Flatonia Falls to Defending State Champion Refugio in Area Round Football Playoff
The Flatonia high school football team traveled to Yoakum last Thursday to take on Refugio high school in a postseason contest.
The Bulldogs fell to the defending state champions 55-6, although it was a 21-6 game at halftime and weren’t able to take advantage of some great scoring opportunities in the first half.
“It was a roller coaster ride,” said Flatonia head football coach Chris Freytag about the season. “Our kids never stop fighting. They fought hard tonight. I’m proud of them. We played a really, really good football team. First half, we went toe-to-toe with them. It was 21-6 at half and it really probably could’ve been 14-14. But they wore us down. They’re a great football team. We got the kids a lot of experience this year and we’re going to bounce back. I’m really proud of this group. A bunch of great kids and great young men. They played the game the right way and they gave maximum effort. That’s all you can ask as a head football coach.”
Flatonia received the opening kickoff and started the game with an electric play on a 45-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Keyshaun Green to senior wide-receiver Izick Hernandez, but were forced to punt.
A couple possessions later, the Bulldogs marched all the way to the Refugio 27-yard line until they were stopped on 4th down with about five minutes to play in the first quarter. The Bobcats drew first blood in the closing seconds of the period on a touchdown run from senior running back Zavien Wills to go up 7-0.
Refugio then added two more unanswered trips to the end zone with a 35-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Caleb Hesseltine to junior widereceiver Jordan Kelley at the 9:45 mark in the second. This was followed by another long connection of 60 yards from Hesseltine to Kelley and a rushing touchdown by Wills to finish the drive and gain a 21-0 lead with a little over five minutes to spare before the half.
The Bulldogs responded on the first play of their ensuing possession with a 60-yard touchdown heave of their own from Green to sophomore wide-receiver Fidel Venegas as he sped down the Bobcat sideline to cut the deficit to 21-6.
Refugio threatened to score again right before halftime until sophomore Jaidyn Guyton made a crucial interception in the end zone and went into the locker still trailing by two scores.
Refugio started the third quarter on a tear and didn’t look back with Wills adding his third touchdown of the night on a three-yard run with just under nine minutes to play, resulting in a 28-6 scoreboard. The Bobcats continued to add on the points with back-to-back picksix interceptions. One by Kelley, who also plays free safety, and the other by cornerback Antwaan Gross to make it a 42-6 ballgame.
The Refugio offense couldn’t be stopped as Hesseltine punched in a quarterback sneak at the goal line just before the end of the third quarter and went up 48-6. Flatonia still gave it their all until the final whistle as junior Alex Hernandez made an interception at midfield and returned it to the Refugio 13-yard line. The Bulldogs were unable to score on 4th down. Refugio iced the game with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Hesseltine to Kelley at the 7:25 mark in the fourth and ran out the clock to grasp a 55-6 victory and a spot in the next round of the playoffs.
Local Football playoff scores, pairing of note:
4A Division II
Region III
Last week’s results
Salado 28, Bellville 23
Carthage 49, Silsbee 0
China Spring 35, West Orange-Stark 22
Sealy 38, Center 7
Regional Semifinals
Salado (11-1) vs Carthage (10-0), 5:30 p.m. Friday at Porter’s Randall Reed Stadium
China Spring (9-2) vs Sealy (9-2), 2 p.m. Friday at College Station’s Cougar Stadium
Region IV
Last week’s results
Navasota 39, Rockport-Fulton 24
Geronimo Navarro 52, Raymondville 18
Wimberley 54, Hondo14
Sinton 28, Giddings 11
Regional Semifinals
Navasota (8-3) vs Geronimo Navarro (10-2), 7 p.m. Friday at Giddings’ Buffalo Stadium
Wimberley (9-3) vs Sinton (8- 3), 2 p.m. Saturday at Converse’s Rutledge Stadium
3A Division I
Region III
Last week’s results
Columbus 21, Woodville 14
Yoakum 37, East Chambers 35
Lorena over Crockett, Forfeit
Hallettsville 27, Diboll 0
Regional Semifinals
Columbus (10-2) vs Yoakum (9-2), 6 p.m. Friday at Smithville’s Tiger Stadium
Lorena (9-2) vs Hallettsville (10-2), 6:30 p.m. Friday at Wimberley’s Texan Stadium.
Class 2A Division I
Region IV
Last week’s scores
Shiner 72, Freer 6
Mason 41, Kenedy 18
Refugio 55, Flatonia 6
Ganado 55, Three Rivers 0
Regional Semifinals
Shiner (10-0) vs Mason (8-4), 7 p.m. Friday at Pflugerville’s The Pfield
Refugio (10-0) vs Ganado (6- 4), 7 p.m. Friday at Victoria’s Memorial Stadium.