Faith Academy football season ends in first-round loss to The Woodlands Christian Academy
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
MARBLE FALLS — They hoped it would last longer, but the Faith Academy Flames football season ended Nov. 15 with a heartbreaking 42-26 loss to The Woodlands Christian Academy Warriors.
“I don’t think we played our best game,” Faith head coach Russell Roberts said. “I think, had we played our best game, it would have been closer. I’m not saying we would have won, but it would have been closer.”
The Flames quickly found themselves back on their heels as the Warriors took the opening drive 77 yards in seven plays for a touchdown. The Woodlands’ Luke Hudson capped off the drive with a eight-yard touchdown run to give the Warriors a 7-0 edge.
Faith and The Woodlands exchanged a few possessions before the Flames got their offense going. But penalties would cost them dearly.
After a Warriors’ punt, Faith found itself deep in its own territory with 89 yards to the end zone. A few plays later, Royale Brown connected with Jacob Metcalf for a 16-yard pass, but a personal-foul call against Faith set the Flames right back to almost where they started.
The drive again picked up steam, including on a nice rollout pass by Austin Ellis on a third-and-eight situation when he found Metcalf for a 15-yard gain and a first down. But on the next play, a chop-block call set the Flames back another 15 yards.
Eventually, the drive sputtered, and Faith was forced to punt, but the Flames learned they could move the ball against the Warriors.
The Woodlands’ Michael Sacks opened the next drive with a 26-yard run. The Flames looked as if they might force a punt a few plays later, but a third 15-yard penalty, this one for a late hit, gave the Warriors new hope.
And The Woodlands took advantage of it on the next play as Sacks hit Dirk Sandford for a 27-yard pass that set the Warriors up on Faith’s four-yard line. On the next play, Sacks rumbled in and with the two-point conversion, putting The Woodlands up 15-0.
The Warriors added another score to make it 22-0.
It looked as if The Woodlands would run away with the game. After forcing Faith to punt, the Warriors again began moving down the field, but this time, a high snap reignited the Flames.
Sacks went back to retrieve the snap but bobbled the ball. Faith’s Jonathan Reyes scooped it up and raced 40 yards for the Flames’ first touchdown of the night.
The Warriors still headed into the locker room at the half with a 22-6 lead.
If the Warriors thought Faith was down and out, the first drive of the second half sent a message.
Ellis and the Flames engineered a 69-yard drive that he capped off with a two-yard run to close the gap to 22-12.
Unfortunately for the Flames, The Woodlands’ Luke Hudson answered right back with a 79-yard kickoff return to put the Warriors up 29-12.
But undaunted, Faith’s Ellis connected with Tanner Shipley on the first play of the next drive for a 67-yard pass that set up Faith on The Woodlands’ seven-yard line. A few plays later, Brown busted into the end zone. Faith now only trailed 29-19.
But for every response, the Warriors seemed to have an answer of their own. The Warriors added two more scores and had firm control over the game as Faith went on its final drive of the night.
Faith drove the ball 71 yards with Ellis punching it in from two yards out at the seven-second mark. In the end, Faith just couldn’t overcome the Warriors’ lead.
Faith finished the season 10-1.
“I’m really proud of the boys for not giving up,” Roberts said. “We played hard to the end.”
daniel@thepicayune.com