Don’t ever underestimate La Vega’s defense.
With the Pirates’ offense struggling to move the ball with any consistency, the defense delivered in a big way as DeMarrquese Hayes returned a fumble for a two-yard touchdown and Jordan Rogers returned an interception for a 77-yard score en route to a 27-14 win over Springtown on Friday night in the Class 4A Division I state semifinals.
No. 3 La Vega (14-1) will try to defend its state title Dec. 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington against No. 2 Carthage, which won a 49-42 shootout against Lampasas in the semifinals.
“Our goal all year has been to win the state championship and now we’ve got the opportunity, so we’re extremely excited about that,” said La Vega coach Don Hyde. “They (the defense) gave us a lift, but on the other side of the ball we didn’t do a whole lot well tonight. When you don’t do that you’re going to be in trouble. We’re going to have to play a lot better or we’re going to get embarrassed next week.”
With Rogers intercepting another pass in the fourth quarter, the Pirates forced six turnovers including three interceptions and three fumble recoveries to hold explosive Springtown (13-2) to two touchdowns.
Though Jar’Que Walton rushed for 136 yards on only 11 carries, the Pirates had trouble sustaining drives. La Vega’s only two offensive touchdowns came on Walton’s 83-yard run in the first quarter and Elisha Cummings’ 46-yard run in the third quarter.
Staff photo — Rod Aydelotte
Staff photo — Rod Aydelotte
It took the Pirates’ defense just 10 seconds to score the game’s first touchdown.
After the Porcupines were pinned at their own 3 following a personal foul on the kickoff, quarterback Camden Chesney fumbled the snap in the end zone. The ball rolled out to the 2 where Hayes picked it up and ran into the end zone for the touchdown.
After La Vega stopped Springtown, Walton broke a tackle up the middle and popped into the clear for an 83-yard touchdown to give the Pirates a 14-0 lead with 8:48 left in the first quarter.
But on their next possession, the Porcupines drove 82 yards with Chesney hitting Cameron Rickett wide open downfield for a 38-yard touchdown on fourth-and-six to cut La Vega’s lead to 14-7 with 3:53 left in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Springtown appeared to be driving toward the tying touchdown when Rogers stepped in front of Chesney’s pass and returned it 77 yards for the score to push La Vega’s lead to 21-7.
Staff photo — Rod Aydelotte
“I knew I had to step up,” Rogers said. “Everybody had been down because the offense wasn’t going anywhere. I knew I had to make a big play. I saw open field. I just ran, thank God for the speed. If I hadn’t had it, I would have gotten caught.”
The Pirates came through with another turnover when Javon Iglehart recovered Rickett’s fumble at La Vega’s 37 with 1:04 left in the second quarter.
On the first drive of the third quarter, Cummings broke away from two Springtown defenders at the line of scrimmage and bolted down the left sideline for a 46-yard touchdown to push La Vega’s lead to 27-7.
Springtown answered with a 75-yard drive finished off by Rickett’s five-yard touchdown run to cut La Vega lead to 27-14 with 7:42 left in the third quarter.
The Porcupines had a chance to cut further into La Vega’s lead when they drove to the 10. But after a holding penalty against Springtown, Rogers intercepted his second pass at the 16 to stop another drive with seven minutes remaining.
The Pirates finished off their win when Springtown fumbled for the sixth time at the 50 with 1:57 remaining in the game.
Staff photos — Rod Aydelotte
