If it seemed like last week’s football game versus the Brock Eagles (1-2) was a little bit too familiar, that’s because it was. Eerily similar to last season, Wimberley (3-0) jumped out to a two-score lead in the first half before Brock came back to nearly steal the game with a last minute stand sealing the victory for the Texans.
Also similar to last year, Brock gave Wimberley their first taste of adversity this season. After the Texans turned the ball over on downs during the first possession of the game, the Eagles stormed back to score with 4:02 left in the first quarter. It was the first time the Texans had trailed all season after having only given up one touchdown in each of the two previous games.
“When you have two teams going at it like that, those things are going to happen,” Wimberley Head Football Coach Doug Warren said. “It’s not going to be easy for you, by any means. We had to earn everything, but I was pleased. After we got down, which we hadn’t really been in that position, the kids just hung in there and fought. It doesn’t bother us when somebody goes up or we make a mistake or a turnover or whatnot. Just play the next play and play hard and usually good things will happen to you.”
With five seconds left in the first quarter, Cody Stover found Nolan Waida from 8-yards out to tie the game up at 7-7.
Quickly into the second quarter, Wimberley’s Kyan McAtee recovered a fumble, but Wimberley handed it right back with an interception.
After a solid defensive stand including a third down sack by Troy Heugly, Brock had a short punt giving the Texans the ball at the 38 yard line. Following a penalty, Wimberley lined up from the 43 yard line. On third and 11, Stoever threw a perfect deep ball down the right sideline to Noah Birdsong for a 42-yard touchdown to take the lead 14-7.
Following another strong defensive stand, Wimberley got the ball back at their own 14 yard line. Chase Carson almost broke free for a touchdown on a 32-yard run. After a few successful plays, Waida caught his second touchdown pass of the game on a 33yard throw down the right side from Stover to give the Texans a 21-7 lead.
“Last year at this time, when we played these guys, we went into halftime, and it was almost the exact same score,” Warren said. “We were up by a couple, and they came roaring back in the second half and tied it up. … We knew this team wasn’t going to lie down.”
Coming out of halftime, Brock struck quickly with a 35yard touchdown pass. After a turnover on downs, Brock scored again in the third quarter on a pass from 30 yards out to tie the game up 21-21 with around four minutes left in the third quarter.
Facing adversity for seemingly the first time this season, Wimberley responded like Texans do.
From the 23 yard line, on fourth down and five, Stover found Waida for a first down on a back shoulder fade to the three yard line. Stover then took the ball in himself for a rushing touchdown with 26 seconds left in the third quarter.
After an exchange of punts, Brock drove down the field and scored for what would typically be considered a tie ball game with a pass from 15 yards out. However, the Texans had other plans. On the extra point kick, in what would have tied the game, Heugly came off the right side and blocked the kick to retain the Wimberley lead 2827.
A solid drive led the Texans down to the 11 yard line where Stoever took the ball in himself. With the extra point, Wimberley was up 35-27. The eight point lead was still a one score game.
Warren has described the Brock program as similar to Wimberley. Just like Brock had continued to respond to each Texan lead, he expected Brock to come back once again, but it was a different comeback story that would seal the game. Lucas Brookshier had been beaten on a couple of deep balls throughout the game, but the coaches continued to leave the senior cornerback on an island playing difficult coverage matchups. That trust paid off as Brookshier jumped a stop route on the near sideline for an interception to finish off the ball game with a final score of 35-27.
Next up, Wimberley will face the Fredericksburg Battlin’ Billies on the road at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
