Throckmorton - Rule This was one for the ages

By
October 14, 2006

Things change from season to season. Kids graduate, kids move up and sometimes the current team looks totally different from last season. Last year, as you all know, the Throckmorton Greyhounds beat everyone they lined up against in route to a perfect season 15-0 and of course winning the State Championship.

Changes? Well, yeah. Throckmorton graduated a boat load of talent. There was a coaching change. Last but not least, there was the target painted on their backs just like every team that carries the title, State Champions.

That title is both good and bad. What can be better than being called the defending State Champs? Short answer would be back to back State Champions!! What could possibly be the downside? Some teams will be intiminated by the fact you are the defending State Champion and that is not a bad thing for you. Other teams will circle the date on their schedule that they play you because they know they are not going to win their own title but they will give everything they have to beat you when they get on the field with you. Then there are teams that belive they are just as good or even better than you and they know that to win there own title they will have to go through you.

Don't say "poor Throckmorton" unless you are willing to lick your own wounds. They have plenty of talent. Let me say this at this point, knowing that Rule did win last night by 12 points 69 to 57, Throckmorton is going to get Joe Davis back. I am not making excuses for the Greyhound loss to the Bobcats. What I am saying is Throckmorton will be a much different team on both sides of the ball when Joe comes back. Everybody considers this to be Bryce Hogue's team. That is partially correct. He carries the load. Not because he wants the pressure of winning every game, he does it because he has had to. With that said there are always five other players on the field with Bryce.

Time to discuss the Rule Bobcats. Rule played well last season losing one game and of course that came in the playoffs. The Bobcats lost a minimum amount to graduation number wise but a team leader.

As I said earlier others step up and others have for the Bobcats. I have picked Rule all season to win the tough District 7 championship. They have good talent and of course that is part of the reason why I would pick them to finish first in their district. Another reason I pick Rule is because of their coach. Coach Reed is one of the best coaches in Six-Man. Rule is the only team in the district that didn't change head caoches from a year ago. Question. Do players or coaches win games? Any coach will tell you that having talented players makes you a better coach and I don't disagree with that. I do believe tha a coach can make a difference regardless of the talent he has. As for Coach Reed, he has the talent and the knowledge to use it and he does make a difference.

He will be the first to tell you that his team made too many mistakes in the game with Throckmorton to get the win. Turnovers and penalties on your team are not your friends. I am certain he feels very good to escape Throckmorton with a so far perfect record intact.

Don't say "Rule Bobcats, State Champions" because they are not. Yet! They are fast team wise. They are powerful on offense and stout on defense. C.J. Saucedo is outstanding but the Bobcats are far from a one man team. Far from a one man team.

What has happened with the two teams this season? For Throckmorton, an injury as been a major part of how they have gotten to where they are currently. Even before Week Zero, Joe Davis broke his leg and that altered the plans of the Greyhounds. A quick glance of this season reveals:
Week Zero at Hico, Throckmorton played Garden City losing 38-36 in OT. Rule did not play.
Week One:Throckmorton beat Woodson 70-22 Rule beat Valley 39-15.
Week Two: Throckmorton beat Crowell 53-0 Rule beat Moran 68-14.
Week Three: Throckmorton beat Newcastle 63-16 Rule beat Paducah 59-14.
Week Four: Throckmorton beat ACHS 59-40 Rule beat Bryson 82-34.
Week Five: Throckmorton beat Bryson 54-6 Rule beat Jayton 50-0.

That is what led us to the Week Six encounter between Throckmorton 5-1 and Rule 5-0 . This was some game with Rule winning by the score of 69-57. There were 17 touchdowns and 11 lead changes. That is exciting.

Score by Quarters
1st Rule 16
Throck 20

2nd Rule 16
Throck 8

3rd Rule 22
Throck 23

4th
Rule 15
Throck 6

Final
Rule 69
Throckmorton 57
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1st QT
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T. Bryce Hogue 4yd run 6:47 left in 1st QT PAT missed 6-0
R. C.J. Saucedo 56 yd run 6:35 left in the 1st QT PAT good 6-8
T. Brady Hogue 7yd pass from Bryce Hogue 4:17 left in 1st QT PAT failed 12-8
R. Saucedo 53 yd run 3:25 left in 1st QT PAT good 12-16
T. Bryce Hogue 2yd run :50 seconds left in 1st QT PAT good 20 -16
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2nd QT
--------------------------------
R. Saucedo 28 yd pass from Stephan Pace 9:17 left 2nd QT PAT good 20-24
R. James Wolfe 61 yd pass from Pace 6:16 left in 2nd QT PAT good 20-32
T. Bryce Hogue 10 yd run :48 seconds left in 2nd QT. 28-32
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HALF TIME Rule 32 Throckmorton 28
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T. Bryce Hogue 2yd run 8:33 left 3rd QT. PAT good 36-32
R. Saucedo 5 yd run 6:44 left in 3rd QT PAT good 36-40
T. Brady Hogue 15 yd pass from Bryce Hogue 5:31 left in 3rd QT PAT good 44-40
R. Saucedo 60 yd run 5:21 left in 3rd QT. PAT missed 44-46
T. Brady Hogue 5 yd pass from Bryce Hogue 2:05 left in 3rd QT PAT pass good 51-46
R. Jonathon Rincon 44yd run 1:48 left in 3rd QT PAT good 51-54
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4th QT
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R Saucedo 7 yd run 8:37 left 4th QT PAT good 51-62
T Bryce Hogue 1 yd run 7:04 left in 4th QT PAT blocked. 57-62
R J.T. Spitzer 38 yd pass from Pace 5:50 left in 4th QT PAT pass good 57-69

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FINAL Rule 69 Throckmorton 57
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You may or may not be able to follow along by reading the scores and when they occured but if you try you will see that Rule used big plays to score anf Throckmorton scores came on longer drives. That pattern developed right from the frist time either team touched the ball.

Throckmorton won the toss and elected to receive. Rule elected to defend the West goal. How many stadiums have you been to that run East and West. There are a few but most run North and South.

Bryce Hogue returned the kick off to his own 33 yard line. Seven plays later aided by a penalty against Rule, Hogue scores his first TD of the night on a 4 yard run with 6:47 seconds left in the 1st quarter. The PAT try failed after the Greyhounds scored and they led 6-0 and Rule waiting to touch the ball on offense.

The ensuing kickoff had C.J. Saucedo taking the ball about 5 yards deep in the endzone and bringing it out to the 24 yard line where it would be 1st and 15 for the Bobcats. The Rule Bobcats came out in the spread formation. The ball was snapped to Stephan Pace and he pitched it back to Saucedo going around the left side. Kade Kittley made the initial block and Pace made a bone crushing block on the defensive end that partially blocked Bryce Hogue out of the play and Saucedo used his fleet feet to go 56 yards for the score and the PAT put Rule ahead by the score of 8-6 with 6:35 left in the first quarter. Twelve seconds is how long the Greyhounds led.

Throckmorton would come back with a score themselves on a 7 play drive that covered 48 yards with 4:17 left in the first quarter on a pass from Bryce to his brother Brady Hogue but again the PAT failed and Throckmorton led 12-8.

Just 42 seconds later, Rule would regain the lead on a 53 yard run by Saucedo and the PAT was good with Rule leading 16-12 with 3:25 left in the first quarter. This run was again around the left end. T.J.Spitzer playing QB directly under center made a perfect lateral to Saucedo and Pace again made an excellent block and again the race was on. A race that Saucedo would again be the winner.

After the kickoff Throckmorton threw an interception at the 40 yard line with just less than three minutes left in the quarter. Rule had a chance here to increase their lead and possibly break open what had been a very tight game. Instead the Bobcats had a series of misfires. A penalty, an incomplete pass, then a dropped pass and the Bobcats had to punt and it only got worse from there. The punt was short to begin with and it then took a Throckmorton bounce and the end result was the punt netted maybe 5 yards. Throckmorton took over possession of the ball with 2:09 left in the 1st Quarter.

Sensing they had dodged a bullet, the Greyhounds came out determined to score. On first down an inside hand off gained around 8 yards. Second down the Greyhounds jumped offsides and on the replay of the down, Bryce Hogue completed a pass to the Rule 1 yard line. On first down Hogue appeared to have scored but was ruled out of bounds on the two yard line. Hogue scored the next play and the PAT was good and Throckmorton regained the lead20-16 with 50 seconds left in the 1st quarter.

The kickoff that followed had Rule taking over on their on 20 but and offsides call against Throckmorton resulted in another kickoff. This time Saucedo brought the ball out to the 30 but Rule was penalized putting the ball back on the 20 yard line with 11 seconds left in the 1st quarter. Rule then ran off a 7 play drive that ended with a 28 yard pass from Pace to Saucedo and with the PAT rule led 24-20 with 9:17 to go in the 2nd quarter.

Throckmorton ran several plays their next possession getting down to the Rule 19 before turning the ball over on downs with 6:27 left in the half. Rule showing their big play tendencies struck qucikly on a 61 yard pass play from Pace to James Wolfe and the PAT again was good putting Rule ahead 32-20 with 6:16 left in the 2nd quarter. It appeared here that Rule was taking control of the ball game.

Throckmorton would move the ball from their own 20 down to the 7 yard line of Rule. There disater struck. Brady Hogue's pitch to his brother Bryce hit the ground and Stephan Pace recovered for the Bobcats ending what looked like a definate scoring drive for the Greyhounds.
Rule moved the ball down to the 28 yard line of Throckmorton poised to go up by as many as 18 points but a fumble and a Greyhound recovery put and end to that with 1:50 left in the first half. Throckmorton had placed themselves in a position to just run out the clock but they came out swinging and due to some poor pass coverage on part of the Bobcats moved the ball down the field in a hurry. Bryce Hogue would score again. This time on a 10 yard run and with the PAT, the Greyhounds had closed the Bobcat lead to just 4 points 32-28 with 50 seconds left in the half. Maybe momento was swinging back to the Greyhounds. The half ended with Throckmorton intercepting a pass.

Rule, nursing a 4 point lead took the 2nd half kickoff. Starting on their own 20, Pace took the ball from the spread back position and started around the left side ans after appearing to pick up good yardage the ball was on the ground and Throckmorton recovered with 9:44 left in the third period. The recovery gave them great field position at Rule's 35 yard line. Five plays later and aided by yet another Rule penalty, the Greyhounds were in the endzone and had again taken the lead 36-32. They had trailed by as many as 12 with just over 6 minutes left in the first half and now lead by 4 with 8:33 left in the third. A couple of mistakes made by the Bobcats and the Greyhounds making them pay has the Bobcats behind after it looked like they were ready to run away with the game.

The Greyhounds kicked the ball out of bounds and Rule took over on their on 30 yard line. Several plays later Rule had worked the ball down the field but were faced with a third and goal from the 11 yard line. Pace threw and incomplete pass but Throckmorton was flagged for a personal foul that gave Rule new life with a first and goal. That was a Greyhound mistake that Rule would make them pay for. Saucedo then scored from 5 yards out and with the PAT Rule had taken the lead 40-36 with 6:44 left in the third quarter.

On the kickoff Throckmorton brought the ball out to their 20 yard line,. A couple of good runs by Bryce Hogue and a face mask penalty on Rule and the Greyhounds are marching and the drive is capped off by Bryce Hogueafter avoiding 3 would be tacklers completed a 7 yard pass to his brother Brady with 5:31 left in the 3rd and Throckmorton was back on top 44-40.

Would you believe another big play was instore by the Bobcats. The kickoff was not returned and on 1st and 15 for Rule from their own 20 the ball goes left to Saucedo, Pace makes a block and C.J. wins another race, this one 60 yards. Pace was injured making the block and was unable to try the PAT. The PAT was blocked but Rule was back on top 46-44 with 5:21 left in the third quarter. I have made the comparison of six-man football and basketball myself although obviously there is a huge difference. This has turned into a track meet. I am now wondering who blinks first? Will the team that has the ball last win this game?

The kickoff is into the endzone and Throckmorton comes to the line of scrimmage at their own 20. A steady dose of Bryce Hogue and the Greyhounds are moving down the field again. With 2:05 left in the 3rd quarter Bryce Hogue finds his brother Brady for a 5 yard pass and yet another go ahead touchdown. The PAT pass is good. The score now is 51 to 46 Throckmorton. Now I am wondering if Saucedo has another big play left in him for the Bobcats?

I was wrong about Saucedo, not the big play. Throckmorton decides to squib the kick and Rule takes over on their 34 yard line. Again the Bobcats go left but this time it is Jonathon Rincon and HE COULD GO ALL THE WAY, He does and the PAT is good and the new score is 54-51 Rule with 1:48 left in the 3rd quarter.

In case you missed it somehow, that is six touchdowns scored by the two teams combined in the third quarter of play. Will Throckmorton find away to score and take the lead back?

The Greyhounds begin their next drive on their 21 as a result of the return by Bryce Hogue. A couple of plays and not much is happening for Throckmorton and it brings up 3rd and 14 from their own 21. The next play was the final play of the third quarter and perhaps the biggest play of the night for Rule. Throckmorton lines up in a spread formation and as figured by everyone in the stadium the ball finds it's way into the hands of Bryce Hogue but something very unusal happens. He is sacked by Rule's # 2 for a big loss and brings up a fourth down deep in their end of the field.

The first play of the 4th quarter is indeed a punt by Throckmorton and Kade Kittley catching the ball on his own 32 and makes a nice return to the Greyhounds 28 yard line. A short run is made then a pass is completed to Kittley from Spitzer down to the 7 yard line with 8:58 left in the game and Rule already leading 54 to 51. A score here would have to put the Greyhounds on the ropes. Do you think Rule goes left here again as they have all night? Yep! the ball goes to Saucedo like he is going outside but he suddenly turns up the field and cuts it inside for the touchdown and the PAT is good making the score 62 to 51. Is that the knock out punch?

After the kickoff Throckmorton takes over on their own 23 yard line and 4 plays laters Bryce Hogue again finds the endzone. The PAT is blocked and the score is now 62-57 with 7:07 left in the game. Throckmorton shows me they have the heart of a champion.

Rule is showing some signs of being tired but they too have no quit in them. Taking the ball they move for yet another touchdown this time it is a pass to Spitzer from Pace covering 38 yards. The PAT pass is complete and the score is now Rule 69 Throckmorton 57 with 5:50 left in the game.

Each team had a couple of possession after the last score. Two interceptions by Rule in the last four minutes ended any rally that the Greyhounds might have had going. The last big play of the night was an interception made by Cj Saucedo with just over a minute remaining in the contest. If you didn't see this one you should have. Don't miss the next one.

Don Hardin
txsixii@yahoo.com

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