fourth quarter making a likelihood for a winning score for Smithson Valley.
Pursuing 6 performs, the Rangers at some point finished up College or university Station’s 1-garden line with two seconds left. Smithson Valley went for the victory with a operate close to the right aspect. De Hoyos appeared to have a path to the finish zone, but Robinson raced towards De Hoyos and introduced him down just brief of the goal line.
The stop dashed the Rangers’ hopes to their 1st state semifinal berth given that 2008, when they were being 13-2.
After the activity, Hill was not fairly all set to put the 2022 year into greater viewpoint.
“I couldn’t be any extra happy of the workforce that I have, but that does not have anything to do with losing today, and it doesn’t have something to do with successful the earlier 12 game titles,” Hill said “You generate that. The scoreboard doesn’t change a person way or the other.”
The Rangers struggled with regularity on offense with senior setting up quarterback Chase Senelick out right after obtaining hurt the 7 days ahead of. His substitution, junior Ryland Walker, passed for 121 yards and had just one interception.
Continue to, Smithson Valley led 14-10 with first-half touchdown operates from Brayden Bafidis (5 yards) and Doug Lantz (3 yards).
The direct and the momentum vanished in less than one moment in the second quarter.
College or university Station (12-2) took a 17-14 guide when Jackson Verdugo snagged a 74-yard landing go from Arrington Maiden with 1:09 in the second.
The Cougars forced a 3-and-out and took in excess of at their 48-garden-line with 37 seconds left right before intermission.
Maiden handed to sophomore Aydan Martinez-Brown for 37 yards to the Rangers’ 5-lawn-line. Maiden passed to Xavier Pena in the close zone on the next enjoy to place the Cougars up 23-14 with:07 in the next.
The Cougars took a 26-14 lead early in the third quarter on Connor Young’s 30-garden area purpose that was set up by Jaydon Bellows’ interception. Younger also experienced a 25-yarder in the to start with quarter as component of a 10- start out for College Station.
Smithson Valley manufactured it 26-21 on De Hoyos’ 6-yard TD operate with 5:34 in the fourth.
“First fifty percent, we gave up far too quite a few explosives and we did not make enough,” Hill stated. “That’s why we have been down. You just can’t make mistakes against a excellent ballclub. Coaching problems.”
Twitter: @hinojosa_david