12/01/2004

Falcons to meet state champs at Rice Stadium

By: CHUCK HLAVA , Citizen Staff

Lake clips Memorial in third overtime to gain region final

Clear Lake casts its eye toward a coveted region football championship on Saturday when the Falcons take on Katy at Rice Stadium.
Kickoff is 2 p.m.
The Falcons (12-1) have already set all kinds of CCISD records with their three post-season wins, something that hasn't been seen on the gridiron here.
One more win and they're in the state semifinal game.
Of course, getting past Katy (12-1) is a pretty tall order.
After all, the Tigers are defending state Division II 5A champions. They've been here before -- several times.
Lake coach Troy Aduddell knows full well that the Falcons will have to bring their A+ game to the stadium.
"We're going to have to be very physical and we have to control the clock," said Aduddell.
Of course, there is a lot more to it but Aduddell states plainly that the Falcons will be involved in the high school football game of their lives.
"If we show up and play well we'll stay with them. We can do that."
After three playoff wins, Aduddell feels the Falcons are battle tested and will be ready for the Tigers.
"There is a reason we're here and that's because we were the better team (in the playoff wins). We just have to keep going," he added.
This entire event is a first for Lake. First time the Falcons won more than one game in the playoffs. First time they've won 12 games in a season.
Now, here is a chance to be the Division II Region III champion.
The Tigers dismantled Dobie 49-14 on Saturday, putting on a classic display of a ground attack that netted 370 yards and another 84 in the air.
It took Clear Lake three overtimes before edging a Memorial team 37-29 that pretty nearly outplayed the Falcons, even so far as out-gaining them on the ground and in the air.
But the Falcons delivered on a several crucial plays on offense and defense that mattered most to win against Memorial.
Ball-hog Katy will bring on the field to face the Falcons a lineup featuring quarterback Jared Gayhart, running back James Aston, along with backs/receivers Will Thompson and Roy Scott, who figured prominently in the Tigers scheme of things.
"Behind every great back is a great line in front," Aduddell said, "and Katy has a great line."
Katy had the ball for 30 of the 48 minutes against Dobie and ran 60 plays to the Longhorns' 28. The Tigers took a 20-0 lead and was never seriously threatened.
Gayhart scored two touchdowns on short keepers against Dobie. In addition, he passed for two touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
Aston also went into the end zone twice and along the way scooped up 195 yards in the game. He has more then 1,700 yards this season already.
Defenses are overlooked at times by a flashy offense, but Katy's defense played a vital role in limiting Dobie to only 56 yards rushing and 55 passing.
Clear Lake again used its stable of able ball carriers against Memorial and will undoubtedly have to rely on them against the powerful Katy Tigers.
Memorial (9-4) more than made a game of it against Clear Lake on Saturday at Rice Stadium.
The Mustangs staged repeated rallies to tie the game on four separate occasions. Their offense found holes in the Falcon defense, especially up front, until their last drive in overtime when Lake's defense came though to win the game.
"They showed us different formations in the second half," Aduddell said. "That kind of shook us and we didn't align right.
"We're going to correct that (for the Katy game)."
With the game tied 22-22, both teams missed chances to win in regulation. They repeated that by failing on field goals in overtime before Lake finally prevailed.
As it was, Geno Blow's one-yard run in the third overtime proved to be the clincher. Quarterback Scott Oswald then passed to Daniel McCalib for the two-point conversion, but it wasn't necessary as the Falcon defense held firm on Memorial's turn from the 25.
With the Rice Stadium crowd on its feet during the overtime, Lake's winning drive took five plays from the 25. Blow got a first down on the 13 and then McCalib nearly had the touchdown but went out of bounds at the one. From there Blow went in for the score.
Blow was the chief ball carrier for the Falcons with 124 yards in the game. He scored his initial touchdown in the first overtime, also from a yard out.
As Clear Lake's defense stiffened on Memorial's final drive, the Mustangs only managed to get to the 19-yard line. From there a fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone as defensive back Chase Mueller positioned himself perfectly in front of the intended receiver. Game over as Clear Lake celebrated.
Earlier, both teams had come close to winning.
The Mustangs evened the score at 22 early in the fourth period. Then with 1:44 left Memorial missed a 38-yard field goal that was off to the right.
The Falcons then staged a solid drive from their own 21 to the Memorial 30. With one second left in regulation a 46-yard three-point attempt hit the upright.
In the first regulation both teams scored. Blow on that one-yarder and Memorial's Jordan Lake from the two. That made it 29-29.
The second overtime saw Clear Lake miss a golden opportunity to win the game after stopping the Mustangs. But, with Lake on the 20, an option play went awry and the Falcons lost 11 yards. Because it was the last play of the second overtime the Falcons attempted a 52-yard field goal that didn't make it.
For most of the game the disciplined Mustangs executed well and made no mistakes on offense, often finding holes in Lake's up front defense.
For the game Memorial had 344 yards rushing and another 45 passing.
Clear Lake had 207 yards on the ground and 10 in the air, which was that two-point conversion. It was Oswald's only completion of the night.
But this was one of those games where statistics meant little.
While the Falcons did their job and remained patient on offense, their defense got back on track in the overtime.
After a scoreless opening period, it became a seesaw affair.
McCalib opened the scoring for the Falcons when he rambled 33 yards a little more than two minutes into the second quarter.
Memorial's top rusher Hunter Clinch, who had 131 yards in the contest, tied it with five minutes left in the half.
The Falcons then went ahead 15-7 on Oswald's two-yard run (missed PAT) and a safety with 1:43 remaining in the half.
Opening the second half, the Mustangs drove 46 yards following a good kickoff return as Lake ran in from the two and then ran for the two-point conversion. That made it 15-15.
It didn't take the Falcons long to pull ahead again, also taking advantage of a good kickoff return to the 40. Two plays later Oswald's pitch caught Elrick Jones in textbook stride and Jones rambled 55 yards into the end zone. After the kick it was 22-15.