Sunday, April 28, 2024
The Gatesville Hornets used a punishing, extended fourth-quarter drive capped by a touchdown run from Rayshon Smith to snatch a 34-27 win away from the Taylor Ducks in their season opener on Aug. 25.
With the game tied 27-27 to start the fourth quarter, the Hornets took possession and went on a 17-play, 85-yard drive that took up almost nine minutes of clock. By the time Smith dragged a Duck defender into the end zone for the go-ahead score, the Hornets’ new offensive identity had officially been established.
“That drive opened their eyes that we can really just mash people. I have been preaching that since we started this offense but now they see it,” said head coach Aaron Hunter.
The prolonged game-winning drive featured 14 runs and just three passes – all of which were completed. It was effective and it was efficient.
“We ran the same play probably 13-14 times in the fourth quarter,” Hunter said. “Taylor was bringing some different things defensively, but our veteran o-line just picked those things up.”
That line – namely starters Gabriel Pollard, Tookie Jones, Gabe Charles, Zach Bryant, and Logan Busch – had their way for the majority of the night. They committed no penalties on false starts and paved the way for Hornet runners to roll up 261 yards rushing. They averaged 5.2 yards on their 51 carries.
Smith, a junior, ran the ball 18 times and had 108 yards and three touchdowns while senior LJ Hall carried 17 times for 85 yards.
“Rayshon ran the ball like you are supposed to in this offense. He ran through holes and dove forward, and that was getting him 4 yards. LJ’s runs were just as impressive. There would be nothing there and he’d get seven yards,” Hunter said.
Brayden Saunders had ten carries for 40 yards as well as two catches for 42 yards and a touchdown – quite the varsity debut for the junior fullback.
“Brayden is a tough, hard-nosed kid. He makes it so hard to tackle him,” Hunter said. “Last year on JV it would sometimes take eight or nine guys to bring him down.
Saunders touchdown catch – a 28 yarder that saw him completely untouched for the duration of the play – seemed to settle the Hornets down after falling behind 20-7.
Taylor scored on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Josh Mikulencek to Treos Richardson on the second play from scrimmage to take a quick 6-0 lead. After Gatesville went scoreless on their first drive, Mikulencek connected with his brother Jackson on a 33-yard score to make it 13-0.
Gatesville made it 13-7 on a 4-yard run from Smith but the Ducks needed just four plays to score again and take a 20-7 lead.
“I don’t think our kids started flat (Taylor) just made two really good plays. I think they are a really good football team. They are going to surprise some teams. They got a lot weapons,” Hunter said.
Down 20-7, Gatesville responded with a 10-play drive that culminated in Saunder’s touchdown catch from quarterback Jacob Newkirk and made it 20-14. Saunders was aided on the play by excellent downfield blocks from receivers Scout Hall and Gage Ford.
Gatesville finally pulled even at 20-20 when Smith ran through a Duck defender for the tying touchdown. But seven plays later, Taylor’s Jackson Meller scampered in from 22 yards out to give the Ducks a 27-20 lead.
It would be the last Ducks points of the night.
“Our staff did a great job making adjustments on both sides of the ball. We knew they would be explosive. We said all week that we have to hold on and keep it close. And that’s exactly what happened. I don’t know if we win that game if we go spread-for-spread with them,” said Hunter.
On the following drive, the Hornets faced a fourth-and-8 at the Taylor 18 when Newkirk and Theron Stone connected for the tying score. With Taylor’s Luke Thompson coming at him full bore, Newkirk stood tall and drilled Stone in the back of the end zone to make it 27-27.
Newkirk – who threw for 21 touchdowns last season – attempted only eight passes in the win over Taylor but completed five with two touchdown throws. His other three completions came on the final drive of the game. After starting 1-of-4 he was 4-of-4 down the stretch.
After the game, Hunter praised his senior signal-caller.
“That was probably the best game he has ever had at quarterback. He’s really grown up and is taking charge,” Hunter said. “He did some really, really good things in terms of making good choices, protecting the ball, and getting the huddle calm.”
Stone and Adrian Smith broke up Mikulencek’s third-down pass on the ensuing drive, forcing the Ducks to punt, and setting up the Hornets for their final fourth-quarter drive.
Smith’s go-ahead score was punctuation on a dominant drive and dominant second half. Smith was met by Meller at the 5-yard line but dragged the Ducks all-purpose player into the end zone. Hunter said he can draw a straight line from the Hornets’ summer strength work to Friday’s win.
“All those squats we did in the summer won us that game on Friday,” he said. “Rayshon has worked out so hard. This offseason he just did it. And when he runs, he runs with a purpose.”
On the Ducks’ final drive, Mikulencek’s fourth-down pass was just behind his receiver and fell to the turf, sealing the win.
Defensively, Tommy Aaron led the Hornets with eight tackles while Amos Phillips had six and Zavier Clater had three. The trio of linebackers were all making their first varsity starts at the position. Aaron played in the secondary in 2022 while Clater and Phillips were appearing on varsity for the first time.
Sean Aguilar also had six tackles, including one for a loss and Kaden Coffman also had one tackle for a loss.
The Ducks outgained the Hornets 355 to 326 and there were no turnovers in the game.
The Hornets traveled to Glen Rose on Sept. 1 to face a Tigers team that lost their season opener 35-7 to 3A power Grandview.
The Tigers were state semifinalists one season ago, losing to Carthage 42-35 at The Star in Frisco, and are facing a “rebuild/reload” for the first time since the 2019 season.
This will be the Hornets and Tigers fifth meeting in the last six seasons and all five have been Glen Rose wins. Last season, the Tigers won 49-14 in Gatesville.
