Wimberley comeback falls short against Navarro

A 13-point comeback wasn’t enough for the Wimberley Texans football team as they fell to rival Navarro in the District Championship game losing 24-22.

With Austin Eastside Memorial canceling their season and San YMLA playing just two games, the playoff seeding is set with Navarro taking 1 seed, Wimberley taking the 2 seed, Manor New Tech qualifying for the 3 seed and Austin Achieve taking the final spot.

Navarro started the game off hot as Sam Muniga scored on the opening drive for the Panthers running for a 52-yard touchdown run to take an early 7-0 lead.

The Wimberley offense tried to respond but an interception by Navarro ended the drive. But the Texans’ defense forced a fumble and returned the ball to Wimberley.

After trading punts, the Wimberley offense scored their first points of the game as senior quarterback Matthew Tippie found junior wide receiver Dylan Kincaid for the 15-yard pass to tie the game up at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

The Code Red defense forced their second turnover of the game causing another Panther fumble.

But the ball was given back to Navarro as the Panthers intercepted their second pass of the game deep in their territory. As the Panthers’ offense was backed up towards their endzone, the Texans forced a safety to score two points and take the lead at 9-7.

The lead didn’t last long as Muniga scored again, this time on a 56-yard run to retake the lead at 14-9.

After another Texan’s punt, Muniga struck again as he ran for a 35-yard touchdown run to extend the lead at 21-9. The Panther tacked on another score before the halftime buzzer kicking a 38-yard field goal to make the game 24-9.

The Texans tried to respond to the large deficit, including running a successful fake punt on fourth down, but a fumble killed the drive and gave the ball back to Navarro.

The Panthers drove all the way down to the Texans one-yard line, but the Code Red defense held firm and stuffed the Panthers on all four attempts.

After the goal-line stand, Tippie found Senior Wide Receiver Jaxon Watts on the 99-yard touchdown pass to keep the Texans in the game at 24-16.

With both defenses holding the other’s offenses in check, the Texans had one more chance late in the fourth quarter to tie the game.

In the final offensive drive of the game for the Texans, Wimberley drove down the field and scored as Tippie found Kincaid again for their second touchdown of the game to make the game 24-22 with the 2-point conversion coming up.

After a false start penalty, the running back screen pass to junior running back Moses Wray came up two yards short of the goalline and sealed the district crown for Navarro.

As the Wimberley looks on towards the playoffs, the Texans will have another chance to bounce back from the loss to Navarro.

Because of the Austin Eastside Memorial forfeit, Wimberley was scheduled to play Midland Greenwood at Brownwood Friday night but the game ended up being canceled Monday afternoon.

Now the Texans are scheduled to play their first home game in over a month as Wimberley will take on Kennedale out of 4A D1. The Wildcats have claimed the district title in District 6 4A Division 1 and just like the Texans are gearing up for the playoffs.