2016 Play-offs round 5 - Allen vs The Woodlands

My video of this adventure:

I went to Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas, the home of the Longhorns.  This old stadium has seen a long list of great football games. For this game it played host to the Allen Eagles and the Woodlands Highlanders. 

Terry Gambill is in his first year as head coach of Allen.  He had been their Defensive Coordinator from 2001 to 2009, then took the head coaching job at Waco Midway.  The Eagles have a perfect 14-0 record this year.  In fact, they have won 70 of their last 71 games.  They were three time defending state champions with a 57 game winning streak before losing to Westlake in the Final Four in 2015.

Mark Schmid has been the coach of the Woodlands for thirteen seasons.  Before becoming head coach, he was the Highlanders’ Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach for nine years.  The Woodlands also has a perfect 14-0 record this year.  They have made the play-offs every year under Coach Schmid, but have never made it to the state championship game.

The temperature was in the low 50s with an overcast sky.  Not much of a breeze and no forecast of rain.  The weather wasn’t a factor in the game.

Sixty-four teams started the play-offs four weeks ago.  Now we are down to four and these are two of the very best.  The winning team gets its ticket punched for a trip to Jerry’s World to play for the state championship.  The losing team today will have to buy their tickets to Jerry’s World or see the state championship game on TV.  Allen has been on a mission all year to get back what they lost to Westlake in 2015.  The Woodlands is hungry to make that trip to state for the very first time.  It should be a good one.

Part of my pre-game ritual is to eat barbecue.  Let me tell you about that barbecue. . .

The Barbecue

Black’s Barbecue is located at 3110 Guadalupe Street.  At least the Austin incarnation of Black’s is located just north of the UT campus.  The original Black’s opened up in Lockhart, thirty miles south of Austin, back in 1932.  That’s where their pits are and that’s where the actual cooking is done.  Barbecue is hand delivered to be served at their “outpost” in Austin every day.  That is one way to maintain consistency between restaurants.

I ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket, a couple of pork spare ribs, and their pecan cobbler.  The brisket had a nice bark and a deep smoky flavor.  Very moist and tender, but perhaps “too tender” if that is possible as it sometimes crumbled.  The ribs were meaty and full of flavor.  The meat easily pulled from the bone, but was just a wee bit chewy.  Their sauce was a typical sweet red sauce, but had no extra zing.  The pecan cobbler was excellent.

Black’s has a good sized dining area inside and another covered area out back for when the weather is nice.  Parking can get tricky at times.  The counter staff is very friendly.  While there are other joints in the Austin area serving better barbecue, Black’s barbecue is very tasty and it is a good place to take friends and family.

I give this barbecue a single Hook ‘Em. 

Special Note

Grant Milton played linebacker for the Woodlands.  In a play-off game in Waco on 27 Nov 2016, he sustained a serious head injury and had to be rushed to a local hospital for emergency surgery.  He remains in a medically induced coma, but has shown improvement each day.  His family listened to the game against Allen at his bedside and reported his vital signs spiked when the Highlanders fight song was played.  A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family with medical expenses.  Many of the Woodlands fans wore a #21 jersey in his honor. 

The Game

Allen received the opening kick-off and began a march downfield.  Passes from quarterback Mitchell Jonke to Josh Cornell and runs by Brock Sturgess gave the Eagles a first down on the Woodlands 19.  The Highlanders defense stiffened and Allen was forced to attempt a field goal.  The 32 yard attempt was no good and the Woodlands took possession on their 20.

The Highlanders steadily moved downfield with a mixture of runs and short passes.  Kesean Carter went in motion, received a short “push pass” from quarterback Eric Schmid and ran through the Eagles defense for 28 yards to the Allen 14 yard line.  Two runs by Carlos Ramos put the ball in the end zone and the Woodlands on the scoreboard at 7-0.

Carlos Ramos scores for The Woodlands

Jonke tried to throw deep for Allen, but his pass was picked off by Ethan Bonner.  Schmid moved the chains on the ground and through the air, but the Highlanders were forced to kick a 39 yard field goal.  As the second quarter began, the Highlanders led 10-0.

After stopping the Woodlands on fourth and short, Kirby Bennett burst up the middle for good yardage.  Jonke connected with Cornell and Tevyn Stevenson to keep the chains moving.  Allen had first and goal on the 7 when the Highlanders defense stiffened once again.  The Eagles could only manage a 27 yard field goal to make the score 10-3.

The Woodlands returned the kick-off to the 18 yard line.  A run by Ramos picked up a first down on the 32.  Dylan Casey got behind the Eagles defense and Schmid hit him in stride for a 68 yard touchdown.  The extra point extended the Highlanders lead to 17-3.

Dylan Casey makes the catch for 68 yard touchdown

The Woodlands got the ball as the clock wound down in the second quarter.  Schmid hit Carter on the sideline to set up first and goal on the Eagles 9.  The Highlanders kicked a 24 yard field goal to end the first half with a 20-3 lead.

The Woodlands started the third quarter with the ball on their 25.  On their third play, Eric Schmid lofted the ball deep.  Kesean Carter ran past two defenders for the catch, then turned on the jets for a 72 yard touchdown.  The extra point was blocked, but the Highlanders led 26-3.

Kesean Carter beats the defenders for 72 yard touchdown

A nifty punt return by Carson Schleker gave Allen some momentum.  Mitchell Jonke found Theo Wease in the end zone for a 32 yard touchdown to make it 26-10.  The Eagles later added a field goal to make it 26-13.

Mitchell Jonke throws. . .

. . . Theo Wease makes the catch for a touchdown

Early in the fourth quarter, Schmid scrambled then passed to Casey for a first down.  Schmid found Carter on the 9, then threw to Cannon Tasker for an 8 yard touchdown.  The extra point pushed the score to 33-13.

Eric Schmid throws to Cannon Tasker for six

Jonke scrambled to make big first downs on a drive where the Eagles had to score.  Deep in Highlander territory, Jonke’s pass was almost intercepted, but caught by Josh Cornell on the 2.  Jonke ran it in to cut the lead to 33-20.

Allen tried an onsides kick, but it went out of bounds.  The Woodlands tried to eat up clock, but was forced to punt.  Schmid’s pooch punt was downed on the Allen 1 yard line.

The Eagles moved the ball out past their 20.  Jonke was sacked on third down and his arm was hit as he tried to pass on fourth down.  The Highlanders took possession, Allen burned up their time outs, and the Woodlands kicked a 30 yard field goal to extend their lead to 36-20 with 3:02 to play.

Jonke led Allen downfield on a desperation drive.  He threw a dart to Schleker for a first down on the Woodlands 12.  Jonke found Wease in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown, then passed to Stevenson for the two point conversion.  With 51 seconds left in their season, Allen cut the lead to 36-28.

Jonke connects with Wease for a touchdown

The Eagles only hope was an onsides kick, but it was recovered by the Woodlands.  They lined up in the victory formation to kill the clock and Allen’s season.  With the win, the Highlanders advance to their first state championship game where they will face Lake Travis.

Allen is to be congratulated for a tremendous season, but they ran into a Woodlands team that was hungrier.  The Eagles were dominated on both sides of the ball and fell into a big hole they could not climb out of.  Their rally came too late.