Klein Oak vs. Westfield

Freshman Gold

October 29, 2008

McQueen leads Klein Oak Freshmen Gold to win over Spring Westfield

By Russ Goodall

Quarterback Conner McQueen used his arm and feet to lead the Klein Oak Freshmen Gold Panthers to a 32-22 win over Spring Westfield on Wednesday at Klein Oak High School.

McQueen tossed two touchdown passes, ran for two more scores and had a hand in all four 2-point conversions, as the Panthers improved to 7-1 on the season and 5-1 in district play with the victory.

Klein Oak Gold took the opening kickoff and proceeded to turn the ball over on downs, and the Mustangs wasted little time getting the scoring started.

On third and 22, Spring Westfield struck with a 45-yard pass for the score. The 2-point run was stopped, but the Mustangs were in front 6-0 with just under three minutes gone in the game.

After a pair of punts, the Panthers’ offense – led up front by Tanner Choppy, Omar Rojas, Luke Emerson, Samuel Vela and Derrick Downing – awoke.

Klein Oak Gold marched 46 yards on eight plays, the final 19 yards coming on a pass from McQueen to Blake Ashford, who finished with 58 yards rushing, for the touchdown. McQueen then hit Lance Fegan on a 2-point pass to give the Panthers the lead 8-6 with just 12 seconds left in the first quarter.

The teams would exchange miscues, before Tony Williams would come up big for the Panthers’ defense.

On second and 11, Williams intercepted a Spring Westfield pass and returned it eight yards to set up Klein Oak Gold at the Mustang 35.

After a couple of dropped passes early in the drive, McQueen decided to do it himself. The quarterback, who completed just five of 15 passes for 85 yards, got behind his offensive line and pushed his way through for the 1-yard score. McQueen then hit Andrew Medina on the 2-point pass to give Klein Oak Gold the 16-6 lead midway through the second quarter.

After a short punt on Westfield’s ensuing drive, the Panthers wasted little time striking again.

On the first play from scrimmage at the Mustang 33, McQueen hit a wide-open Medina for the touchdown. McQueen then hit Fegan on a 2-point pass to push the Klein Oak Gold lead to 24-6 with 3:39 to play in the first half.

After the Panthers’ defense – led by Luis Avelino, Kurt Berks, Adam Walker, Kemon Wright and Tyler Scott -- stopped Westfield again, the turnover bug would bite Klein Oak Gold.

On third and 13, the Panthers would fumble the football and Spring Westfield would make the recovery.

The Mustangs would strike for points just three plays later on a 10-yard run. The 2-point run was good and lead for Klein Oak Gold was down to 24-14 with just 22 seconds left in the second quarter.

Spring Westfield would take the kickoff to open the second half and pick right up where they were before the half.

On third and eight from their own 48, the Mustangs would find a little luck when their receiver came down with a deflected pass in the open field and race 52 yards for the touchdown. After another successful 2-point run, the Panthers were clinging to a 24-22 lead.

Klein Oak Gold would answer back.

The Panthers took over at the 50 after the kickoff, and began to work down the field on the legs of running back Rock Stevens, who finished with 13 yards on 13 carries.

But, on the ninth play of the drive it would be the feet of McQueen that would do the damage.

McQueen took the snap and turned the left corner on a bootleg and the outraced the defense 25 yards for the touchdown. He would then add the 2-points on a run to push the Panthers’ lead back to 10 at 32-22.

From there the Klein Oak Gold defense would turn back the Mustangs on downs twice, and then on an interception by Wright and a fumble recovery by Walker on the final defensive stand of the game.

Klein Oak Gold will hit the road on Thursday for the season finale at Dekaney with a possible district title on the line. Kick off is set for 4:30 p.m.

KLEIN OAK FRESHMEN GOLD 32, SPRING WESTFIELD 22

Score by quarters

Spring Westfield        6            8        8          0          --          22

Klein Oak Gold          8          16        8          0          --          32

Scoring summary

First quarter

WESTFIELD – No. 80  45 pass from No. 8 (2-point failed), 7:04

OAK GOLD – Blake Ashford 19 pass from Conner McQueen (Lance Fegan pass from McQueen), 0:12

Second quarter

OAK GOLD – McQueen 1 run (Andrew Medina pass from McQueen), 5:15

OAK GOLD – Medina 33 pass from McQueen (Fegan pass from McQueen), 3:39

WESTFIELD – No. 8  10 run (No. 34 run), 0:21

Third quarter

WESTFIELD – No. 12  52 pass from No. 8 (No. 8 run), 8:11

OAK GOLD – McQueen 25 run (McQueen run), 4:08

Team Statistics

SW                  KOG

First downs                 10                    13

Rushes-yards               23-73               45-85

Comp-att-int               11-21-2            5-15-0

Passing yards              191                  85

Total yards                  264                  170

Fumbles-lost                1-1                   3-2

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Klein Oak Gold – Blake Ashford 19-58, Conner McQueen 10-29, Rock Stevens 13-13, Zachary Gebhart 3-(-15).

PASSING: Klein Oak Gold – Conner McQueen 5-15-0-85-2.

RECEIVING: Klein Oak Gold – #13 1-4, Blake Ashford 1-19, Andrew Medina 3-62.