Burnet football ready for rematch with Robinson in third round
Burnet High School junior linebacker Trent Rockafellow (left) gets ready to tackle the Kingsville King ball carrier during the Bulldogs’ 56-27 area-round playoff win Nov. 21. The Bulldogs now have a rematch with District 13-4A foe Waco Robinson in a regional quarterfinal game Nov. 28. Kickoff is 8 p.m. Tune in to KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune or at KBEYFM.com starting with a 7:30 p.m. pre-game show. Photo by Pablo Rivera
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
BURNET — In a game many thought would decide the District 13-4A Division I championship, the Burnet High School football steamrolled Waco Robinson 45-23 on Oct. 17.
Now the two meet again — with the stakes even higher — in the regional quarterfinals of the Class 4A Division I playoffs.
The Bulldogs (10-2, 4-1) and the Rockets (8-4, 2-3) play at 8 p.m. Nov. 28 at Baylor University’s McLane Stadium, located on South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Waco. Burnet is the district co-champion; Robinson finished tied for third place. Tune in to KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune or at KBEYFM.com starting with a pre-game show at 7:30 p.m.
In the first game, Burnet led 10-0 in the first quarter with Robinson tying the game up at the half.
The Bulldogs scored three touchdowns in the third quarter then shut out Robinson 14-0 in the final quarter for the win.
That contest also introduced the dynamic duo of Burnet juniors Austin Moore, the quarterback, and Joel Johnson, the receiver. Moore completed 27 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns, while Johnson had 10 receptions for 281 yards and three touchdowns.
In addition, the Bulldogs forced six Rocket turnovers and limited Robinson to 454 yards. Still, the Rockets had 41 rushes for 315 yards.
“That was a good game,” Burnet head coach Kurt Jones said. “I think we played really good football at their place. We finally broke away. We played well at their place. We did not come back home and say we played a perfect game. We feel like we’ve improved in certain ways.”
Robinson lost to Waco La Vega 41-35 to end the regular season but defeated Boerne 45-21 in the first round of the playoffs and La Vernia 31-28 in the second round after suffering through a weather delay Nov. 21. The game began at 7:30 p.m., was stopped until 10 p.m. and finished about midnight.
“Just watching film, they’re playing really efficient strong football,” Jones said. “They’re not turning the ball over and capitalizing on drives.”
The Bulldogs are in the third round of the playoffs after a convincing 56-27 win against Kingsville King on Nov. 21.
After the Brahmas (7-5) took a 7-0 lead on the opening drive of the contest, Burnet scored four consecutive touchdowns powered by a 77-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Kody Hall; a three-yard touchdown run by junior running back Brock Foster; and two touchdown runs by senior running back Eric Walker from one yard and seven yards.
Once Hall got the interception, that jump started his team. Kingsville scored one touchdown in each of the last three quarters and only had two explosive plays in the second half after getting seven in the first half.
“That was a big one when he took it the distance,” Jones said. “I thought our defense came up with critical stops at critical times.”
Meanwhile, the Bulldog offense was equally opportunistic.
In nine drives, Burnet had seven touchdowns, a turnover on downs late in the first half, and ran out the clock at the end of the game. In all, the Bulldogs had five explosive run plays and nine explosive pass plays.
Fans are invited to the Bulldogs’ 9 a.m. practice Nov. 27 at the practice fields, 1000 The Green Mile, to enjoy coffee and donuts.
jfierro@thepicayune