Ricebirds escape snake pit with win
Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra Navasota’s Chris Hickmon brings down El Campo’s Rueben Owens, one of the top running-back recruits in the nation. The Rattlers fell short 45-35, in the district-opener.
Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra Rattler running back Deontray Scott rushes for a big-gain in the district-opener against El Campo. He was tackled from behind by Rueben Owens, a 5-star athlete, who lined-up at multiple positions for the Ricebirds, including defense.
Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra Nicolas Castañeda delivers a big hit on El Campo’s Rueben Owens who attempts to catch a pass in the District 12-4A opener at Rattler Stadium. The Ricebirds won 45-35.
The highly touted recruit from El Campo, Rueben Owens, used three second-half touchdowns to help the Ricebirds escape The Pit with a 45-35 district-opening win.
Knotted at 28 with a quarter remaining, Owens took an inside handoff, and bounced to the left outside edge escaping for a 39-yard go-ahead touchdown. Diego Gutierrez converted the point-after to give the Ricebirds a 35-28 lead.
El Campo forced a punt on the ensuing possession, but the Rattler defense held them to a Gutierrez 35-yard field goal with 4:51 remaining.
Trailing 38-28, Trayvon McGinty gave the Rattlers great field possession, returning the ensuing kick to the Ricebird 26-yard line. Hudson Minor connected with tight-end Kaddon Hubbard for a 9-yard touchdown. Juan Vargas split the uprights to pull Navasota within three.
With 1:18 remaining in the game, Owens scored his fifth touchdown, this one good for 31 yards. In an attempt to keep the ball away from the Rattlers quick-strike offense, El Campo converted an onside kick to secure the win. Owens finished with 353 yards rushing on 37 carries.
“All your goals are still in front of you right now – every one of them,” Navasota Head Coach Casey Dacus told his team in the post-game huddle. “This one hurts because we lost, but all your goals are in front of you, we are not done. Tomorrow we start over, we pick it up, learn from our mistakes, don’t repeat our mistakes, get better and next week we begin a winning streak. That is what has to happen.”
Navasota started the game fast and furious, opening-up a 14-point lead. Deontray Scott struck-first on an 8-yard run. The touchdown was set-up by the legs of quarterback Hudson Minor, who converted a huge fourth-and-13 play, with a 14-yard run. The kick missed wide.
On the ensuing possession, Jarrad Isaiah recovered a Ricebird fumble and returned it for a 55-yard scoop and score. Scott rushed for the conversion.
Owens and the Ricebirds answered. Lined-up in the wildcat, Owens took the snap and found the left edge for a 72-yard score. Gutierrez tacked on the point-after. With 10 seconds remaining in the opening-quarter, Ricebird quarterback, Brock Rod, capped a 68-yard drive with a 2-yard run.
El Campo took the lead with 7:30 remaining before halftime on a 2-yard run by Owens. Navasota answered with 14 quick points. After being sidelined to start the season, running back Jamal Thomas saw his first action. He rushed for several big gains before finding the endzone from 6-yards out on his first drive of the season. The game was 2121 with 1:14 remaining.
“I’m happy for Jamal,” explained Dacus. “Jamal waited a long time to get back into this situation and we knew going into this season, this was probably the week we could target to start breaking him back in. And I thought he ran really well.”
El Campo fumbled on the ensuing possession, and M’Kheilan Woods recovered the loose ball. Hudson Minor quickly turned the turnover into points with a 20-yard run. Vargas connected on the kick to give Navasota a 28-21 halftime lead.
The Ricebirds put together a 67-yard drive to start the third quarter, capped by a 7-yard run by Owens.
Navasota (3-2, 0-1) plays at Bay City (4-1, 1-0) Friday, Sept. 30, slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff. El Campo (3-2, 1-0) has a bye this week.