As a result, the Tigers bottled up an otherwise potent Cleveland offense to allow the Rockdale offense to make key plays and a 270-pound placekicker to put the game away as the Tigers wrestled a 17-8 victory over the Indians in a Class 3A Division II area-round playoff Friday night at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field.
Rockdale (9-2) advanced to face Carthage - a 49-14 winner over Lorena - in a Region III semifinal at a site and date to be determined. Cleveland’s first loss ended its season at 10-1.
“I can’t explain how good our defense played,” Rockdale coach Jeff Miller said. “That team averages 45 points and 500 yards a game. They had the people and the schemes, but our defense stepped up.
“I told them, ‘Don’t be intimidated by their stats. You’re the best team they’ve played. Go attack. They did all night.”
In the meantime, quarterback Mark Drake threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns to receivers Brandon Gibbs and Joe Sanders to get the Tigers moving through the air.
“We just wanted to take whatever was working for us,” Drake said. “If we had to throw it 30 times, that’s fine if that’s working the best. There are no selfish players on this team.”
What also worked for the Tigers was Waylon Boyd’s square-toed kicking shoe. The junior offensive lineman booted a 26-yard field goal with 5:59 to play to give the Tigers a secure nine-point lead.
It was the first field-goal attempt for Rockdale this year and the first successful field goal in at least three years since Miller took over.
“That was the first field goal we’ve made in the three years I’ve been here and we had no doubt he would make it,” Miller said.
The Tigers’ defense held the Indians to 147 total yards.
In an otherwise mistake-riddled first half, the Tigers emerged to take a 7-2 halftime lead. Rockdale took advantage of a short field after a short punt to get the only touchdown of the first half.
Drake went to Gibbs three times in the five-play, 25-yard drive for receptions of 14, 7 and 7 yards. The final 7 came when Drake threaded it to Gibbs on a post route in the middle of the end zone for a 7-0 lead at the 2:07 mark of the first quarter.
Cleveland got on the board after forcing the Tigers to punt deep in their territory. The snap sailed over punter Sanders’ head and out of the end zone for a safety with 6:23 to play in the half to make for the baseball score at the break.
Drake went to Gibbs again to spark the Tigers’ second-half touchdown drive. Gibbs hauled in an over-the-shoulder catch streaking down the left sideline for 33 yards into Indian territory. Drake converted a fourth-and-1 with a sneak to keep the drive alive at the 24.
Two plays later, Drake found Sanders in stride behind the secondary for a 24-yard touchdown strike to make it 14-2 late in the third quarter.
Cleveland got back in the game with a 62-yard drive in 10 plays - including a successful fake punt - to get back within six. Brent Chapman squirted through the right side of the Indian line and went 30 yards for a touchdown. Running back Benny Wright was smothered on the two-point attempt to keep the score at 14-8 with 9:00 to play.
The Tigers answered by taking the ball 71 yards inside the Indian 10. Drake hit Gibbs on a 50-yarder flying down the right sideline to get Rockdale in scoring position, then Boyd nailed his field goal to provide the margin of victory.
“This is an unselfish team,” Miller said. “You can’t stop a team like that by being selfish."
twaits@temple-telegram.com
