San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Defense sets tone in Hill’s 300th win
When playing Wagner’s highoctane option offense, it’s about hanging on and hoping.
That’s how it played out Friday night for the Smithson Valley Rangers, who posted a hardfought 24-7 home victory against the Thunderbirds in their District 12-5A-I opener.
Although Wagner outgained the top-ranked Rangers in total yardage, 223-148, it was Smithson Valley’s defense that was the difference.
They forced five fumbles (one recovery), returned a kick for a score and turned an interception into points.
While it wasn’t a victory sparkled with style points, it was significant as Rangers coach Larry Hill posted career No. 300 in his 33rd season. All but 10 of them have happened at Smithson Valley. Hill won 10 at Jourdanton in 1989-90.
Hill punched his fist through the air as the game ended. Hill briefly addressed his team on the field before he was presented with a trophy and game ball as a banner commemorating the milestone was unfurled behind him.
In the locker room, Hill thanked his players telling them, “I appreciate the gesture and the trophy, but I think No. 300 means that I’m old.”
Friday’s game wasn’t about stats, it was about defeating a dangerous team that has racked up some impressive wins this season.
The fourth-ranked Thunderbirds entered averaging 541.0 rushing yards with an option attack and tallied 786 on the ground the week before in a 62-17 win against Class 6A San Marcos.
“We have geniuses as coaches, and they had our keys and they had us know what we are looking for,” senior defensive back/receiver Jackson Duffey said. “The whole thing about playing them is being disciplined and looking at your guy and being where you need to be.”
Smithson Valley scored on its first two drive and led 14-0 at halftime.
Jackson Duffey took the opening second-half kickoff 83 yards to the end zone to put the Rangers ahead, 21-0.
“That one kind of surprised me,” Duffey said. “It bounced in front of me and just stopped. I just picked it up and the hole was still there.”
The Rangers bogged down the Thunderbirds for most of the game. But Wagner got on the scoreboard when William Reynolds broke loose for a 43-yard scoring run that made it 21-7 with 3:27 in the third quarter.
The Rangers added a 20-yard field goal from Clayton Amaya in the fourth quarter set up by an interception by Nicholas Dudzikowski.
“We prepared all year and Wagner, we focused on because they’re out of the mainstream,” senior running back/linebacker Cade Spradling said. “Our coaches got us prepared and ready.”
The Rangers held a 97-73 advantage in total yards in the first half.
Wagner fumbled four times in the first half. Although they didn’t lose any of them, they cost them yardage and set them behind the chains which made it difficult to engineer anything from their option-based offense.
One fumble was very costly. It occurred on a bad snap on their first punt attempt on the game’s opening drive.
The Rangers took over at the Thunderbirds’ 8-yard line. Three plays later Duffey hauled in Ryland Walker’s pass from 9 yards and a 7-0 lead.
Smithson Valley scored on its next possession when Walker connected with Cole Freund from 7 yards that made it 14-0 with 5:13 in the first quarter.
The play was set up by Freddie Dubose’s 53-yard catch that carried the Rangers to Wagner’s 10.