Trojans continue mastery of Cougars
La Marque and Coldspring-Oakhurst saw too much of each other a few years back, with four meetings in two seasons.
They needed to take a break.
The Cougars wouldn’t mind if their time away had lasted a little longer.
Coldspring running back Don Taylor rushed for 213 yards and four touchdowns, and the Cougars didn’t score until the fourth quarter of a 40-7 playoff setback Thursday at Deer Park’s Abshier Stadium.
“It was Hempstead all over again,” said La Marque coach Mike Jackson, referencing its only district loss. “We didn’t show up to play. We had a good week of practice but didn’t show up to play.”
The Trojans (5-5), who started the year 0-3 and lost last week, will face Rockdale (9-1) or Groesbeck (5-5) on Nov. 18 at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium in the Class 3A Division I Region III area playoffs.
“The biggest thing we learned (Thursday) is that we are a good football club,” Coldspring coach Mark Byrd said.
“It’s not that we didn’t think we were, it’s just we needed to play big on a big stage.”
First since 1985
La Marque finished 8-3 after its first bi-district playoff loss since 1985.
The Trojans cruised to their third consecutive victory over the Cougars.
They won three of four meetings in 2012 and 2013, including 37-10 in the 2013 area playoffs – scoring on their first four second-half drives.
David Fulcher hauled in a 59-yard TD pass, and then Taylor scored three consecutive touchdowns on runs of 10, 49 and 52 yards. His 49-yard TD sprint came on the first play after La Marque’s only score, which was on a 10-yard run by Perry Preston on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Coldspring led 13-0 at halftime.
La Marque elected to receive the opening kickoff but didn’t go anywhere, punting on its first four possessions.
Coldspring’s Trey Lundy returned the first punt 75 yards for a TD, but a penalty erased it.
Lundy came back with a 64-yard scoring grab, beating defensive back Kevin Jackson to quarterback Trey Higgins’ deep ball, then blowing by Jackson for a 7-0 lead four minutes into the game.
Sam Olivo blocked Pedro Rubio’s second punt, setting Coldspring up at La Marque’s 33.
The Cougars’ defense responded with stop, including Jaylin Walker batting down a pass, but the offense punted again, this time after crossing midfield.
The Trojans came back with another TD.
Taylor’s 13-yard score for a 13-0 lead capped an 85yard drive.
He needed only 20 carries to top 200 yards.
“Don’s got deceptive speed,” Byrd said. “He’s a smooth runner, and then when he hits it, he hits it.
“We had to slow him down the first part of this, because he was getting in the hole too quick and it was shut down.”
‘Out of character’
Coldspring finished with 487 total yards (39-338 rushing).
La Marque produced only 46 total yards in the first half and finished with 145 yards and 10 first downs.
Defensively, the Cougars gave up more than 28 points for the first time this season.
“This is completely out of character, statistically, for us all year, but that is what it is,” Jackson said.
“This is the playoffs, and if you don’t come to play, you get beat and go home.”