Leps Climb Back in Playoff Race With 34-0 Win Over Gonzales
In as dominating a performance as they’ve had in at least three years, the La Grange football team manhandled Gonzales on the road Friday in a 34-0 win. It was the first time since
2018 (in a 29-0 win that year over Brookshire) that the Leps held an opponent scoreless.
“Feels really good to win like this, we’ve been really close in a lot of games,” said La Grange head coach Matt Kates. “Gonzales had played Giddings close, they were close with Smithville and they are physical up front. We simplified some things, got back to basics and our kids played well.”
The win couldn’t have come at a bigger time. After losses in their first two district games, Friday’s win jump-starts the Leps’ playoff hopes.
La Grange is now 4-4 over all and 1-2 in district, amidst a three-way tie for third place. “We worked hard for this.
After these last two losses, we came together as a team and said we want to win, and we executed. It’s as simple as that,” said La Grange lineman Hayden Meng. This Friday La Grange hosts
This Friday La Grange hosts Giddings (one of the teams they are tied with) in what is a mustwin for the Leps if they want to make the playoffs.
La Grange heads into this week’s matchup with the Buffaloes with some much-needed momentum.
“Momentum is a big thing. It’s real and you can feel it – good or bad,” Kates said. “And to come out here with the focus our kids did and battle their butts off, I’m just really proud of them.”
While the La Grange defense was limiting the Apaches to just 150 total yards, the Leps offense was more than doing it’s part too, putting up 27 first half points.
Ryder Imhoff ran for two touchdowns and a team-high 64 yards on a night that 10 different Leps carried the football. In all, La Grange had 241 yards rushing.
Senior Devon Johnson scored his first career varsity touchdown with a 36-yard run with 3:18 left in the game.
“I never thought I was going to get one, but I just kept believing in myself and I finally got one,” Johnson said. “I want to thank all my teammates. Everybody did a great job tonight – offense and defense.”
The Leps success wasn’t just on the ground.
Jaden Williams threw a 39- yard touchdown pass to Bravion Rogers and Clay Wolff threw a nine-yard touchdown to Jaxon Cooper.
Dana Baker snagged a pair of interceptions, and varsity newcomer Max Dixon also caught an interception.
Gonzales was just seven of 18 passing with those three interceptions thrown.