There would be no encore Saturday, though.
Unable to sustain momentum from their upset over unbeaten Dickinson Pine Drive, the Lions lost 53-8 to No. 2 Rockwall Heritage Christian on the 45-point mercy rule in the third quarter in a TAPPS Six-Man Division I state semifinal at Bearcat Stadium.
“We had a hard time getting started,” said CTCS coach Jeremy Wentrcek, who also led the Lions to the state semis in 2002 and ’04. “With a team like Rockwall, if you don’t get started quick they jump on you.”
CTCS finished 7-6 after earning its first two playoff victories since 2004. Injuries to key players coupled with a difficult non-district schedule led to the Lions’ 3-4 start before they turned it around.
“This is the team nobody expected to do anything,” Wentrcek said. “To be in the state semifinals, I’m so proud of the kids of their accomplishment.
“Sometimes the years like this where you have to overcome a lot of adversity are much more satisfying than the ones when you’re 12-1, 13-1 or something like that.”
One week after scoring a school-record 94 points, CTCS’ offense managed just one TD on seven possessions.
“I felt like we had a solid gameplan against them offensively,” Wentrcek said. “I think a lot had to do with nerves of kids being in the state semifinal game. I can’t blame our kids for being nervous.”
The Lions punted on their opening possession and Heritage’s Zach Read returned it 60 yards to the CTCS 5-yard line. Kevin Prater needed two carries before blasting in for a 6-0 lead.
The Lions switched to their spread offense, which enabled them to score eight straight TDs last week, on their second possession, but a delay-of-game penalty and 15-yard loss stalled the drive.
“They were able to adjust to our spread backs getting in the open a little quicker,” Wentrcek said on how the Eagles defended CTCS’ spread offense. “Against Pine Drive, they turned their backs to us when they went out to defend our bubbles coming out of the backfield. These guys did a better job of keeping those bubble routes in front of them so they were able to still see the spread backs.”
Heritage’s Josh Points took over, rushing five times on the drive before racing around the right corner for a 26-yard score and a 14-0 lead. Points carried the ball 14 times on the Eagles’ final 18 first-half plays and finished the game with 17 carries for 236 yards and four TDs as Heritage scored on every possession.
“We were blocking really well today,” said Eagles coach Robert Huckabee, whose team will play No. 1 Greenville Christian at noon next Saturday in Moody for the state championship. “If we give him a little bit of a crease, he’s going to get through there. He runs really hard.”
CTCS’ only score came when quarterback Taylor Truitt (93 yards rushing, 66 passing) lobbed a jump-ball pass and Brent Reynolds (four catches, 78 yards) took it away from a Heritage defender to trim the lead to 14-8.
But Points answered on the Eagles’ next play, rambling 40 yards for a 22-8 lead.
After forcing a Lions punt, Prater scored for a 30-8 lead. Heritage scored twice on its next three offensive plays with long touchdown runs from Josh Peschell and Points.
“They did a wonderful job blocking and Points is great at the cutback, especially the weak side,” Wentrcek said. “I think they made us pursue real hard on the weak side to stop their sweep and because of that their strong side was open."
cmeister@temple-telegram.com
