Leps Fall to Cuero But Still Grab the No. 3 Playoff Spot
For all that has changed with the Leps football program in the past year (new coaches, new schemes, new stars), the postseason challenge remains the same.
Just like last season La Grange will open the postseason against Madisonville.
Last year the Mustangs won 41-21 to end La Grange’s season and the 13-year era of Leps head coach Matt Kates .
This year Madisonville is 8-2 while the Leps, under new head coach Kyle Cooper, are 3-7. They will face one another Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bryan’s Merrill Green Stadium.
This rematch came about because of a convergence of a lot of different factors Friday.
The Leps closed out their regular season Friday at home against No. 4-ranked Cuero, losing 49-17. That outcome, combined with other action around the district left a three-way for the final two playoffs spots in the district between the Leps, Giddings and Smithville.
All had 2-3 district records. La Grange’s 15 point win over Smithville earlier in the season ended up giving the Leps the No. 3 seed going into the postseason. Giddings grabbed the No. 4 seed thanks to their two-point win over the Leps. The Tigers were left out of the playoff picture because that big loss to the Leps more than offset their narrow one-point win over Giddings in the district’s marginof- victory tiebreaker.
“We’re in the playoffs and I’m proud of the kids for that,” Coach Cooper said. “We thought we were right there for second place in the district, but some things didn’t go our way this season. We’re still excited to go play in Week 11.”
Friday La Grange put the brakes on their hurry-up offense as a way to try to slow down Cuero, and it worked – for a while.
“Offensively we had a game plan and executed it,” Coach Cooper said. “Defensively I thought it was our best effort of the season. I thought our defense flew around and played hard.”
La Grange actually took an early 7-0 lead Friday thanks to a 42-yard touchdown pass from Clayton Cooper to Nate Scott on the Leps’ first possession of the game.
Scott, one of several La Grange seniors playing in their final home game, had a monster finale at Lep Stadium, catching six passes for 134 yards.
Cuero quickly responded to tie the game on the first of five touchdowns quarterback Mason Notaro would have a hand in. The senior signal caller for the undefeated Gobblers ran for two touchdowns and threw for three. He completed eight of his nine passes overall.
With the score tied 7-7 La Grange had a chance to retake the lead after a Cordale Knapik fumble recovery. But the Leps turned the ball over two plays later on an interception.
La Grange did trim the Gobblers lead to 14-10 on a Taylor Cook 33 yard field goal with :51 left in the first half.
But Cuero responded right back with a 72-yard kick return by Daylon Gibbs to push the lead to 21-10 going into the break.
The Gobblers outscored the Leps 28-7 in the second half.
“They are just really disciplined. Seems like they’ve always been good,” La Grange offensive lineman Shawn Skoruppa said of Cuero.
La Grange’s only score after halftime came on a 26-yard pass from Cooper to Scott with 6:29 left in the game. Cooper completed 18 of 28 pass for 206 yards and senior Bennett Barber completed three passes for 27 yards.
The Leps could get little going on the ground against the Gobblers and ended up with just 45 yard rushing Friday.
Despite what is now a threegame losing streak, the Leps play on into the postseason – though Madisonville will be a tough opening test. The Mustangs are averaging 38 points a game and led by junior quarterback Ty Williams, who is averaging 208 yards a game through the air.
Madisonville’s only losses have come to Columbus and Waco Connally.
“We just have to play the whole game like we played the first half tonight,” said La Grange senior lineman Orlando Sanchez about the key to having success in the playoffs.