Giddings Downs La Grange 31-7
Leps Face Must-Win Friday vs. Smithville in Regular Season Finale
La Grange versus Giddings is one of Texas’ longest running football rivalries, with the teams battling each other almost every year for over a century.
But Giddings has owned the recent history of the rivalry.
Friday the Buffaloes beat La Grange 31-7, for Giddings’ sixth consecutive annual triumph over the Leps.
La Grange was missing seven key players, including 1,000-yard rusher D.J. Taylor and University of Tulsa commit Matthew Johnson.
Giddings took no mercy on the Leps that remained, outgaining La Grange by a wide margin in rushing yardage (328 to just 23).
“Our kids fought their tails off all night long,” said La Grange head coach Matt Kates. “It takes a team to stop it (the Giddings win streak in this rivalry) and get it rolling in your direction.
“We’ve got seven seniors over there on the sideline (out) but no excuses. They beat us and give them credit ... This is a must-win game in La Grange, Texas and always should be and always will be as long as I’m here.”
Giddings senior Bryan Zoch ran for four touchdowns and a game-high 196 yards. Three turnovers also hurt the Leps.
La Grange (which fell to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in district with the loss) now faces a mustwin game at home this Friday against Smithville in the regular season finale for both teams.
“We’ve got to want it more than they want it,” said La Grange linebacker Kadyn Hall. “That’s what it’s going to come down to.”
If Cuero beats Gonzales, the Leps must simply beat Smithville by any margin to punch their ticket to the playoffs.
However, is Cuero loses Friday, La Grange must beat Smithville by at least seven points to get in the postseason.
Giddings (7-2 overall and 4-0 in district), meanwhile, plays at Navasota Friday for the district title.
Things started off promising for La Grange Friday.
On Giddings’ first possession, Ryder Imhoff tackled the Buffaloes quarterback and forced a fumble that was picked up by Andrew Faske, who returned it 16 yards, but the Leps couldn’t cash in.
Two Zoch touchdown runs later and the Buffaloes were up 14-0 in the second quarter when La Grange scored its only points of the night, a 57-yard touchdown pass from Clay Wolff to Bravion Rogers with just 41 seconds to go before halftime.
The ensuing Jackson Bundick point after kick trimmed the Giddings lead to just seven and La Grange had some real momentum going into halftime.
But that quickly evaporated.
Giddings scored on their second play from scrimmage of the third quarter on a Zoch 43 yard touchdown run.
After three Leps’ plays and a punt, Zoch scored again on a 66-yard run.
The Leps fumbled their next possession away and that turned into a Giddings field goal that completed the scoring on this night.
Now La Grange, which has spent a season playing through injuries turns its attention to Smithville with the lineup that remains, though Taylor is expected back.
“You have to love adversity,”
“You have to love adversity,” Wolff said. “You love your brothers and when one goes down you have to pick them up. You have to know what to do when your name is called.”
Giddings 31, La Grange 7
Scoring summary
SECOND QUARTER
GIDDINGS – 10:02, Bryan Zoch 1 run (Jose Leyva kick)
GIDDINGS – 6;35, Zoch 7 run (Leyva kick)
LA GRANGE –:41, Bravion Rogers 57 pass from Clay Wolff (Jackson Bundick kick)
THIRD QUARTER
GIDDINGS – 11:10, Zoch 43 run (Leyva kick)
GIDDINGS – 7:47, Zoch 66 run (Leyva kick)
GIDDINGS – 3:51, Leyva 33 fi eld goal
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing – La Grange: Jakobe Willkerson 2-24, Rider Reid 5-16, Ryder Imhoff 4-7, Bravion Rogers 1-5, Trey East 3-2, Clay Wolff 4-(-16), Team 1-(-15): Giddings: Bryan Zoch 18-196, Cody Gill 15-61, Holden Jatzlau 11-60, Dillon Hernandez 4-11.
Passing – La Grange: Wolff 8 of 18 for 117 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT;
Giddings: Jatzlau 5 of 9 for 65 yards.
Receiving – La Grange: Rogers 4-82, Dana Baker 3-30, Jaxon Cooper 1-5;
Giddings: Zoch 3-49, Jesse DeLa-Torre 1-11, Loftus Cruise 1-5.
13-4A Football Standings, Scenarios
* Denotes cliched playoff berth
Friday’s scores:
Giddings 31, La Grange 7
Smithville 29, Cuero 27
Navasota 47, Gonzales 36
This week’s games:
Giddings at Navasota
Gonzales at Cuero
Smithville at La Grange
The playoff picture:
• Giddings, Navasota and Cuero have already clinched playoff spots.
• If Cuero beats last place Gonzales Friday, the winner of the La Grange/Smithville game clinches the final playoff spot.
• If Cuero loses to Gonzales, however, a three-way tie for the final two playoff spots is possible, and a margin of victory tiebreaker comes into effect. Cuero would grab one of those spots in a tiebreaker situation and La Grange would need to beat Smithville by at least seven points to clinch the other spot.