Requiem of the heavyweights

Nov 2 2009 - 10:01pm | Keff Ciardello

Sara Strick/Star Photo

The Bobcat defense held the No.1-ranked Stephen F. Austin scoring offense to seven points en route to its 28-7 defeat of the Lumberjacks.

“Offensively we kept swinging. Defensively we kept swinging and finally some of those punches started landing,” said Coach Brad Wright. “It looked like a heavyweight fight out there to me.”

Texas State sacked SFA five times — a team that allowed only six all season. The Bobcats caused three turnovers with two in the red zone. Travis Houston, senior defensive end, led the team with two sacks and an interception.

“Coach Wright told me the first day of practice this week that the best way to stop a good passing team is a good rush. We preached that all week,” Houston said. “We knew we had to get back there and get (quarterback Jeremy Moses). Keep rattling him like that and we won’t make the plays he wants to.”

SFA Coach J.C. Harper said the Bobcats did not surprise the Lumberjacks.

“(Texas State) didn’t do anything we didn’t expect,” Harper said. “Coach Wright did a good job. They’re a good football team. You have to give Texas State a lot of credit. They won a championship last year and they’re trying to win another.”

SFA was held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season. The Lumberjacks had two missed field goals and two red zone turnovers despite gaining 243 yards in the first half. It is the first time the Bobcats have held a team scoreless in the first half this season.

Harper said the Texas State defense played well.

“(The Bobcats) were flying around on defense,” Harper said. “They looked like they were having fun out there. They just out-played us.”

Mishak Rivas, sophomore wide receiver, scored the game’s first points off a nine-yard touchdown, his first of the season. The Bobcats’ 7-0 lead marked the first time the Lumberjacks have been behind in a conference game this season, and the second time since their home-opening loss to Southern Methodist.

The Bobcat defense held strong in the second quarter, forcing three turnovers, including two in the red zone. The first turnover was a goal line-stand with the Bobcats holding their ground on fourth and goal from the two-yard line. The second turnover was a forced fumble on the 16-yard line. The third was an intercepted hail-Mary pass before the half by Matt Harris, sophomore linebacker.

The Bobcats maintained their 7-0 lead going into halftime.

Texas State appeared to be continuing its first half success on the opening drive of the second, driving the ball into the Lumberjacks’ territory.

The offense failed to convert a first down on fourth and two from the 35-yard line.

SFA took possession and sliced through the Bobcats, driving the ball 65 yards in eight plays, ending with an 11-yard touchdown pass from

Moses to wide receiver Duane Brooks. The score tied the game at 7.

The Bobcats were forced to punt once again, but the defense came up with another turnover, this time an interception by Houston. Houston dropped back in coverage on a third and two. The ball was tipped and Houston was in the right spot to grab the second interception of his career.

It took the Bobcats five plays to regain the lead 14-7 off a six-yard pass from Bradley George, senior quarterback to Alvaro Garcia, sophomore wide receiver.

The Lumberjack offense began to swing the momentum back in its favor as it orchestrated a drive that put the team in Bobcat territory. SFA failed to convert on fourth down again, as linebacker Joplo Bartu recorded back-to-back sacks — the second one on fourth down.

George completed a 31-yard pass to Cedric Alexander, freshman wide receiver, to set up the Bobcats in the red zone. But a personal foul by

Darius Bolden, sophomore wide receiver, knocked the Bobcats to the 32-yard line. George found Rivas on the next play in the end zone for his second touchdown, giving the Bobcats a 21-7 lead over SFA.

The Bobcats found the end zone once more after another fourth down stop by Texas State when George threw a 17-yard strike to Da’Marcus Griggs, junior wide receiver, capping the score at 28-7.

George finished the game with four touchdown passes for 324 yards.

Rivas finished the game with six catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Griggs caught nine passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.

—Reporting contributed by Tyler Garcia

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