San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Wagner High School wins, makes it into state playoffs.
Black and Butler pace unstoppable running game with five scores
Wagner coach Charles Bruce stepped away from the media and a throng of people on the Alamodome field and ran straight to the Wagner fans who just watched his T-Birds advance to the Class 5A Division I state semifinals.
Bruce jumped, threw his arms in the air, and briefly led a cheer before returning to talk about the T-Birds’ 54-21 win Saturday over Mission Veterans Memorial for their first regional title.
“It’s a blessing. For all of these guys, and for all of those people, it’s a blessing,” Bruce said.
The T-Birds (13-1) will play Pearland Shadow Creek, a 25-21 winner over Foster in Sat- urday’s Region III final, in next weekend’s state semifinals.
Wagner used a bruising ground game, racking up 487 yards on 62 carries while completing just 1 of 4 passes for 12 yards.
Slotback Karlton Black carried nine times for 160 yards and three touchdowns, including a 53-yarder that gave Wagner a 21-7 lead going into halftime. He took a pitch from quarterback Tobias Weaver on the right side, got to the sideline, and tightroped his way into the end zone.
“I just got past a linebacker and saw green,” Black said. “Our O-line made that play happen.”
Defensive end DeMarcus Hendricks had two of Wagner’s six sacks of prolific Veterans Memorial quarterback Landry Gilpin. The TBirds pressured Gilpin all day, forcing several rushed throws.
“We knew they were going to throw the ball. But we had to contain the quarterback at the same time while our DBs had to do their job of covering,” Hendricks said. “We just had to play hard the whole game. They got back in it there, but we just had to get through that.”
The T-Birds held Veterans Memorial to 258 total yards, including 314 through the air on 19-of-50 passing. Gilpin threw three touchdowns but also had three picks — two of which led to Wagner touchdowns.
“The defense got it done tonight, but our offense took care of business, too,” Bruce said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy and that they would play hard. They did, but we got the job done.”
Wagner opened with a 14-0 lead while forcing two turnovers. Both teams turned the ball over three times in the first half, and after trading second-quarter touchdowns, Wagner took a 21-7 lead into the break.
The Thunderbirds outscored the Patriots (12-2) 21-14 in a wild third quarter that saw three touchdowns scored in 41 seconds. Running back L.J. Butler capped a 53-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to put Wagner up 28-7 with 8 minutes left in the third. Veterans Memorial struck back two plays later with a Gilpin-to-Mikey Garcia 28-yard strike to pull within 28-14.
But on Wagner’s next play from scrimmage, running back Joerell Brown found a crease and broke outside, racing to the end zone for a 46-yard TD and a 35-14 lead.
The Patriots again responded, with Gilpin hitting Garcia for a 10yard TD at the 6:20 mark. But Black burst up the middle and broke two tackles at the 10 to finish a 32-yard touchdown run that gave Wagner a 42-21 lead.
“We just came out and played Wagner football,” Bruce said. “We just stayed with our game plan, and we do what we do best.”
Butler led all Wagner rushers with 169 yards on 30 carries and two touchdowns.
“We call ourselves smashmouth football, and we were grinding in the trenches,” Butler said. “The Oline, that’s the heart of the team right there. This wouldn’t have been possible without them. They deserve all the credit today, for sure.”