Comanches going to the 'ship
Shiner defeats Chilton,
will play Windthorst for state title
(Texas Class A State Semi-Final Game)
Saturday, December 13, 2003
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For only the second time in its history, Shiner (14-1) will play for the state football championship.
The title game will be played at Waco ISD Stadium this Saturday, Dec. 20, against Windhorst (14- 1).
Shiner gained the trip to the championship by virtue of a 47-39 semi-final win over the Chilton Pirates last Saturday at Round Rock ISD Stadium.
Chris Baer (10) sweeps to the outside with Pirates Michael Whitaker (57), Jenu Rueda (60) and Bryan Childers (20) in pursuit. (all photos by Shiner Gazette)
The game was an offensive showcase with the Shiner trio of Chris Baer, Garet Pustka and Quentin Wright rushing for 456 yards, while the multi-talented Chilton quarterback Jamar Green was responsible for 229 of the Pirates’ 277 total rushing yards.
Baer was the leading rusher with 246 yards and two touchdowns, Pustka carried 15 times for 118 yards and four touchdowns and Wright picked up 107 yards and scored once.
All three runners averaged over seven yards per carry.
Shiner linemen Dustin Brown (79) and Jeremy Burchell (78) enjoy a moment of celebration together after a big stop.
The Comanches had to play tough the entire game in order to stay ahead of the Pirates. Green answered every Shiner rally with his quickness, speed and ability to stay on the heels of the Comanches.
Green lived up to his expectations, as he was responsible for all six Chilton touchdowns. Green ran for five scores and passed for another.
"He is something else," said Shiner coach Steve Cerny. Following the game, Cerny told his team, "You beat the best football player you will probably ever see."
Ironically, with all the rushing yardage, it was a 9-yard pass, the only completion by Shiner, that proved to be the key play late in the game.
The 4th down, 9-yard completion to Casey Coleman deep in Pirate territory, kept Shiner’s final scoring drive alive.
Quarterback Garet Pustka tucks the ball in after eluding Ryan Cobb (9) and heads to the left side line to avoid another tackler.
Pustka scored five plays later to give the Comanches the edge
"I don’t think they were looking for it," said Cerny. "I felt we could make it if we could execute. Pustka made a perfect throw and Casey made a super catch."
Chilton took the game’s opening kick off, and aided by three Shiner penalties, scored on a 4-yard run by Green. The PAT by Victor Flores put the Pirates up 7-0 with 8:46 left in the first period.
Shiner responded with a 7-play, 72-yard drive capped by a 41-yard touchdown run by Quentin Wright. The drive included three carries by Baer for 22 yards. Ryan Kloesel’s kick tied it a 7-7.
Following a short Pirate punt the Comanches took over on their 42 but a muffed punt snap on fourth down gave Chilton possession on the Shiner 30. Two plays later Green raced for his second touchdown.
Steven Evans blocked the extra point kick but the Pirates took a 13-7 lead going into the second quarter.
Steven Evans went airborne last Saturday night to knock down an attempted extra point by Chilton in the first quarter.
Baer’s 18-yard kick off return set up the Comanches on their 36. Baer carried three times for a first down. Wright then swept left to the Pirate 24. Pustka faked a hand off to Baer and scored on a sweep left. Kloesel’s kick gave Shiner a 14-13 lead with 10:17 left in the half.
Green again showed his speed and quickness, returning the kick off to the 29. After three carries, the speedy quarterback broke thru the line and ran untouched 58 yards into the end zone, The 2-point conversion pass failed but the Pirates led 19-14.
Shiner then drove to the Pirate 28 but turned the ball over on downs.
Casey Coleman made an outstanding interception on the Comanche 41 to stop the Pirate drive, but Shiner was again forced to punt.
The punt was fumbled and Brady Strauss was on the spot to recover on the Chilton 27.
Pustka carried for three yards and on second down took a quick snap and shot up the middle and Shiner again gained the lead, 21-19, with 2:19 left in the half.
Despite good defensive plays by Evans, Trey Curtis and Kloesel, Green marched the Pirates to the Comanche 18.
A 6-yard run by Green and a personal foul set up the Pirates on the 6-yard line.
With no time outs left, the Pirates had to battle the clock. After an incomplete pass, Green carried to inside the 1-yard line. On third down Green spiked the ball to stop the clock at :06.
Travis Landrum got the call on fourth down and was stopped short of the goal line by Clayton McCorkle and. Jeremy Burchell and Shiner went into the locker room with a 2-point lead.
Several Comanches including Chris Baer (10) and Jeremy Burchell (78) bring down Chilton quarterback Jamar Green (2) in the semi-final game last week.
The Comanches came out in the second half and scored 19 unanswered points to take a 21-point lead early in the final period.
"I think we wore them down just before the half ended and we were able to come out in the third period and get some offensive momentum going," said Cerny.
The first drive included a 22-yard sprint by Pustka only to be chased down by Green on the 15. Baer converted a fourth down play with a second effort for a first down and then scored from the one. The drive took off 6:46 of the clock.
Great defense, led by Jared Boedeker, Baer, Strauss and Burchell forced a punt and Shiner took over on the 40. A pitch to Baer and good blocking opened the line for Baer who raced toward the end zone, but once again Green caught up and brought him down on the 7-yard line. Pustka then scored on a sweep.
The Comanche defense again rose up and forced a punt to open the final period. Three minutes later, Baer drove off left tackle and this time no one caught him as he raced 49 yards for the touchdown. The kick failed but Shiner had a 21-point lead.
It was a good thing too, as Green returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to cut the lead to two scores.
Another bad snap on a Shiner punt gave the Pirates the ball on Shiner’s 31. Two plays later Green raced 25 yards for the TD and suddenly the margin closed to 40-33 with 6:53 left in the game.
Baer had a 47-yard kick off return to give the Comanches good field position on the Pirate 43 setting up Shiner’s final scoring drive.
Shiner stayed on the ground, taking time off the clock but faced a 4th and five on the Pirate 24.
Quentin Wright makes his move to the outside with several Chilton Pirate defenders in pursuit.
That’s when the pass to Coleman got the first down that led to Pustka’s 1-yard touchdown run with :34 left in the game.
Not giving up, the Pirates battled back and a Green to Corey Potts pass for a 58-yard touchdown gave the Pirates new life.
With 12 seconds left Pustka fumbled the onside kick and Chilton recovered. But an illegal procedure penalty forced a re-kick. This time Pustka held on to the pigskin and the Comanches were on their way to the state championship.
Coach Cerny extended praise all around. "Baer’s great running and second efforts, good blocking, good execution by Pustka, the fumble recovery and the goal line stand and a great catch by Coleman all made a difference," he said.
He ended by saying, "The fans got their money’s worth tonight."
Windhorst’s record includes playoff wins over Paducah (42-14), Roscoe (55-20), Albany (21-14) and Sunray (34-12) in the state semi-final.
Game time Saturday at Waco ISD is 7 p.m.
STATISTICS SUMMARY Chilton Shiner First Downs 14 22 Yards Rushing 28-277 63-456 Yards Passing 80 9 Passes 3-11-1 1-5-0 Punts 3-31.7 2-18.5 Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0 Penalties-yards 2-20 6-50 SCORING SUMMARY 1 2 3 4 Final Chilton 13 6 0 20 -- 39 Shiner 7 14 13 13 -- 47 SCORING DETAILS First Quarter C - Jamar Green 4 run (Victor Flores kick), 8:46 S - Quentin Wright 41 run (Ryan Kloesel kick), 5:23 C - Green 36 run (kick blocked), :11 Second Quarter S - Garet Pustka 24 run (Kloesel kick), 10:17 C - Green 58 run (pass failed), 8:20 S - Pustka 24 run (Kloesel kick), 2:19 Third Quarter S - Chris Baer 1 run (Kloesel kick), 5:14 S - Pustka 6 run (kick blocked), 1:36 Fourth Quarter S - Baer 49 run (kick failed), 9:02 C - Green 80 kickoff return (Flores kick), 8:48 C - Green 25 run (Flores kick), 6:53 S - Pustka 1 run (Kloesel kick), :39 C - Corey Potts 58 pass from Green (kick failed), :12 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing: Chilton, Jamar Green 19-229; Lamar Simpson 1-23; Travis Landrum 5-13; Bryan Childers 2-7; Dearis Brandon 1-5. Shiner, Chris Baer 32-246; Garet Pustka 15-118; Wright 14-107; Team 2-(-15). Passing: Chilton, Green 3-11-1 80. Shiner, Pustka 1-4-0 9; Baer 0-1-0 0. Receiving: Chilton, Corey Potts 1-58; Darvis Brandon 1-14; Simpson 1-8. Shiner, Casey Coleman 1-9.
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