Thayer made the Houston High School football team pay dearly for its mistakes.
The Bobcats turned six turnovers –– four fumbles and two interceptions –– into 44 points as they cruised to a lopsided 50-7 victory Friday night over HHS at Tiger Stadium.
The loss brought an abrupt end to the Tigers’ two-game winning streak and left the team searching for answers.
“I really don’t know how to justify what happened during the game, other than we weren’t able to hold onto the ball,” Houston coach Billy O’Neil said.
The miscues began early and happened often. The Tigers fumbled on their first offensive play and lost the ball five more times in the first half as they trailed 43-0.
“Once the turnovers started, it steam rolled from there,” O’Neil said. “Sometimes when that happens, it’s hard to stop.”
Thayer (2-3, 1-2 South Central Association) had decent offensive numbers. But not the type of statistics, O’Neil said, that indicate scoring 50 points.
Quarterback Mitch Webber was 8-of-8 passing for 136 yards. Half of his completions resulted in touchdowns. The Bobcats also had 102 yards on the ground.
The Tigers’ biggest issues were their own mistakes. Thayer’s five first-half scoring drives all began on the HHS side of the field. The average was the 31-yard line.
“I’ll always take full responsibility for what happens in a game,” O’Neil said. “If the kids weren’t excited about going out and playing, that’s my fault. If they aren’t ready to play, that’s my fault also.”
Houston had 171 rushing yards on 43 attempts. Senior Drake Bell led the way with 13 carries for 67 yards and a score. Kaden Miller had 53 rushing yards and Nathaniel Alkire added 40.
HHS quarterback Weston Walker was 1-of-4 passing for nine yards.
The Tigers’ lone points came early in the fourth quarter with the mercy clock rolling. Beginning on their own 22-yard line, they marched the length of the field in 13 plays. Bell capped the drive –– consisting of all running plays –– with a three-yard score with 9 minutes, 13 seconds left in the game.
The touchdown was Bell’s third of the season. Senior Anthony Goff converted the PAT from the hold of Austin Keeney.
Houston’s forgettable night climaxed with an odd play.
Late in the second quarter, Miller followed his blockers up the middle –– the play is simply called “wedge” –– for a five-yard gain. A scrum of blockers continued to push forward as Thayer defenders stood them up.
Just as the play appeared to be ending, Thayer’s Shelby Barton emerged from the pile with the football. He paused for a moment, then took off toward the end zone.
The players and officials appeared to be confused by the play. O’Neil said he didn’t know what was happening.
“I was walking onto the field and Weston was walking toward me for the next play. We both thought the play was dead,” he said. “The next thing I know, the defensive end had the ball in his hands and was racing downfield.”
The referee told O’Neil his experience with a double wing offense was to wait until a runner’s momentum is completely stopped before blowing the whistle. He explained to O’Neil that Miller was stripped by the defender.
After watching the video replay, O’Neil still believed Miller’s momentum had stopped and the play should have ended.
“You can’t tell when the ball comes out or if Kaden just lets go of the ball and was getting up,” he said.
“With everything that happened, it didn’t surprise me that the call went against us.”
The Tigers started the game with a defensive stop of Thayer. Then the issues began.
The first play after receiving the punt, Houston lost possession when Bell was stripped in the background. Thayer took over on the 12-yard line and scored four plays later as Webber found Jacob Foley wide open in the end zone for a three-yard score.
Walker took a hard hit as he dropped back to pass on the Tiger’s next possession. Thayer recovered the fumble and two plays later, Webber connected with Barton for a 50-yard score that made it 50-0.
Houston (2-3, 1-2 SCA) was stopped on fourth-and-1 at its own 30-yard line to set up the Bobcats’ third score. Jacob Alford made a sliding catch in the end zone to make it 23-0 with 11:02 left in the second quarter.
Hunter Ary picked off a Walker pass to set up Thayer’s fourth score. Webber hit Peyton Risner from 30 yards out to give the Bobcats a 31-point lead.
Barton’s 54-yard fumble return after taking the ball from Miller made it 37-0. Houston fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Bobcats scored for the sixth time in the first half when Alford burst into the end zone from five yards out.
Thayer converted an interception on the Tigers’ first play of the third quarter into another touchdown for a 50-0 advantage.
O’Neil said he has told his players to wipe the game from their memories.
“I’m not going to jump on the kids about some of the things that happened. It’s part of the game,” he said.
“This is a game we need to put behind us. It’s obvious we need to take better care of the football and secure it.”
——
| Thayer | 15 | 28 | 7 | 0 | – | 50 |
| Houston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | – | 7 |
First Quarter
THA –– Foley 3 pass from Webber (Risner pass from Webber), 8:34.
THA –– Barton 50 pass from Webber (Tyler kick), 3:11.
Second Quarter
THA –– Alford 11 pass from Webber (Barton run), 11:02.
THA –– Hargrove 30 pass from Webber (Risner pass from Webber), 7:30.
THA ––Barton 54 fumble return (kick failed), 4:35.
THA –– Alford 5 run (kick failed), 2:39.
Third Quarter
THA –– Hargrove 1 run (Tyler kick), 5:33.
Fourth Quarter
HOU –– Bell 3 run (AGoff kick), 9:13.
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| THA | HOU | |
| First downs | 7 | 11 |
| Total yards | 238 | 180 |
| Rushes-yards | 28-102 | 43-171 |
| Passing | 136 | 9 |
| Punt returns | 1-17 | 1-0 |
| Kickoff returns | 1-8 | 8-113 |
| Comp-att-int | 8-8-0 | 1-4-2 |
| Sacked-yards lost | 0-0 | 1-5 |
| Punts | 1-34.0 | 1-30.0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 4-4 |
| Penalties-yards | 4-25 | 1-15 |
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING –– Thayer, Alford 11-52, Hendrick 6-31, Webber 4-14, Barton 3-4, Hargrove 2-3, Henry 2-(minus-2). Houston, Bell 13-67, Miller 15-53, Alkire 9-40, TySmith 4-11, WWalker 2-0.
PASSING –– Thayer, Webber 8-8-0 136. Houston, WWalker 1-4-2 9.
RECEIVING –– Thayer, Hargrove 3-57, Barton 2-55, Alford 1-11, Risner 1-9, Foley 1-3. Houston, Coulter 1-9.