OVERTON SLIPS | Grapeland escapes with 37-27 win in district opener
EDITOR’S NOTE: A slight correction in this story was made late Saturday evening. Overton’s trick play was a pitch from Rylan Holleman to Jacob Osburn to Gabe Miller. It’s now corrected in the story. ETBlitz.com regrets the error and is happy to set the record straight.
OVERTON – A playoff rematch between a pair of district rivals unfortunately did not go in Overton’s favor here at Coach Chester Roy Stadium on Friday night.
Grapeland had to withstand an Overton comeback, but the Sandies were able to do that, and escape with a 37-27 win in the District 11-2A, Division II opener for both programs.
Overton (3-2 overall) had a good showing, but the Mustangs this time simply allowed too many first-half points and couldn’t get completely out of the hole they dug themselves into.
The Sandies scored on their first drive. Maleek Johnson got the call and on back-to-back plays, quickly got Grapeland to Overton’s 14-yard-line. Quarterback Sean Walker found Jalen Woods for a 6-yard touchdown. The extra point by Edy Lopez was good and gave Grapeland a 7-0 advantage early, with 10:54 remaining in the first quarter.
Overton came out swinging, with quarterback Rylan Holleman guiding the offense. He quickly hit Justin Weir to move it to Grapeland’s 47, and back-to-back runs by Holleman left the Mustangs at Grapeland’s 22.
The drive would stall out, though, right there, as a fourth-down conversion fell short, allowing the Sandies to re-claim possession.
They’d get more points. On second down, Johnson picked up 13, and then after a 4-yard gain, Walker connected with Aiden Owens for 12 more, and another first down at the Grapeland 47.
Three plays later, Diego Fajardo broke a big one, all the way to the Overton 2. Johnson punched it in for the score, and Lopes’ point after made it 14-0 Grapeland, with 3:13 left in the opening quarter.
The Mustangs used running back Gabe Miller and a pass from Holleman to Jacob Osburn to move it midfield, and then after consecutive runs from Holleman and Miller, the Mustangs were at the Grapeland 24.
Holleman, whose play was one of the key factors in the Mustangs reaching the state baseball championship game last year, broke free for the 24-yard TD to cut Grapeland’s lead in half. The point after missed, and Grapeland led 14-6, still with 1:16 left in the quarter.
The Sandies finished the quarter, though, at Overton’s 42. They’d score again, this time on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Walker to Jakevion Bruins, with just under eight minutes left in the half to push that lead back to two touchdowns (21-6).
Grapeland’s Wells Heersink picked off a pass on Overton’s next drive, setting the Sandies up at the Overton 35. A big play by running back Johnson moved them quickly all the way to the Overton 10, a 25-yard gain. Johnson reached Overton’s 4 on his next run, and then Jesse Ellington would get the 4 yard score. The point after was off-target, but Grapeland had gone up 27-6, with 5 ½ minutes left in the half.
The teams exchanged punts, and then, from midfield, a trick play: Holleman pitched it to Osburn, and Osburn tossed it to Miller, who took it to the house for a 51-yard score. Jackson Furlow added the extra point, and the Mustangs had again cut the Sandies’ lead in half, and Grapeland went to the locker room with a 27-13 lead.
The Sandies would only score 10 second-half points, but unfortunately for the Mustangs and their fans, it would be enough.
Grapeland forced Overton to punt on the first drive of the third quarter, and then score, a 24-yard run by Johnson, and then a 34-13 lead midway through the third.
The Mustangs answered with a successful drive and a 2-yard scoring run by Holleman. Furlow’s point after got Overton within two touchdowns (34-20), with 1:44 left in the quarter.
The Sandies fumbled the ball right back to Overton – recovered by Gunnar Whitfield – but Overton went three-and-out, and it gave the ball back to the Sandies at Grapeland’s 41 to end the quarter.
Both teams had turnovers on downs, but Overton finally put the right combination together, and Weir scored on a 5-yard run. Furlow again was good on the point after, and Grapeland’s lead had dwindled all the way down to a touchdown, just 34-27.
Lopez, though, added a 27-yard field goal, giving the Sandies some insurance and a 10-point lead, and they were able to run out the clock.
Overton goes to Tenaha (1-4) next Saturday, Oct. 4, a 7 p.m. kickoff.