By Gene Schallenberg
In a game of opportunity, the Bulldogs had their chances but couldn’t capitalize.
The New Waverly defense forced a couple of turnovers but the Dogs couldn’t take advantage and were dealt an early exit after losing to Woodville 21-14 on Friday night in the bi-district round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Despite their worst offensive performance of the season, New Waverly still had some life after quarterback X’Zavious Harrison hit senior Kyren Watts in the end zone with 15 seconds to play to get within a score.
However, the Bulldogs (8-3 overall) couldn’t recover the onside kick and could only watch as Woodville kneeled the ball and then celebrated the victory.
“They exploited some of the youth that we had on the field,” New Waverly head coach Ken Craig said. “It was tough. They did a great job. They had a good plan. We still didn’t execute some plays we should have that could’ve got us in the game.”
After finishing the first half with just 72 offensive yards and five first downs, the Bulldogs came out of the break and continued to struggle.
Woodville blitzed and blitzed and blitzed some more. The Eagles (6-5) harassed Harrison and the Bulldog running backs all game long.
New Waverly simply had no answer for the pressure they faced and could never get into a rhythm. The Bulldogs finished with a mere 197 yards of offense.
“We’ve been suspect to the blitz all year,” said New Waverly senior running back Tyren Watts, who finished with a season-low 70 yards on 16 carries. “Tonight, they knew that was our weakness. They put eight or nine in the box and sent them all. We couldn’t stop it. When they bring that type of pressure, what can you do? We just weren’t focused. We weren’t prepared for it.”
The Bulldogs had a tough time hanging onto the ball and it ended up costing them in a big way.
Trailing 14-7 midway through the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs faced a third-and-19 from midfield. Harrison tried to find Kyren Watts down the right side of the field, but Woodville cornerback Darrin Sells picked off the pass at the 14-yard line and motored 60 yards down the sideline.
Just two plays later, quarterback Calib Hadnot hit Sells in the flat and the running back weaved through several New Waverly defenders on his way to a 23-yard touchdown to give the Eagles an 14-point advantage with less than seven minutes to play.
After the opening kickoff that Bulldogs senior Colton Wyatt returned 23 yards to the New Waverly 37, Harrison was sacked on the first play from scrimmage. Harrison coughed up the ball and Woodville linebacker Adam Lively recovered it on the 28-yard line.
A few plays later, Hadnot burst through the defensive line for a 2-yard score.
“When you get a team like that a lot of chances, they’re going to take them and turn it into points,” junior linebacker Tate Maddox said. “If you only give them 40 yards or so, they’re going to score. They’re that type of team. They’ve got a good quarterback and some good running backs.”
Inversely, the Bulldogs had gotten two turnovers, but were unable to do anything with the ball.
Senior cornerback Eli Amador leapt up and snagged an interception from Hadnot. The Bulldogs drove down to Woodville’s 20, but turned the ball over on downs on an incomplete pass.
Late in the third quarter, Sells rushed up the middle. New Waverly senior defensive back Kody Coleman jarred the ball loose and Maddox recovered. Not only were the Dogs unable to move the chains, but they moved backwards and had to punt the ball away.
“We lost all the momentum in the beginning,” Tyren Watts said. “We didn’t respond right away and so it was going to be real tough to get it back. We tried to fight back.
“We gave it all we’ve got. I’m proud of our team.”
