San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Smithson Valley 21, East Central 3
Quick take: Smithson Valley emerged from a turnover frenzy unscathed Friday night at Ranger Stadium with a 21-3 victory against East Central. The two teams committed a combined nine turnovers, with the Rangers overcoming three lost fumbles by forcing four Hornets fumbles and two interceptions to secure the win..
“It’s hard to explain those things,” Smithson Valley coach Larry Hill said. “It becomes an epidemic, and we gotta get rid of the epidemic. We left some crumbs on the table, but, of course, East Central’s probably saying that, too.”
The Rangers’ defense halted a Hornets offense that found its rhythm in the four games leading up to Friday, averaging 32.5 points per contest over the last month before it met Smithson Valley’s vaunted front seven.
“They played real well in the red zone and covered up some offensive mistakes against an explosive team,” Hill said. “They’ve got a lot of playmakers, including the quarterback, and to be able to hold them to three points was outstanding.” Highlights: Smithson Valley (8-1, 5-1 District 27-6A) used up half of the first quarter on its opening drive, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown rush by quarterback Derek Mata. On the following possession, Rangers defensive back David De Hoyos dove for an interception just outside his own goal line to prevent an East Central touchdown. Smithson Valley drove the length of the field only to lose a fumble at the East Central 13yard line, marking the second of what would add up to five consecutive possessions that ended in turnovers between the two teams to close out the first half.
East Central (5-4, 3-3) tallied its first and only points of the game on the second half’s opening drive, when Daniel Gauna kicked a 24-yard field goal to reduce the deficit to 7-3. Smithson Valley countered on the following possession when Doug Lantz reeled off a 24-yard run down to the 1-yard line and punched in a touchdown on the subsequent play to extend the Rangers’ lead to 14-3 late in the third quarter.
In the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, Mata had trouble securing a third-down snap but picked the ball up off the ground and rifled a pass deep down the middle of the field. The East Central secondary abandoned its coverage to chase down the fumble, leaving tight end Dylan Domel uncovered for an easy 54-yard touchdown reception.
On the next possession, the Smithson Valley defense forced and recovered its fourth fumble of the night, allowing the Rangers to run out the rest of the clock and secure their playoff spot.
What it means: With the postseason berth clinched, the Rangers can now focus entirely on next week’s battle for the District 27-6A crown against Steele. The Knights have experienced little difficulty navigating district play, but the Rangers will provide a tough challenge behind one of the area’s top defenses and a balanced rushing attack.
Meanwhile, East Central’s postseason hopes remain intact despite Friday’s loss. If the Hornets defeat Clemens at home next week, they’ll lock up the final playoff spot in District 27-6A and will prove a tough first-round matchup for a fair number of teams in the region. Quotable: “Aside from turning the ball over, I thought we ran the ball well all night,” Hill said. “But you say aside from the turnovers, that’s like saying,
‘Mrs. Lincoln, aside from that one thing, did you enjoy the play?’ We gotta do better than that.”
Game balls: Lantz finished the night with 14 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown, while Malachi Lane rushed 11 times for 66 yards on offense and recovered a fumble on defense. Domel was the leading receiver for Smithson Valley with three catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. East Central quarterback Caden Bosanko completed 9 of 15 passes for 100 yards while rushing 12 times for 45 yards.
Up next: East Central returns home to face Clemens at 7 p.m. Friday at East Central Stadium. Smithson Valley finishes out its regular season with one of the more anticipated area matchups of the year against Steele at 7 p.m. Friday at Lehnhoff Stadium.