Shiner shuts down Junction 27-0 to claim 2A-D2 Region IV championship
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
by Gazette News Staff
Shiner Gazette Sports Article | Game Statistics | Shiner Football | Shiner Comanche Sports
SAN ANTONIO - A stifling defense and a clockeating offense proved to be a stellar combination for Shiner.
Shiner defensive lineman Jared Werner deflects a Junction pass during the regional final Thursday at San Antonio's Heroes Stadium. Shiner gave up just a little over 100 yards and no points to the Eagles. Photo courtesy of Howard Esse
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The Comanches nabbed the 2ADII Region IV championship by shutting down a potent Junction offense.
The Eagles gained just 102 yards on offense, with 57 of those coming on one play, and three first downs. Junction came into the game scoring 46 points per game.
Shiner's defense played very physical, allowed just five completions while intercepting two passes and limited the Eagles to a mere 26 yards on the ground.
"It was very tough to get a shutout," linebacker-running back Caleb Lehnert said. "Junction could not run on us and could not pass on us. Just that one big pass play."
"It is unreal especially against an offense that has scored 40-plus points a game. Their big backs have speed," Shiner head coach Daniel Boedeker said of the Comanche defense getting a scoreboard shutout. "I thought our guys played lights out on defense. It was a challenge for our defense and they rose to the occasion. I am so proud of them for holding to Junction to zero points."
On the other side of the coin, Shiner's offense dominated the game with 63 total plays to Junction's 31 and held the ball near 32-andhalf minutes (32 minutes 27 seconds) to Junction's 13:36.
The Comanches had two drives of 7:30 or longer and other drives of 5:26 and 3:27. All but one of the Comanches' drive were two minutes or longer.
"That was a big help as sometimes the best defense is a good offense that move the ball down the field and eat up the clock, and be able to capitalize to get points. We wanted to be the physical team that moves the ball down the field, stay clean and penalty free, no turnovers, get the ball into the end zone." Boedeker said. "We left some points off the board that we should have had. The kids never panicked, stayed the course of the game and knew they had to be very physical. Credit to the defense for keeping a good Junction off the board."
Shiner opened the drive with a 73-yard, 17-play drive that used over eight minutes of clock time with five different ball carriers and average 4.29 yards per play. Quarterback Carson Schuette converted a 4th-and-2 play with a 2-yard sneak and repeated on 4th-and-goal from the 2 with a scramble to put Shiner ahead 7-0 after Jacob Nerada's point after.
"I definitely liked the way we set the tone (first drive)," Boedeker said. "It was huge for us to have a long drive as Junction has a very good defense. They are fast and big up front."
Junction picked up a first down on its first offensive play - a 15-yard pass from Chasen Doyal to Caden Roberts to the Shiner 40. The Eagles got 5 free yards on a flag but then rushed two times for a net -2 and threw an incomplete pass, giving Shiner the ball back on downs at their own 38.
Shiner went up 14-0 on a faster, six-play, 62-yard drive in 2:06. Key play was a Quincy Jones run of 37 to the Eagle 11 on a 3rd-and-1. On the first play of the second quarter, Triston Vesley scored on a 4-yard run for 14-0 lead with 11:55 left in the first half.
Running back Caleb Lehnert follows escort Carson Schuette against Junction. Shiner rushed for 337 yards. Photo by Mark Lube
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Schuette intercepted Doyal on the second play of the next drive and returned it 41 yards to the Junction 17. However, a quarterback sack and 5-yard penalties on back-to-back plays set up a 4th-and-19 at the Eagles 26. Schuette threw incomplete, giving the ball back to Junction.
Junction got a first down but stalled at its 40 and punted to Shiner.
A 24-yard run by Jones from his 32 to the Junction 44 got Shiner past the 50 but the drive stalled and the Comanches had their lone punt of the game.
On 3rd-and-7 from their 23, Junction had what would be their longest play of the game, a 57-yard pass from Doyal to Roberts. That momentum was killed off when Schuette got another interception to set up Shiner at the 26. Clayton Fric got a 16-yard run to the 42; Junction dropped Schuette back at the 32 on the next play and Schuette rebounded by finding Jarvis Williams for 54 yards through the air to the 14. Shiner could not take further advantage as they lost a fumble at the Eagle 6 and Junction chose to ran out the last few seconds of the first half.
The Eagles went three-and- out on their first possession of the second half. Shiner used 15 plays to drive from its 33 to the Junction 4 but this long drive ended without points as Junction held Fric to a 1-yard run on 4th-and-3.
Junction went nowhere on the next drive and punted; Williams fielded the ball at his 46 and raced 54 yards for a touchdown to give Shiner a 21-0 lead with no time left in the third quarter.
The Comanches confirmed the win with a Jones 4-yard run on 4th-and-3 with 6:17 left in the game. The point after was missed. Junction later faced a 4th-and- 14 from the 50 on the next drive, and attempted the conversion to try to end the shutout. Doyal managed to scramble for 10 yards but was well short.
The Comanches then drove the ball inside the Eagles 30 before electing to run out the clock instead of scoring again.
GAME STATISTICSShiner 43, Granger 23 Class 2A, Division 2, Region IV Final Playoff Game Thursday, December 5, 2024, 7:00 p.m. Heroes Stadium, NEISD San Antonio SCORING SUMMARY 1 2 3 4 F Shiner 7 7 7 6 -- 27 Junction 0 0 0 0 -- 0 SCORING DETAILS: First Quarter S - Carson Schuette 2 run (Jacob Nerada kick), 3:55 1Q. Second Quarter S - Triston Vesely 4 run (Nerada kick), 11:55 2Q. Third Quarter S - Jarvis Williams 54 punt return (Nerada kick), 0:00 3Q. Fourth Quarter S - Quincy Jones 5 run (kick failed), 6:17 4Q. TEAM STATISTICS: Shiner Junction First downs 21 3 Rushes-yards 60-337 19-26 Passing yards 54 76 Passes 1-3 5-12-2 Total plays-yards 63-376 31-102 Possession time 32:27 13:36 Penalties-yards 5-35 0-0 Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0 Punts-aver 1-43.0 3-35.3 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS: Rushing S: Quincy Jones 15-125, Clayton Fric 8-78, Caleb Cowan 7-51, Carson Schuette 15-31, Caleb Lehnert 8-22, Triston Vesely 4-15,Tyler Harvey 3-15. J: Aidan Cardwell 7-23, Korren Hoing 4-9, Chasen Doyal 6-(-1), Koda Bierschwale 1-(-1), Brock Bierschwale 1-(-4). Passing S: Schuette 1-3-0-54. J: Doyal 5-12-2-76. Receiving S: Jarvis Williams 1-54. J: Caden Roberts 4-75, Koda Bierschwale 1-1.
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Mark Lube is the sports editor for the Shiner Gazette.
Contact him at 361-594-3346 or mark.lube@lavacacountytoday.com |
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