Marble Falls loses back-and-forth contest vs. Vandegrift, 47-42

JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF

MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School football team lost 47-42 to Leander Vandegrift in a close District 25-5A contest Oct. 31.

The Mustangs (4-5 overall, 2-4 district) needed to go 75 yards with only 60 seconds left in the game for a chance to win.

Instead, the Vipers (7-2, 4-2) made key plays down field, including knocking down the final long pass of the contest to wrap up the victory.

Vandegrift took the lead on the previous possession when junior receiver Paxton Segina caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Alex Fernandes to make.

Still, Mustangs head coach Matt Green said the game was not won or lost in the final three minutes.

“I think you have to look at it and say there were times when our defense stepped in and forced them into punts and vice versa,” he said. “Unfortunately, they go right back and score on our defense.”

Marble Falls led 42-41 with 3:23 remaining thanks to a 39-yard touchdown catch by junior receiver Eric Cauble from junior quarterback Brennen Wooten.

While the Vipers were driving on their final offensive series, the Mustangs did not use any of their three timeouts.

Green said calling a timeout allows an offense to analyze its play sheet to pick the best play for the down and distance.

“I didn’t want to give them an opportunity to get composed,” he said.

Green noted that Segina and receiver Bear Christianson each stand 6-feet-5, which gave them a height advantage over the Mustangs.

“We tried guarding those kids with everything we have,” he said. “Our kids fought, battled and scrapped.”

The Mustangs took their opening drive 73 yards for a score, highlighted by a 19-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Daven Manning. Sophomore receiver Sam Harkins caught the two-point pass from Wooten to make it 8-0.

The Vipers answered on the next drive when junior quarterback Culver Sumner scored on a six-yard touchdown run. Vandegrift tied the game on a two-point pass.

Wooten ended the Mustangs’ next possession by scoring on a five-yard touchdown run to complete an 84-yard drive. Senior kicker David Salinas added the extra point to make it 15-8.

Vandegrift tied the game early in the second quarter when Segina caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Fernandes.

After a Marble Falls punt, senior running back Christian Reyes ran 42 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was blocked, but the Vipers led 21-15 at the half.

Vandegrift scored on its opening drive of the second half by completing a 17-play, 68-yard drive when Segina caught a 10-yard touchdown pass. The drive chewed up half of the third quarter.

Marble Falls senior Royale Brown caught a 75-yard touchdown pass to keep the Mustangs within a touchdown.

That triggered a scenario in which each team answered the other. Brown ran in for a 25-yard touchdown and Wooten added an eight-yard touchdown to set up the final 3:23.

Green said he believes his players learned to continue to battle through adversity.

“Our kids have not quit at any point this year,” he said. “There are so many good things that come from success. Our kids will learn from when things don’t go our way. We don’t have to like it or accept it, but we have to learn from it.”

Marble Falls ends its season against Georgetown East View at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at Mustang Stadium, 2101 Mustang Drive in Marble Falls.

jfierro@thepicayune.com

SCORE BY QUARTERS

FIRST QUARTER

MF – Daven Manning 19-yard run (Sam Harkins two-point pass from Brennen Wooten), 8:59

V – Culver Sumner 6-yard run (Bear Christianson two-point pass from Alex Fernandes), 6:55

MF – Wooten 5-yard run (David Salinas kick), 4:04

SECOND QUARTER

V – Paxton Segina 2-yard pass from Fernandes (Jackson Harris kick), 7:52

V – Christian Reyes 42-yard run (kick blocked), 5:37

THIRD QUARTER

V – Segina 10-yard pass from Fernandes (Harris kick), 5:44

MF – Royale Brown 75-yard pass from Wooten (Salinas kick), 5:15

V – Christianson 9-yard pass from Fernandes (Harris kick), 3:13

MF – Brown 25-yard run (Salinas kick), 2:25

FOURTH QUARTER

MF – Wooten 8-yard run (Salinas kick), 8;02

V – Segina 36-yard pass from Fernandes (two-point pass fails), 5:41

MF – Eric Cauble 38-yard pass from Wooten (two-point pass fails), 3:23

V – Segina 15-yard pass from Fernandes (two-point run fails), 1:00

TEAM STATS

MARBLE FALLS — First downs, 22; total net yards, 566; rushes-yards, 32-261; passing, 340; interceptions, 0; completions-attempts-interceptions, 20-32-0; fumbles-lost, 2-1; penalties-yards, 4-35

VANDEGRIFT — First downs, 21; total net yards, 527; rushes-yards, 36-203; passing, 334; interceptions, 0; completions-attempts-interceptions, 24-41-0; fumbles-lost, 0-0; penalties-yards, 2-10

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING – (Marble Falls) Daven Manning 11-101-1 touchdown, Tyler Ryan 4-17, Royale Brown 11-105-1 touchdown, Brennen Wooten 6-38-2 touchdowns. (Vandegrift) Christian Reyes 28-170-1 touchdown, Paxton Segina 1-5, Culver Sumner 4-14-1 touchdown, Alex Fernandes 1-7, Parker Ausley 2-7

PASSING – (Marble Falls) Wooten 20-32-341-2 touchdowns. (Vandegrift) Fernandes 24-41-334-5 touchdowns

RECEIVING – (Marble Falls) Manning 5-50, Eric Cauble 6-99-1 touchdown, Jacob Metcalf 4-83, Brown 5-109-1 touchdown. (Vandegrift) Reyes 2-16, Paxton Segina 10-190-4 touchdowns, Bear Christianson 9-101-1 touchdown, Ryan Dopson 3-27