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Chance Parker scored on a 2-yard dive with 30 seconds to play, and the Thrall Tigers (5-1 overall, 2-0 District 13-2A D1) survived a furious second-half comeback to edge the Weimar Wildcats (4-2, 0-2) 38-35 Friday night in Weimar.
“Our kids committed last spring and in the summer, and with withstood injuries and this win tonight shows this team is a family,” said Thrall Coach Aaron Vanecek.
Through the first half, the Tiger defense gave Weimar problems. Two defensive scores, a a68-yard pick six by Landon Gregory, and a 63-yard fumble return by C.J. Kelm, sparked the Tigers to a 28-6 halftime lead.
“The defense Thrall came out in, we hadn’t seen all year,” Weimar Coach Wade Griffin said. “But, we were able to make adjustments at the half and started moving the ball. If we don’t give up those two defensive scores, we win the game.”
It was the Tigers’ offense that drew first blood. Using a combination of runs by Braylon Hernandez and Chance Parker, and a first-down pass from Parker to Steven Walker, the Tigers moved 40 yards to the Wildcat 30. From there, Parker went to the air again, hitting a leaping Tyler Bonkowski over the outstretched hands of a Weimar defender, for the score.
Weimar fumbled the ensuing kickoff to set up the Tigers’ next score. Facing a fourth and 20 at the Wildcat 35, Parker went to Bonkowski again on a near identical play to the first score. Bonkowski out jumped the defender again for the 35-yard score and a 14-0 Tiger lead with 7:48 to play in the opening quarter.
The teams traded punts on the next two series, but Weimar finally hit paydirt early in the second quarter. Wildcats quarterback Huxton Kloesel called his own number and raced around the right end for a 73-yard score. The try for two failed, but Weimar had closed the gap to 14-6.
Following another Tiger punt, the Wildcats were in business again at deep in their end of the field, but quickly moved into Tiger territory. On third and 18, Kloesel rolled out and threw deep downfield, but Thrall’s Landon Gregory picked off the pass and raced down the Weimar sideline for a 68-yard picksix. The point after gave the Tigers a 21-6 lead with 6:19 remaining in the half.
Weimar’s defense held again and the Wildcats set up shop at their own 30. Three plays and three first downs moved the ball to the Tiger 37. But on the next play, disaster struck for the Wildcats. The ball popped loose and Thrall’s C.J. Kelman stopped up the loose ball and raced 63 yards for the score. Alejandro Estrada’s four extra point gave the Tigers a 28-6 halftime lead.
As the second half got underway, Weimar’s slot-T offense began to move the ball, and kept the Tiger offense on the sideline.
On their second possession of the third quarter, the Wildcats took over at their own 11 following an interception by Jerron Fisher. Weimar, utilizing the three-back attack of Zach Norrell, Wyatt Lacina, and DeLeon Johnson, marched the ball 89 yards in 14 plays. Dreylon Mc-Millian picked up the final two yards, billing his way into the endzone. The point after made the score 28-13.
McMillian found paydirt again on the Wildcats’ next drive. He dived in from a yard out to cap an 8-play, 51-yard drive that made the score 28-20 with 9:52 to play in the game.
Thrall bought itself some breathing room on its next possession. The Tigers recovered a muffed punt return by the Wildcats and set up shop at the Weimar 23. Three plays netted just six yards, so the Tigers settled for a 34yard field goal by Estrada with 6:45 on the clock.
Weimar was far from done. On their next series, big runs by McMillian and Lacina moved the ball to the Thrall 13. On second down, Kloesel found Lacina in the flat for a 13-yard score that cut the lead to 31-28 with 5:34 to play.
After holding the Tigers at the Wildcat 30 on the next defensive series, Weimar put together its goahead drive. It took just five plays for the Wildcats to find the endzone. The key play of the drive was a 61-yard pass from Kloesel to Norrell, that moved the ball to the Tiger 11. Lacina scored on a 1-yard run around left end with 1:27 to play to give the Wildcats a 35-31 lead.
“We told our kids at halftime to calm down and play one play at a time,” Griffin said. “We started making the plays offensively, and we’re able to get back in it.”
Thrall had one final shot and a 56-yard pass from Parker to Gregory gave the Tigers first and goal at the nine. Runs by Parker and Kelm moved the ball to the two, and set up Parker’s game-winning run.
“That final drive means everything,” Vanecek said. “They never quit, and this drive changes everything going into the Holland game next week.”
Thrall will host the Holland Hornets (5-0, 1-0) next week, in a battle that could will go a long way to deciding the district title. Weimar will be on the road and try to get into the district win column against the Thorndale Bulldogs (0-6).
