Agua’s late kick caps Phoenix rally
It’s awfully hard to manufacture a more exciting finish in football than a last-second field goal.
But Sonoraville did just that on Friday night.
It’s awfully hard to manufacture a more exciting finish in football than a last second field goal.
Sonoraville did just that on Friday night. With exactly one second left on the clock, Phoenix kicker Ivan Agua kicked a 23-yarder to give Sonoraville a 24-21 Region 6-AAA victory. The win kept Sonoraville’s playoff hopes alive with a big road test coming up next week at Ringgold.
“If you look at it, we’ve got a sophomore holder (Brock Clements), a sophomore long snapper (Hayden Ross), and a (junior) kicking for us,” said Sonoraville coach Denver Pate, whose squad improved to 5-3 overall and 3-3 in region action. “All three phases right there — snap, hold, and kick were on the money.”
Sonoraville quarterback Jaxon Pate rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown in the win. All purpose player Brant Bryant had a blocked field goal and an interception. Nicholas Beddington had an interception return for a touchdown for Sonoraville as well.
Scoring recap:
LaFayette (4-4, 3-3) got on the board early in the second quarter with a 3-yard pass from Zach Barrett to Jaylon Ramsey. The point after was good and the Ramblers led 7-0 with 9:16 to go before halftime. LaFayette added a second score with 26-seconds remaining in the half on a three yard pass from Barrett to Trey Taylor. Sonoraville’s Bryant blocked the PAT and it was 13-0 heading into the break.
After a largely forgettable first half, Sonoraville’s coaches made effective adjustments at halftime and the Phoenix looked like a different team. Sonoraville had come out flat to open the game and seemed to be playing tentatively, but the Phoenix were much more engaged in the second half.
“We told them at halftime that that was not Phoenix football,” Denver Pate said. “We let them attack us and hit us in the mouth that first half. Our kids responded well. We are very fortunate to come out of here with a victory.”
The offensive line did a better job of protecting Jaxon Pate, who had been sacked twice by LaFayette’s Lane White on back to back drives in the first half. Pate was impactful both running and passing on Sonoraville’s opening drive of the third, which ended in a 4-yard TD run by the sophomore QB. The PAT was good and Sonoraville had cut the lead to 13-7 with 8:03 to go.
Sonoraville took the lead for the first time with 1:55 to go in the third following a 10-play drive which was capped by a 33-yard pass from Jaxon Pate to Beddington. The PAT by Agua was good and it was 14-13, Phoenix.
LaFayette added their next score with 55 seconds later, which was set up by a long kickoff return by Teddy Ownby. The Ramblers had the ball at the Phoenix 5-yard-line and two plays later Ramsey ran it in from 2-yards away. It was 21-14 Ramblers after a two point conversion, which was the lead heading into the fourth.
After a Sonoraville punt, the Ramblers seemed to be trying to burn some clock with Ramsey on three consecutive running plays. However, they threw the ball on the next play and Beddington took it to the house. It was 21-21 after the PAT.