Yoakum football: Yoakum falls in overtime to La Vega
By Alvin Gomez/Special to the Herald-Times
The Yoakum Bulldogs took their longest road trip of the season last Friday, night pulling into Willie Williams Stadium in Bellmead to take on the Pirates of Waco La Vega High. The Dogs were playing up once again this week facing the Pirates who are a Class 4A Division I team. The Dogs came out on the short end of a hard fought game that would go into overtime with the final score 28-21 giving the Dogs their second loss of the season. The Bulldogs will look to bounce back against the No. 4 team in Class 3A Division I and district foe Hitchcock this Friday night at Bulldogs Stadium with kickoff set for 7 p.m..
The Pirates would open the game with possession at their 25 and would be forced to punt after a quick three and out. The Bulldogs took over following the punt from their 43, marched down the field, using eight plays to get to the Pirates' 1. Facing a fourth and goal Yoakum was able to punch it in with TyJuan Garza barreling in from the touchdown. The extra point would be tacked on to give the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Waco La Vega now beginning their second possession from their own 34 were able to use exclusively a rushing attack to make their way down the field to the Yoakum1 before facing a fourth and goal situation of their own. The Pirates would score as their quarterback plunged in from a yard out for the touchdown. The extra point would tie the score up at 7-7 with 3:27 remaining in the first quarter.
Yoakum would begin their next possession at their own 35 and proceeded to use the run and pass effectively to make their way down the field to the La Vega 18. Bulldogs' quarterback Zach Taylor on a sprint out to the right side would then find receiver Trae Cuellar for the score. The Bulldogs extra point was good giving them a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter of play.
La Vega now after the kickoff began their next scoring drive from their own 45. The Pirates offense once again leaned on the running game to get down to the Bulldogs' 4. On the ensuing play, the Pirates' quarterback found his receiver for a 4-yard touchdown pass. La Vega's extra point attempt was unsuccessful though and the Bulldogs maintained a 14-13 advantage with 5:42 left in the the first half.
Yoakum would have one last possession in the first half starting off at their own 27 with 5:20 remaining in the half used 10 plays and over four minutes of clock but could not get closer than the Pirates' 34 as they were forced to punt. The punt by Trae Cuellar was downed at the 1 of La Vega and after running three plays the Pirates would only make it to their own 32 before the half ended.
Yoakum now starting the second half from their own 45m used nine plays on this scoring drive and over five minutes. Taylor used a couple of good moves to make his way into the end zone from 13 yards out for the Yoakum score. The Sanchez extra point was successful and increased the lead to 21-13 with 7:12 remaining in the third quarter.
Waco La Vega would answer back after taking over at their 24, the Pirates used seven plays and three minutes to score. The Pirates quarterback once again found a receiver for his second touchdown pass of the game. The Pirates wanting to tie the game elected to go for two points and were successful with the try.
The score was now tied at 21-21 with 4:03 left in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was a defensive struggle as both teams would be forced to punt the ball away multiple times. The Pirates had a chance to win late in the fourth quarter but a desperation pass from the Yoakum 40 was incomplete as time expired.
In overtime, the Pirates had possession first at the 25 of Yoakum. The Pirates facing a third and short called on their running back and he sprinted through the Dogs' defense and hit paydirt from 17 yards out for the score. The extra point tacked on gave the Pirates a 28-21 lead.
The Yoakum offense began their possession on the 25 yard. After a sack and incompletion, Taylor found receiver Jamar Hopkins for a 6-yard gain to get the ball to the La Vega 21. The Dogs' facing a fourth down and six could not convert however as Taylor's pass would be incomplete, giving La Vega the victory.
Yoakum rushing — Zach Taylor 16-42m Qyion Williams 8-20, Zarion Cuellar 3-13, X’Zavier Barnett 1-9 Ty Gordon 1-6, Trae Cuellar 1-5, Tyjuan Garza 2-1.
Yoakum passing — Taylor 11-15-0-154.
Yoakum receiving — Barnett 3-62, Trae Cuellar 3-34, Jamar Hopkins 3-21, Williams 2-37.
Yoakum defense — Trae Cuellar 12 tackles, Kenneth Long 8 tackles, Barnett 7 tackles, Gordon 6 tackles, Williams 5 tackles, Zarion Cuellar 5 tackles, Dane Knocke 5 tackles, Drake Deel 4 tackles, Chase Polk, 4 tackles, KaDarius Price 3 tackles, Hopkins 3 tackles, Colby Jendrzey 3 tackles, Crawford 1 tackle.
Yoakum punting — Trae Cuellar 3-132/44.0 average.
Yoakum penalties — 2-20.
The Pirates would open the game with possession at their 25 and would be forced to punt after a quick three and out. The Bulldogs took over following the punt from their 43, marched down the field, using eight plays to get to the Pirates' 1. Facing a fourth and goal Yoakum was able to punch it in with TyJuan Garza barreling in from the touchdown. The extra point would be tacked on to give the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Waco La Vega now beginning their second possession from their own 34 were able to use exclusively a rushing attack to make their way down the field to the Yoakum1 before facing a fourth and goal situation of their own. The Pirates would score as their quarterback plunged in from a yard out for the touchdown. The extra point would tie the score up at 7-7 with 3:27 remaining in the first quarter.
Yoakum would begin their next possession at their own 35 and proceeded to use the run and pass effectively to make their way down the field to the La Vega 18. Bulldogs' quarterback Zach Taylor on a sprint out to the right side would then find receiver Trae Cuellar for the score. The Bulldogs extra point was good giving them a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter of play.
La Vega now after the kickoff began their next scoring drive from their own 45. The Pirates offense once again leaned on the running game to get down to the Bulldogs' 4. On the ensuing play, the Pirates' quarterback found his receiver for a 4-yard touchdown pass. La Vega's extra point attempt was unsuccessful though and the Bulldogs maintained a 14-13 advantage with 5:42 left in the the first half.
Yoakum would have one last possession in the first half starting off at their own 27 with 5:20 remaining in the half used 10 plays and over four minutes of clock but could not get closer than the Pirates' 34 as they were forced to punt. The punt by Trae Cuellar was downed at the 1 of La Vega and after running three plays the Pirates would only make it to their own 32 before the half ended.
Yoakum now starting the second half from their own 45m used nine plays on this scoring drive and over five minutes. Taylor used a couple of good moves to make his way into the end zone from 13 yards out for the Yoakum score. The Sanchez extra point was successful and increased the lead to 21-13 with 7:12 remaining in the third quarter.
Waco La Vega would answer back after taking over at their 24, the Pirates used seven plays and three minutes to score. The Pirates quarterback once again found a receiver for his second touchdown pass of the game. The Pirates wanting to tie the game elected to go for two points and were successful with the try.
The score was now tied at 21-21 with 4:03 left in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was a defensive struggle as both teams would be forced to punt the ball away multiple times. The Pirates had a chance to win late in the fourth quarter but a desperation pass from the Yoakum 40 was incomplete as time expired.
In overtime, the Pirates had possession first at the 25 of Yoakum. The Pirates facing a third and short called on their running back and he sprinted through the Dogs' defense and hit paydirt from 17 yards out for the score. The extra point tacked on gave the Pirates a 28-21 lead.
The Yoakum offense began their possession on the 25 yard. After a sack and incompletion, Taylor found receiver Jamar Hopkins for a 6-yard gain to get the ball to the La Vega 21. The Dogs' facing a fourth down and six could not convert however as Taylor's pass would be incomplete, giving La Vega the victory.
Yoakum rushing — Zach Taylor 16-42m Qyion Williams 8-20, Zarion Cuellar 3-13, X’Zavier Barnett 1-9 Ty Gordon 1-6, Trae Cuellar 1-5, Tyjuan Garza 2-1.
Yoakum passing — Taylor 11-15-0-154.
Yoakum receiving — Barnett 3-62, Trae Cuellar 3-34, Jamar Hopkins 3-21, Williams 2-37.
Yoakum defense — Trae Cuellar 12 tackles, Kenneth Long 8 tackles, Barnett 7 tackles, Gordon 6 tackles, Williams 5 tackles, Zarion Cuellar 5 tackles, Dane Knocke 5 tackles, Drake Deel 4 tackles, Chase Polk, 4 tackles, KaDarius Price 3 tackles, Hopkins 3 tackles, Colby Jendrzey 3 tackles, Crawford 1 tackle.
Yoakum punting — Trae Cuellar 3-132/44.0 average.
Yoakum penalties — 2-20.