Eight Different Leps Score TDs as La Grange Bashes Manor New Tech 54-20
Eight different touchdowns were scored by eight different Leopards Thursday in what started as a 4A playoff game, but turned into a football program wide celebration for La Grange.
In their most lopsided playoff victory since current NFL star J.K. Dobbins was a sophomore (in the fall of 2014), the Leps beat Manor New Tech 54- 20 in Taylor to advance to the area round of the postseason.
“I like our kids, I like the way we’re playing defensively, I like the way we’re playing offensively and it’s not just one guy,” La Grange head coach Matt Kates said. “We’re able to spread the football around and I think we’ll be tough to beat.”
La Grange (7-4), winners of four in a row, will play Sinton at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Converse Judson in that next round.
No. 8-ranked Sinton (10-1) beat Bandera 68-14 Friday in their first round game.
“We’ve got to continue to get better, we know what lies ahead,” Kates said. “That’s why you work so hard in the offseason and in the summer, to put a gold football in the trophy case and these kids put one in the case tonight.”
This second round game will be much tougher, but La Grange made their opening round game look pretty easy.
This game was even more lopsided that the final score indicated. La Grange jumped out to a 47-0 lead before the Titans starters had some offensive success against La Grange reserves in the fourth quarter. A number of La Grange sophomores were called up to varsity for the playoffs from the junior varsity, and all of them even saw significant time Thursday.
“Being a JV football player is not always fun. You are getting pounded, you are playing scout team. But when you get to get into a playoff game it’s a special thing and everyone of those kids deserved it,” Kates said.
La Grange got touchdown runs from Kadyn Hall, Bravion Rogers, Jakobe Wilkerson and Dana Baker.
Leps senior quarterback Clay Wolff threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Williams and then Williams threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Cooper.
Freshman Max Dixon snagged two interceptions, including one he returned 32 yards for a touchdown.
“It was just awesome, a great feeling to get to come out here and play and the feeling after getting those interceptions is just awesome,” Dixon said.
“Everyone was on the same page, the vibe throughout the while game was awesome.”
Manor New Tech (4-7) tossed four interceptions Thursday. Rogers and Phillip Arceneaux also snagged interceptions for the Leps.
Justin Lewis recovered a Manor fumble.
La Grange’s final score came with 3:32 left in the game when varsity newcomer Nathan Scott returned a Manor kick-off 78 yards for a touchdown.
“I didn’t want to get taken down so I just kept running,” Scott said. “Feels good knowing we can go farther. It was fun to get this experience, we (varsity call-ups) were all pumped up about it and ready to play.”
The Titans also struggled to punt the ball, booting it twice, for negative one yards once and another for eight yards. Maybe because of that, Manor went for it on several fourth down tries, often failing against a stout Leps defense.
La Grange never had to punt the ball Thursday.
“We take every opponent seriously no matter what their record was. I was glad everyone got to play,” Lewis said. “It’s definitely going to be a bigger challenge next week, but I think we’ve really figured out what we’re capable of.”
About Sinton
This Sinton football team the Leps play Friday is led by senior twin brothers.
Quarterback Rene Galvan has thrown for 1,165 yards this season and run for 1,170 yards and 19 touchdowns. Rylan Galvan has run for 907 yards and 16 TDs (he’s a University of Texas baseball commit).
Last year in the playoffs, Sinton beat Giddings 28-11 in the second round before falling to Wimberley 35-14 in the third round. They returned 10 offensive starters and nine defensive starters from last year’s team.
Sinton’s only loss this season came in a 34-30 game to Corpus Christi Miller back on Sept. 10. Since then the Pirates have won eight in a row.