Comanches beat top-ranked
West Sabine in 49-7 rout
Friday, November 28, 2003
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Shiner's game plan against No. 1 ranked West Sabine was to run the ball and this the Comanches did to perfection in a 49-7 win over the Tigers in the regional playoffgamc at Rhodes Stadium in Katy.
Shiner (12-1) will now face their district foe, Falls City (130, the only team to beat the Comanches this year. The game will be played at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Victoria this Friday.
Shiner made 22 first downs and amassed 375 yards on the ground against West Sabine. The Comanches went to the air only three times, completing one pass for a touchdown.
The Shiner defense was just as tough, holding the Tigers to just 116 yards rushing and 65 yards passing.
"Our kids were ready to play. They were focused and determined and played their best game of the year," said Coach Steve Cemy.
"The defense set the tone, holding them on the first three plays of the game and then our offense took over."
"Coach Turek set up a great defensive game plan that kept our offense on the field," he added.
Quarterback Garet Pustka said Coach Turek was pretty laid back about the game. "We knew they had speed to the outside and he felt if we could contain them there we would be able to stop them."
Quentin Wright, who missed last week's game with a sprained ankle, led Shiner with 199 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. Wright scored on runs of eight and five yards. Garet Pustka scored on a 1yard run and completed his only pass for a touchdown to Stcven Evans.
Chris Baer added a 5-yard touchdown run and sacked the quarterback for a safety.
"Coach Cerny told us he knew we were a better team and all we had to do was avoid mistakes and execute like we were capable of -play Shiner football," said Pustka.
Pustka said he was more in shock than anything else following the game. "I really expected them to give us a better game. They being #1 didn't affect how we played. We didn't, do anything differently. We stuck to what we've been doing all year.
"The key to this win was coming up strong right at the beginning, stopping them on defense and getting a quick lead," said Pustka.
Both Cerny and Pustka gave credit to the offensive line. "Our work with the offensive line the past few weeks paid off and they did an outstanding job," said Cerny.
West Sabine took the opening kick off but went nowhere as Coach Turek's Comanches held the Tigers on three plays and the Shiner offensive took over.
Following the punt, quarterback Pustka and his offensive unit marched 50 yards in six plays to pay dirt.
Quentin Wright got the first three calls and picked up 28 yards to the Tiger 22. After a motion penalty, Chris Baer carried to the 16. Wright then capped the drive with two 8 yard runs to score with 7:13 left in the quarter.
Ryan Kloesel added his first of five PATS and Shiner led 70.
Following another Tiger punt, Pustka's pass was picked off but the Comanches were back in business when Jared Boedeker recovered a fumble on the Shiner 22.
With Wright and Baer alternating carries, the Shiner duo drove 77 yards to the Tiger 1yard line. Pustka then sneaked into the end zone for the score. Kloesel's kick made it 14-0 with 10:45 left in the half.
Less than two minutes later, Baer capped a 42-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Kloesel's kick was no good but Shiner held a 20-0 lead with 9:21 left in the half.
Aided by three penalties and a fourth down conversion, the Tigers finally hit pay dirt on a 12-yard run by David Fussell. The PAT was good and the Tigers cut the lead to 20-7.
Kevin Berger recovered the onside kick but the Comanches failed to convert. Steven Evans booted a 43-yard punt which was downed on the West Sabine 4 yard line. After three incomplete passes, Desmond Brooks returned a shanked punt seven yards for a Shiner score. The 2-point conversion failed but Shiner's lead was now 26-7.
With just over a minute left in the half, Baer sacked Danny Bragg in the end zone for a safety. Shiner took a 28-7 lead into the locker room.
Shiner had to punt on the opening possession of the second half. Evans' punt of 42 yards again had the Tigers backed up inside their 10-yard line. Casey Coleman intercepted Bragg's aerial and Pustka and company went to work from their 47.
What worked earlier for the Comanches proved successful again as Wright and Baer tore up the turf behind their offensive line to the Tiger seven. On 4th-and-5, Pustka completed his only pass of the game for a 7-yard touchdown to Evans and Shiner led 35-7 going into the final period.
West Sabine's drive stalled and Shiner took over on their 46. This time Puslka carried three times to the 19 and Wright completed the drive, scoring on a 5-yard run with 7:37 left in the game.
Kenzley Wright added the last touchdown with 1:11 left to make the final, 49-7.
The Shiner defense was so effective that four of West Sabine's eight running backs finished with negative yardage. Matt Dickerson led the Tigers with 51 yards on two carries. Greg Griffin and Brett Standley had two carries for 35 yards each.
Friday's quarterfinal game against Falls City should be an' other good match up.
Falls City won the district contest, 7-0, but this next meeting is expected to result in more offense.
"They're a great team, probably better than West Sabine " said Coach Ccrny. "They have speed, have good special teams and are solid in all aspects of the game," he noted.
"We need to be well prepared and play better than last time." Pustka said he expects Shiner to stay with the same package they've had all year. "In our first outing against Falls City we made a lot of mistakes but our line has gotten some good experience and we're hoping to play well."
Shiner's last quarterfinal appearance was in 2000 against the Burkeville Mustangs.
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
Quentin Wright puts a move on a West Sabine defender on his way to a 199-yard performance in the regional win over the Tigers.
Chris Baer drags down Danny Bragg in the end zone for a safety in the win over West Sabine.
Garet Pustak tucks in the ball as four Tigers, including David Fussell (21) try to take him down.
'I can't hear you' Senior tackle Brady Strauss (#51) gets the crowd into the game as he "eggs them on" prior to a kickoff in the Comanche's rout over West Sabine last Friday night in Katy. Also pictured is Clayton McCorkle (#73). The Comanches will take on their district rivals, Fall City, this Friday evening in a regional quarter final game. Kickoff will be 7:30pm at Memorial Stadium in Victoria.
HIGHLIGHTED TEXT:
"Coach Cerny told us he knew we were a better team and all we had to do was avoid mistakes and execute like we were capable of -- play Shiner football" Garet Pustka
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