Leps Lose First Game on Their New Turf
The Leps dug themselves a hole on the new artificial turf that was too deep to climb out of.
In the first game on the new playing surface at Leopard Stadium (which was just finished being installed the day before the game) La Grange miscues helped Canyon Lake take a 17-point first quarter lead in what ended up being a 31-14 win for the Hawks.
“Proud of the new field, just wish we could have played better,” said La Grange head coach Matt Kates. “Canyon Lake is a top football team in the division above us. We’re playing good people and that’s going to make us better.”
La Grange lost the football on two of its first three possessions (one interception and one fumble) and Canyon Lake turned that into 10 quick points.
After falling behind by 17, La Grange actually outplayed Canyon Lake, but the deficit was too much to come back from.
“We were put in such bad spots defensively in the first half (because of the turnovers),” Kates said. “We are where we are, there are no moral victories, but we did play well defensively in the second half, should have shut them out.
“We had three opportunities in the red zone and came up with zero points and that’s the difference in the ballgame.”
One year after allowing more than 500 rushing yards to Canyon Lake in a 2020 defeat, the La Grange defense was much better against the Hawks Slot-T run-heavy offense.
La Grange allowed Canyon Lake 236 yards on the ground, and just 17 through the air.
The Leps actually outgained the Hawks in yardage from scrimmage 316 to 253.
“I think that was one of the best games we’ve played against that kind of offense in the last few years,” said La Grange linebacker Andrew Faske. “The ball just didn’t bounce our way sometimes.”
La Grange’s offense continues to rely on junior Bravion Rogers for the big plays. He scored both of the Leps’ touchdowns. The first game on a 57-yard quarterback keeper.
Then Rogers scored early in the fourth quarter on a 88 yard pass from senior quarterback Clay Wolff.
Rogers also completed a pass Friday for 40 yards.
“We’ve got to get better running the football out of our regular stuff,” Kates said. “We’ve got to keep plugging along and find the formula.”
And about that new field:
The filler material is tiny wood chips about the size of grains of rice as opposed to many fields, that have ground up tires as their “fake” dirt material.
“I like the wood, it’s some new technology,” La Grange lineman Chase Krnavek said. “It does cut you up a little bit but to me it’s better than the rubber, it’s not as hot.”
La Grange returns to action this Friday at La Vernia. The Bears are still looking for their first win of the season. They lost 62-7 to Cuero in the season opener and then 35-6 to Navarro last week.
“If we play against La Vernia anywhere near how we played in the second half tonight we’ll be fine,” Krnavek said.
Canyon Lake 31 La Grange 14
Score by quarters
Canyon Lake 17 7 0 7 – 31
La Grange 7 0 0 7 – 14
C. Lake LG
Rushes-Yds 49-236 39-191
Passing yards 17 125
Total yards 253 316
Comp-Att-Int 4-5-0 4-9-2
Punts-Avg. 1-32 4-39.5
Fumbles-lost 3-0 5-1
Penalties-yds 4-45 3-20
Scoring summary
First Quarter
CANYON LAKE – 10:34, Helijah Johnson 2 run (Dalton Stanley kick)
CANYON LAKE – 6:41, James bates 27 run (Stanley kick)
CANYON LAKE – 2:28, 21 yard field goal by Stanley
LA GRANGE – 2:07, Bravion Rogers 57 run (Brendan Maddox kick)
Second Quarter
CANYON LAKE – 4:51, Tanner Schulz 7 pass from Stanley (Stanley kick)
Fourth Quarter
LA GRANGE – 11:24, Rogers 88 pass from Clay Wolff (Maddox kick)
CANYON LAKE – :40, Johnson 5 run (Stanley kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing – La Grange: Bravion Rogers 14-118, Jaden Williams 2-26, Jakobe Wilkerson 3-20, Ryder Imhoff 6-18, Clay Wolff 8-10, Devon Johnson 4-9, Team 2-(-10); Canyon Lake: James Bates 15-69, Shayne Moss 5-67, Jeremy Greene 4-37.
Passing – La Grange: Wolff 3 of 8 for 85 yards with 1 TD and 2 INT, Rogers 1 of 1 for 40 yards; Canyon Lake: Dalton Stanley 2 of 3 for 16 yards, Hunter Anderson 2 of 2 for 1 yard,
Receiving – La Grange: Rogers 1-88, Imhoff 3-37; Canyon Lake: Greene 1-9, Anderson 1-6, Schulz 1-6, Bates 1-(-6).
District 13-4A Football
Cuero 2-0
La Grange 1-1
Smithville 1-1
Navasota 1-1
Gonzales 1-1
Giddings 0-2
Friday’s scores:
Canyon Lake 31, La Grange 14
Columbus 44, Giddings 14
Cuero 21, Wimberley 3
Gonzales 49, Crockett 8
Sealy 40, Navasota 30
Yoakum 27, Smithville 3
This week’s games:
Lago Vista at Smithville
Yoakum at Cuero
Taylor at Giddings
La Grange at La Vernia
Fredericksburg at Gonzales
Navasota at Mexia