Monday, September 10, 2012

Friday Night Lights - St. Mark's vs Mart


St Marks 28 - Mart  12

SM travelled 120 miles to play Mart High School, the 2010 1A state championship team and the team that was currently ranked #1 in 1A division in State of Texas.  A Friday Night Lights city and team.
Sad news to start the year was that we lost Paul Gudmundsson for the season with a knee injury and he was a stalwart on the offensive line. Also sitting out today was Malcolm Bowman and Andrew Patison.
It was 103 degrees at kickoff. SM won the toss and elected to defer.
Jacob Wilner kicked off & put the ball into the end zone & Mart starts at their own 25.
  After touchback, Mart gained 8 on a run, gained 11 on a run, gained 5 on a run and they had a 5 yard procedure penalty.  Mac Labhart had a good hit on one of the running plays. On the fourth play from scrimmage from the 44 yard line, DeMarcus Cosby went in motion from the flanker spot, took an inside hand off and went untouched down the right side of our defense for a 56 yard TD run. The extra point was no good.
Danny Koudelka had good kickoff return of 29 yards and our offense took over at our 45 yard line. We had an incomplete pass and on second down, their defensive back made a good play and intercepted the ball at midfield.
Mart starts at their own 49 yard line. They go for a deep pass on first down and good play by Lendon Hall to break up pass. Two running plays give them a first down, good hit by Bear Goldstein. We have an offside penalty and its first down on our 39 yard line.  Three more runs give Mart a first down at the 27 yard line. Good QB pressure by Stephen Rambin and good tackles by Otto Martinek and Reid Thompson.
On first and ten, Mart goes deep and Thompson in one on one coverage makes a solid play and knocks the ball down. The referee who was 30 yards away from the play and not the closest ref to the play throws a flag on pass interference. Can you smell the home cooking??
Mart gets first down on the 12 yd. line; Mac Labhart blitzes on 1st down and tackles ball carrier for 5 yard loss.  On 2nd down Mart executes a good bubble screen pass for 15 yards and first down on the 2. Next play is td run over our left side.  12-0 Mart.
Mart goes for two and Rambin makes an excellent play and tackles runner five yards behind line of scrimmage. It was at this point on the sideline that Defensive Coach Labhart starts to lose his voice!  This was a tale of TWO games. With 5 minutes and 23 seconds left in the FIRST QUARTER, it was Mart 12 and SM 0.   Mart will not score again and St Marks will run off 28 straight points.

Mart goes for the stake in the heart and tries an onside kick but Victor Calvillo recovers on our own 45 yard line. That would have been a disaster.   Head Coach Epperson and the offense go to work. On a roll out to the right QB John Webb hits Koudelka with a 24 yard pass and run. Short pass to Justin Jones for three and Koudelka in motion takes inside toss for 3 yards and Mart is called for facemask penalty and we have first down on the 17 yard line. Webb hits Harrison Hewitt for a 9 yard gain.  2nd down was incomplete pass, and on 3rd and one from their seven yard line we score on a well-designed run. Center Michael Doorey and right guard Tommy Gudmundsson block down on the nose guard and right tackle Dominic Garcia blocks out the defensive end and Jones hits the hole hard runs over the LB and with help from LG Cole Labhart and Doorey who push the pile into the end zone.  Wilner makes the first of his four extra points.  12-7 Mart---3:52 left in first quarter.
Wilner with another booming kickoff into the end zone. Mart starts on the 25, 3 runs make exactly 10 yards and a first down. Good stops by Jimmy Papin, Goldstein,  Rambin and Chris Roach. Good defense and Mart self-destructing with three procedure penalties and an incomplete pass on the bubble screen and Papin in great position if the catch was made. Give them second and 25 from their 20 yard line, 5 yard run on second down and on third down M. Labhart and Martinek meet at the ball carrier and its 4th and 16 and the end of the first quarter.
Mart punts and Koudelka with another good return of 20 yards and first down on our own 45.
Webb hits Hewitt for 10 yards and they hook up two plays later again for 22 yards. And we have first down on their 20. We have an incomplete pass, a dropped pass, a short pass to John Caldwell and we try a 39 yard field goal and it’s no good. Offensive line had good protection on this drive.
Mart takes over on their own 21 and our defense gets a big three and out!  First down L. Hall and a host of defenders hold runner to short gain, on second down M. Labhart attacks the QB on a rollout and drives him into the ground as he throws an incomplete pass that Roach was in position for a breakup. On third down Papin with inside run blitz and Martinek from the outside converge for no gain.
Mart punts again to Koudelka who continually gave the offense great field position,  returns this punt for 43 big yards and a great block by Rambin who peels back and levels a defender at midfield that allows Koudelka another 12 yards. And near the end of the run M. Labhart also buries a defender. It was pretty cool to see our sideline jumping up and down for the two big blocks.  St Mark’s first down on Mart 37. Webb under great pressure and takes a big hit completes pass to Hewitt for 11 yards. Jones with a strong run for 20 yards to the 6 yard line.  We then get hit for two holding penalties and one that negated a Jones TD. After a new first down for pass interference that should have given us a 1st and ten at the 15, the refs said it was first and goal from the 15—HELLO!!! Webb hit Caldwell for 11 yards and then two runs and an incomplete pass and we give the ball back to Mart on their 15 yard line.  Martinek and Goldstein combine for good stop, then on 2nd down Kellam Hall has first hit on ball carrier and then on 3rd down K. Hall levels QB just as he releases ball and he finds a RB totally alone in the middle of the field for 22 yards. Luke Williams comes up from safety spot for tackle with help from M. Labhart on 1st down. Goldstein,  Williams and M. Labhart stop the ball carrier on 2nd & 3rd down.
Mart punts and we start at our 23 yard line. Only two minutes left in half Webb hits Kendrick Spraglin for three connections for a total of 34 yards and one pass to Hewitt for 16 yards and we get down to their 30 yard line and the half ends.   HALF TIME  12 to 7 Mart.
We take the ball to start the third quarter. Touchback on kickoff and first and ten at 25. On the first six plays, three are connections from Webb to Hewitt for 11, 9, & 13 yards.  Two Jones runs and we have first down on their 35 yard line. Webb hits Koudelka for two passes for 6 yards and Caldwell for 11 yards. Pass interference call, gives us first down at their 12.  On first down, Coach Epperson said (I believe)” my best hands guy against your best DB”. He had three receivers to the left side of the formation and this was the short side of the field. Caldwell was all alone one on one on the right side about 30 yards from the middle of formation. Webb threw a bullet to Caldwell on a quick slant, the ball, Caldwell and DB arrived simultaneously. Caldwell used his body as a shield caught the ball at the four shrugged off the defender and strolled into the end zone. Perfectly executed. Extra point good and we have our first lead at 14 to 12 St.Mark's.
Mart takes over on 31 yard line on short kickoff. Two runs give Mart a first down, stops by Law & K. Hall. Two more runs and they get two yards on stops by M. Labhart and a gang tackle led by Cameron Baxley and Rambin. On third and eight, their receiver deflects the ball with Thompson, Roach and Goldstein converging for the interception, but ball just out of everybody’s reach.  Mart punts again and again Koudelka gives good field position as he returns this punt to our 42, a 20 yard kick return.
On first down, Doorey and T. Gudmundsson slam their men to the inside, Garcia blows up his man to the outside, Hewitt comes over and hits a LB, C. Labhart goes after a LB, and Caldwell gets the near side DB and Jones has a big hole on the right side. He makes a safety miss and cuts back on another DB and then in a great hustling play, LT Caviillo is ahead of Jones and is 40 yards downfield and peels back and gets the last possible tackler at the 15 and Jones scores on a 58 yard run. As he scored three offensive linemen were right behind him. Great play by many guys!!
Extra point good and with 5 minutes left in third it is 21-12 St Marks.
We kick on short kickoff again and Mart starts at 28 yard line. Three runs give them six yards, key stops by Papin & Baxley, M. Labhart & Thompson and on 3rd down Law & Papin.  So its 3 and out and Mart is punting.
Koudelka with another good return of 18 yards and STM has first down on our own 48 yard line.
Webb to Spraglin for 10 and first down. We then misfired on four passes, one was a drop and we turn the ball over to Mart at their 42.  Mart has a procedure penalty then a good hit on receiver by Thompson for incomplete pass. Law and M. Labhart put pressure on QB and he just gets away an incomplete pass. Another overthrown pass and its 4 and 20. Another good defensive series. Mart punts and we start on offense at our 11 yard line. Two runs by Jones and two Webb to Caldwell passes of 13 & 20 yards and we have first down at 44 yard line. Jones goes for nine on nice hole right up the middle and the third qtr. ends.
Jones gets us a first down on their 45. And then a high center snap and the cool and collected Webb chases the ball down, rolls out and throws it away. Webb hits Caldwell for 9; Jones runs hard and gets first down. Webb with a real nice touch pass on a pump and go with Caldwell for 16 yards and a first down at the 14 yard line.  On a real nice timing play, Webb rolls right and throws a strike to Caldwell in the end zone on a 15 yard down and out, Webb threw the ball before Caldwell broke out and the DB didn’t have a chance. TOUCHDOWN!  Twelve play 89 yard drive that took five minutes off the clock. Webb wasn’t touched on the drive although he had to run for his life once.      St. Mark's 28-12
Another big leg kick off by Wilner into the end zone & Mart starts at their own 25 with 10 minutes left in game. On first down, a TD saving tackle by Goldstein after a 20 yard gain.  Goldstein & Martinek make next stop. Papin with nice shedding of blocker and making tackle on 2nd down.  K. Hall more pressure on QB and he completes short pass and is tackled by M. Labhart. Mart hits a 15 yard pass on 4th and five. First down our 22 yard line. A run of 5 yards and on 2nd down good pressure by Martinek & K. Hall on QB and he throws it away. Offside penalty gives Mart first down on our 12 yard line.
First down, low snap and blitz by K. Hall and hits QB as he throws, incomplete. Second down QB rolls right and throws short pass to the right Roach hits receiver as the ball arrives and drives him into turf, incomplete. Third down throw into end zone on a fade route and Thompson in perfect position and knocks ball away, incomplete. Fourth down QB heaves into end zone and Roach hits receiver as ball arrives, incomplete. Some real nice pass defense in this series!   ST Marks ball on our own 12 yard line.
We have two short runs, a procedure penalty and incomplete pass and we have our first punt. Mart has short punt return and starts at our 43 yard line with three minutes left in game. First down Law with good hit, on second down a swarm of SM defenders made the tackle and on third and two Papin makes a big time hit and forces a fumble that Thompson recovers at the 33 yard line.  Jones goes for 5 yards and then on second down breaks a long one for 33 yards and we then go into the victory take a knee formation.  FINAL SCORE - ST MARKS 28- Mart 12.

NOTES: I had Mart with only FIVE first downs after their 12-0 lead. John Webb was 25 for 41 but probably had 5 drops go against him and he threw a couple balls away for 262 yards.  Harrison Hewitt nine catches for 105 yards and John Caldwell  8 catches for 82 yards and two TD’s. Justin Jones in his first varsity game runs the ball 12 times for 136 yards and two TD’s—NICE AVERAGE CARRY. Good job by the offensive line who started two new guards and was constantly dealing with different fronts and delayed blitzes.   Great effort by many players.      Next up Cistercian.              MD & MT.









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