Mustangs pull out the stops facing Lake Travis

MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School football team closed Mustang Stadium with a valiant effort, said head coach Cord Woerner, against Lake Travis, a team ranked No. 15 in the latest USA Today poll.

“We knew these guys were going to be hard to stop,” he said. “We knew we had to come out and be as physical as we could be and enjoy the game.”

Despite the 54-14 loss, the Mustangs did not give up, he added. 

“When you get behind like that, it’s hard to play with intensity,” the coach said. “They never let that affect them.”

The Mustangs received the opening kickoff to start the game. Quarterback Thor Woerner ran for three yards, while Quinton Causey added two. Woerner found David Morgan for 14 yards, but Lake Travis intercepted the ball on the next play.

It took Cavalier quarterback Garrett Gilbert and company two plays to score. The quarterback found Conner Floyd for a 28-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, 6-0.

On the ensuing drive, Woerner hit Cooper Bowen for 15 yards and ran for three more. After two incomplete passes, Marble Falls punted.

Lake Travis scored on the first play, a Gilbert-to-Cade McCrary 29-yard pass for a 12-0 lead. The two-point pass failed.

Austin Sparks began the next Marble Falls drive with a four-yard run. Woerner found Bowen for nine yards and ran for two more. The quarterback found Saif Khan for 14 yards and scrambled for two more on the next play. Woerner passed to Causey for two yards and hurried for another two before punting. 

Lake Travis scored four plays later on a Gilbert-to-McCrary 48-yard pass. The extra-point attempt was good for a 19-0 lead. 

Sparks ran for 16 yards on the next possession, but the Cavs intercepted the ball. 

Gilbert found McCrary for 17 yards but he fumbled. 

Marble Falls kept the ball for 11 plays and moved 38 yards before turning it over on downs. 

But when the Cavs reached the Mustangs’ 13, they fumbled. 

Woerner opened the drive with a seven-yard run. He threw the ball away on the next play. The quarterback hit Khan for five yards and Bowen for 13 more. Sparks ran for eight yards. Woerner passed to Causey for five yards, Bowen for 17 and Morgan for 29 to set up first and goal from the three. Woerner punched it in. The extra point was added for a 19-7 deficit. The nine-play, 88-yard drive took 4:06 to complete.

The Mustangs surprised Lake Travis by calling for an onside kick. Marble Falls recovered but were flagged for being offsides. Four plays later, Austin Pollard took the handoff for a 10-yard touchdown, 26-7, at the half.

Lake Travis opened the second half by driving 75 yards for the touchdown. Gilbert hit McCrary for a 12-yard pass for a 33-7 lead.

Marble Falls came right back and answered. Woerner ran for nine yards. Sparks added 11. Woerner found Causey for 12 yards and ran for eight and five more. After a play went for no gain, Sparks ran for five yards. Woerner fought through several tackles to reach the eight for a 27-yard run. The quarterback ran for five yards and then scrambled on the next play to buy his receivers some time. He hit Bowen for the three-yard touchdown, 33-14. The 85-yard, 11-play drive took 5:18 to complete.

“I don’t know how I got away,” Woerner said. “Cooper was standing in the end zone, waving at me. I had a couple of back blocks to get the extra time.”

The Cavs immediately answered by going 76 yards highlighted by an 11-yard pass to Mike Adams from Gilbert for a 40-14 lead. 

Marble Falls had the ball for about five minutes and gained 29 yards on 11 plays before punting.

Meanwhile, Lake Travis took a seven-play drive to hit paydirt on a push that took about 90 seconds when Gilbert hit McCrary for an eight-yard score, 47-14.

Colton Volpe scored from 10 yards out to end the game. 

Gilbert passed for six touchdowns on the night for 119 in a career and passed University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy for third place on the list. 

Unofficially, he passed for about 400 yards by hitting at least seven different receivers. 

Meanwhile Woerner had 170 yards passing and more than 90 yards rushing. 

“You play because you love the game,” he said. “You should play with all you have.” 

jfierro@thepicayune.com

Photo by Virgil Belk/Hill Country Sports Images.