Wounded Rattlers still battling
Examiner photo by Saul Coronilla Senior Coy Elliott, a two-way player for Iola, takes a well-deserved breather Friday, Oct. 22, at Bulldog Stadium.
Navasota entered the battlefield against the #8 ranked Cuero Gobblers, but wounded soldiers hindered the Rattlers in the 55-14 loss.
Navasota Head Coach Casey Dacus said a gametime decision was made to play senior Ja’mar Jessie, but the dual-threat quarterback was limited in the run game. “We started him because we thought he would be able to go, but every time he started to run, he said he felt something grab [in his leg],” explained Dacus. “When Ja’mar said he thought he could play we decided to try it to see what would happen. We realized after the first two quarters that he couldn’t run, so we knew we had to make a change.”
Jessie completed 10- of-16 of his passes for 105 yards but didn’t have any yards rushing on three carries.
Sophomore Hudson Minor, who got the start the previous week against La Grange and saw over a half of play when Jessie was sidelined by injury in the Smithville game, started the second half against the Gobblers.
“Playing against a top-10 ranked team, we didn’t want to put all that pressure on Hudson to start the game,” explained Dacus.
Cuero (7-1, 3-0) scored five first-half touchdowns to take a commanding 34-0 The Gobblers added a score in the third and a another one in the fourth before Navasota (3-5, 1-2) finally crossed the goal line. Jamal Thomas scored on a 5-yard run and Juan Vargas converted the point-after.
Cuero added another touchdown before Thomas scored his second touchdown, a 16-yard run. Thomas had 18 carries for 117 yards.
The Rattlers host the Gonzales Apaches (2-6, 0-3) for senior night at Rattler Stadium Friday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m.
A Rattler win and a Giddings (2-6, 1-2) win over La Grange (4-4, 1-2) will ensure Navasota a playoff berth. If the Rattlers beat Gonzales this week and Giddings the following week, Navasota will finish third in District 13-4A.