A HAPPY RETURN
Back in Class 6A, T-Birds prevail in dramatic opener
Wagner’s return to Class 6A wasn’t easy, but it was successful.
Senior fullback L. J. Butler scored on a 1-yard run in overtime to seal the Thunderbirds’ 27-24 overtime victory over Smithson Valley in District 27-6A play at Rutledge Stadium.
Wagner, which advanced to the state semifinals in Class 5A Division I the past two years, played in its first contest of the season after the coronavirus truncated its schedule.
More impressively, the Thunderbirds beat a team that was » » playing in its third game.
Wagner was its own worst enemy, committing 18 penalties for 134 yards. But the triple-option Thunderbirds resorted to a little-used tool in their offensive arsenal — the pass — to force overtime.
Trailing 21-15 after a 36-yard field goal by Austin Hosier with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter, the Thunderbirds moved 75 yards on seven plays. Wagner quarterback Isaiah Williams completed 4 of 4 passes for 45 yards on the march, including a 13-yarder to Matthew Sam with 24 seconds left to tie it.
But Wagner missed the extra point, and the game went into overtime.
Williams had only thrown two passes, completing one, before that drive.
Smithson Valley (2-1) took the
ball first in overtime. Gabe Hoskins raced to Wagner’s 6 on the first play, but the Thunderbirds forced a 22-yard field goal by Hosier that put the Rangers up 24-21.
Wagner went back to the triple option, and Williams had runs of 12, 5 and 3 yards to put the Thunderbirds at Smithson Valley’s 5. Butler followed with a 4-yard run and the game-winner on the next play.
Shortly after slipping into the end zone, Butler placed the ball on the ground and raced toward his teammates in celebration. It culminated an interesting month after he returned to the team when his transfer to Judson for varsity competition was denied by the UIL.
Butler, who rushed for 2,000 yards in each of the past two seasons, finished with 49 yards on 12 carries and two scores.
He wasn’t the only one who had trouble getting yardage in a tough, defensive battle. Smithson Valley finished with just 151 total yards to 261 for Wagner.
Smithson Valley rolled on the opening possession, driving to Wagner’s 26. The Rangers went for it on fourth-and-2 and fumbled it away on a bad snap exchange.
Wagner took over and lost 18 yards on three carries. After a punt and a personal foul by Wagner on the return, the Rangers took over at the Thunderbirds’ 6.
A tough defensive stand by Wagner forced a 19-yard field goal by Hosier at the 3:31 mark of the first quarter.
The Thunderbirds answered with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by Williams’ 4yard keeper. Williams converted a 2-point run to put the Thunderbirds up 8-3 with 9:51 left in the second quarter.
Smithson Valley took over on its 8 after the kickoff and a penalty. The Thunderbirds recovered a fumble inside the 1 when the ball slipped from Jalen Nutt’s hand as he went back to pass.
Butler scored on the next play to put the Thunderbirds up 15-3.
Smithson Valley made it 15-10 on its first possession of the second half on a 7-yard TD catch by Maverick Freeland.
After a Wagner fumble, the Rangers took an 18-15 lead early in the fourth on an 11-yard Hoskins run and a 2-point catch by Freeland.
Hosier made his 36-yard field goal on the Rangers’ next drive before the Thunderbirds rallied.