Texans fall in title game

Football season may start in the off-season, but dreams of playing at AT&T Stadium in Arlington begin in elementary and junior high.

The Wimberley High School Texans earned their opportunity to fulfill those dreams last Friday, Dec. 16 as head coach Doug Warren led his undefeated Texan team into battle on the biggest stage in Texas. They would clash with one of the toughest outs in high school football in the also-undefeated Carthage Bulldogs.

The statistics and final score of 42-0 tells a story of struggle. Rushing totals for the teams were close with the Texans running for 112 net yards on 35 attempts to the Bulldogs’ 146 on 28 runs. Wimberley was held to half of their season average of 224 per game as the usually prolific run attack was hemmed in early. The duo of Johnny Ball and Cody Stoever compiled a net gain of only 51 yards by the end of the first half.

“I’ve been around a long time coaching football, and they’re a really good team. We played these guys in the semifinals in 2019, and that team was really good too,” Warren shared in his post-game interview. “Probably two of the best teams I’ve ever faced as a coach.”

“Coach Warren is a great man, and he’s done a phenomenal job at Wimberley. For him to say that our teams were two of the best he’s seen means a lot,” said Carthage head coach Scott Surratt. “We knew they were very physical and we were going to have to be more physical, especially defensively. We felt like we had some advantages in the passing game. We took advantage of those advantages and played well.”

The passing differential was the problem. After a Texan fumble closed out their first drive at the Carthage 23 yard line, the Bulldogs went 77 yards to score in five plays, including a 50 yard touchdown reception to Noah Paddie from Offensive MVP quarterback Conner Cuff. The Bulldogs started at their 18 yard line on the next series after a Wynston Burtschell punt of 55 yards seemingly flipped the field. On the next play, Cuff connected with Paddie again, this time for an 82 yard touchdown, to put Carthage up 14-0.

After a three and out for the Texans, Carthage drove 45 yards including a 30 yard completion to Defensive MVP Jakerrian Roquemore to take the ball into the Red Zone. Five plays later, Bulldog quarterback Cuff snuck over the goal line for a 21–0 lead as time expired in the first quarter.

Roquemore intercepted a Stoever pass on the first drive of the second quarter but was unable to capitalize on the turnover. The Texans ended up with the ball near midfield. On the third play from scrimmage, Stoever hit Texan receiver Tru Couch in stride for 40 yards. While fighting for yardage, Roquemore stripped the ball and returned it to midfield. Six plays later, Cuff completed a 1- yard touchdown pass, making the score 28-0 after the extra point.

Coach Warren commented on the turnovers.

“We knew going in what type of team we were facing,” he explained. “We knew we had to play clean and couldn't turn the ball over. We didn't do that. They had a lot to do with it because they're really, really good.”

The Texans had the ball at their own 25 after the kickoff and moved the ball into Carthage territory behind a roughing penalty and the rushing of Johnny Ball. Wimberley turned the ball over on downs as the drive ground to a halt. The subsequent series saw Cuff complete a 45-yard pass to Paddie — who tied a 4A championship game record with 191 yards on 8 receptions — before scoring. The halftime score was 35-0 after the extra point.

Wimberley received the second half kickoff and had their best offensive display of the game. Starting deep in their own territory, the Texans sustained an nearly eight-minute drive built on passes of 22 yards to Noah Birdsong, five yards to Ryan Shaw and two passes completed to Couch, totaling 36 yards. Stoever had rushes adding 12 yards before a pass attempt to Couch was intercepted in the end zone. Cuff completed 58 yards of passes – 37 on a catch by Roquemore – on the way to an 80yard series culminated by a two-yard rush for a touchdown. Medrano’s extra point was successful to bring the score to 42-0.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter — though the Texan defense made a significant stand late in the game. The Bulldogs lone series of the quarter began at their own 32. Ten plays later, Carthage sat at the Wimberley two-yard line with first and goal. The next play was a handoff which resulted in a fumble, recovered by Owen O’Neal to stop the Bulldogs short of the goal.

Once the horn sounded to close out the season, teammates embraced and consoled those they’d battled with over the years. Ball and Lane Patek represented the team in the post game press interviews and spoke to the team unity and brotherhood. Patek specifically pointed out the team’s trust in each other while Ball shared the lifelong friendships they’d developed and the ability of newcomers to mesh in with the team’s persona.

It was senior Jack Boyle who summed up the day’s experience most appropriately.

“It feels great to get here,” he said. “Obviously, we wanted to finish the job but it’s not always how it works out. You see these tears on everyone? None of those are for the fact that we lost. It’s that we don't get to come in and work with each other anymore and share this love that we had for each other.”

“Every one of us loved this experience,” he added. “It has taught us to be better men, better players, and no one here regrets what happened this season.”

Coach Warren explained his connection to this year’s team.

“I just love how they approach things,” Warren said. “They come to work every day. They're usually bouncing around and goofy, being little kids. We fell a little short today, but just because we didn't get it done doesn’t take anything away from their season, because it's been a heck of a football season.”

“I’ve been coaching this sport for 34 years, and this is the most unique team I’ve been around,” Warren continued. “They just love football, love playing the game, love coming to work out everyday. They wrote their own story, and the town got behind them. That's what high school football is about.”” The Texans finish 15-1.