Klein Oak vs. Dekaney

Freshman Gold

November 6, 2008

Klein Oak Freshman Gold Blanks Dekaney for District Title

By Russ Goodall

The Klein Oak Freshman Gold defense rose to the occasion and pitched a shutout at Dekaney High School on Thursday to capture the district title.

The Panthers (8-1) forced a pair of turnovers and stopped the Wildcats twice inside the Oak 20 to turn back Dekaney 31-0.

The defense – led by Luis Avelino, Hayden Valenzuela, Adam List, Kurt Berks, Adam Walker, Aaron Reyes, Austin Rumpel, Tony Williams and Kemon Wright – allowed Dekaney just 79 yards rushing on 56 carries, with 39 of those yards coming on one run.

Conner McQueen, Rock Stevens and Blake Ashford led the way for the Klein Oak Gold offense. The trio helped the Panthers rack up 204 total yards – with 134 yards coming on the ground.

Stevens got the scoring started when he capped off a 15-play, 63-yard drive to open the game, with a 4-yard run for the touchdown. McQueen hit Blake Scott for the two-point conversion to put the Panthers up 8-0 deep into the first quarter.

After the defense forced a 3-and-out, the Klein Oak Gold offense went back to work.

The Panthers marched 55 yards on six plays, the final 21 yards coming on a pass from McQueen to Andrew Medina for the score. McQueen scrambled in on the two-point try to put Klein Oak Gold up 16-0 with 8:30 to play in the first half.

Dekaney’s offense would final get it cranked up on the Wildcats’ ensuing possession.

On the third play of the drive, Kemon Wright saved a touchdown by bringing down the Dekaney running back after a 39-yard scamper.

The Klein Oak Gold defense then bowed up and stopped the Wildcats on four straight attempts inside the Panther 7, including a big stop on fourth down by Avelino and Walker to preserve the shutout and take over on downs.

After forcing a Klein Oak Gold punt, the Dekaney offense would march down the field again.

The Wildcats had a first down at the Panthers 11, but two incomplete passes, a sack by Valenzuela and a short run ended the threat and the first half at the Klein Oak Gold 13.

Dekaney got the ball to start the second half, and proceeded to fumble the ball on the third play of the drive and Avelino pounced on it to get the Panthers started at the Wildcat 49.

Klein Oak Gold needed just eight plays to find the end zone again. This time it was a Blake Ashford 5-yard run that started the scoring in the third quarter. Again McQueen was able to run in for the two-point try to give the Panthers a 24-0 lead with 4:18 to play in the third.

After a quick 3-and-out, Dekaney got the ball right back on a fumbled punt return. But the Wildcats turned that in to another 3-and-out possession.

This time on the punt, Berks broke through to block it and then picked up the bouncing football and returned it 33 yards for the touchdown. Eduardo Plascencia added the point after kick and the Panthers were up 31-0 with 1:17 to play in the third quarter.

The two teams would trade fumbles over the next few possessions, before Dekaney would run out of time with the ball on the Klein Oak Gold 24.

With the final tackle of the season, the Panthers locked up the shutout and the district title.

KLEIN OAK FRESHMAN GOLD 31, DEKANEY 0

Score by quarters

Klein Oak Gold         8          8          15        0          --          31

Dekaney                     0          0            0        0          --            0

Scoring summary

First quarter

KLEIN OAK GOLD – Rock Stevens 4 run (Conner McQueen pass to Blake Scott), 2:28

Second quarter

KLEIN OAK GOLD – Andrew Medina 21 pass from McQueen (McQueen run), 8:30

Third quarter

KLEIN OAK GOLD – Blake Ashford 5 run (McQueen run), 4:18

KLEIN OAK GOLD – Kurt Berks 33 return of blocked punt (Eduardo Plascencia kick), 1:17

Team Statistics

Oak Gold       Dekaney

First downs                 15                    8

Rushes-yards               38-134             26-79

Comp-Att-Int              5-7-0                4-14-0

Passing yards              70                    51

Total yards                  204                  130

Fumbles-lost                3-2                   4-2

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: KLEIN OAK GOLD – Blake Ashford 16-82, Conner McQueen 4-(-2), Rock Stevens 7-30, Darrius Calicutt 5-28, Zachary Gebhart 3-(-20), No. 88 3-16.

PASSING: KLEIN OAK GOLD – Conner McQueen 5-7-0-70-1.

RECEIVING: KLEIN OAK GOLD – Blake Scott 2-28, Andrew Medina 2-27, Lance Fegan 1-15.