Bobcats Win Slips Away in Final Seconds

SAN ANGELO -- The San Angelo Central Bobcats fell short in a thriller against the Cedar Park Timberwolves Friday night at San Angelo Stadium. 

On the opening kick-off, Central bobbled the ball in their own endzone. This led to bad field position which ultimately resulted in a three and out. 

The Timberwolves came out throwing the rock. Cedar Park’s QB Ryder Hernandez went two out the three passes he threw for 39 yards and a touchdown. Timberwolves scored first 7-0. 

Central then put together a long 75-yard drive. They pounded the ball down the field and had to go for it on near the thirty yard line. Malachi Brown finally found Kris Jackson for a six yard touchdown. Central tied the ball game a little under five minutes left in the first quarter. 

The bobcats momentum continued to roll into their defense. The first play a swarm of bobcats made a tackle for loss that set the tone of the drive. The Timberwolves were forced to punt without even moving the chains. 

The Bobcat’s Stars put in on the Wolves in their nest drive. The six play 60 yard drive ended quickly after Brown found his number one WR Tanner Dabbert for a 34-yard touchdown. 

Central then kicked off and led to end the quarter 14-7. 

To start the quarter the Bobcat defense showed incredible toughness. A huge 70 plus yard pass play by the Wolves set them up for what looked like a touchdown. Three plays later the bobcats forced them to go for it on first and one. They bobcats prevailed and got the turnover with 11 minutes left in the second quarter. 

Although they got the stop on defense, the Bobcats went three and out. The referee’s did have to measure the spot on the last play but it did not help. 

The Bobcat punt team had a tough time stopping the wolves’ speed. Cedar Park’s Jonathan Stockwell had a long forty yard return that had the wolves starting at the 28-yard line. 

Stockwell took his special teams performance to the next drive by getting the ball multiple times and capping off the drive with a 14-yard touchdown. This tied the game up at 14 a piece. 

Central took over the ball near the 20-yard line on the next drive. They were able to pick up one first down on the drive after Brown found Dabbert for a 12-yard catch. The Bobcats later took a shot on third down but Dabbert could not catch it through double coverage. 

The next Bobcat punt seemed the same as the last. This time though it was Cedar Park’s Tammer Alzer who took the punt for 65 yards down the field. Cedar Park’s Hernandez threw a touchdown Preston Scott but a holding call brought it back. The next play he threw it to 34 Hervey for a 22-yard touchdown. Wolves led at this point 21-14. 

Brown threw his first interception on the first of the game on the first play of the drive to Caden Combs. Luckily the Bobcat defense showed up and forced Cedar Park to attempt a 30-yard field goal. They missed their chance for three and Bobcats took over in decent field position. Dabbert and Brown were cooking on the final drive of the half for the Bobcats. They hooked up for 35 yards on the drive and got themselves into scoring position with only seconds left in the first half. After a fumbled snap and an incomplete shot at the end zone, the Bobcats were not able to score. They did try a field goal but was unsuccessful. 

At the end of the first half the Central Bobcats trailed the Cedar Park Timberwolves 21-14. 

The Bobcats started the second half by kicking off the ball.

Starting with the ball on the 25-yard line, Hernandez threw three big pass play which landed them on the Bobcats 39-yard line. Bobcats caused a fumble while hitting the quarterback and sophomore Ty Casey picked it up on the 41. 

Brown came out trying to make a big play on the first down and then the second down looked for more down the field. This throw was intercepted by Cedar Park’s  Alzer. 

This drive looked as if it would put the Bobcats in a very deep whole but when they got in the redzone things changed. The Timberwolves were forced to go for it twice on fourth down. The second time Bobcat Defensive end Anthony Gonzales got a huge fourth down sack. 

The following drive started with a major set back aka a 15-yard facemask on first down. This started them at first and 25 on the 15-yard line. Bobcats were forced to punt. 

Bobcats defense forced a three and out  after a short run and two incomplete passes. 

The punt and a facemask penalty forced Brown and offense to start at their own four yard line. 

After a first down run by Brown, the left tackle for the Bobcats had two false starts in a row. Brown then ran the ball back to the original line of scrimmage. Then Cedar Park messed up and got a passing interference on third down to give the Bobcats the first and another chance. 

On first down Brown was hit while he was throwing the football and nearly threw his third interception. Two incompletions later and the Bobcats had to punt. 

Cedar park took the punt to the Bobcats 49-yard line. They had a five yard gain on a first down pass but then two incompletions including a wide open drop made them punt back to Central. Cedar Park tried to fake the punt and their punter ran it close to the first down marker but didn’t get it. 

Dabbert started the drive with a catch and then the quarter ended. Central trailed 21-14. 

Central started the fourth quarter with a false start and two incompletions. Bobcats then faked the punt! Dabbert took it all the way into the Wolves 35-yard line. 

On all three plays after the fake punt, the Bobcats took shots to the end zone but both were incomplete. They were forced to go for it on fourth and Brown found Dabbert for a huge first down which put them in the red zone. 

Brown then ran the ball to the four yard line and then another run into the endzone. Central tied up the ball game with 10:37 left in the game 21-21. 

The Timberwolves started with the ball on their 20-yard line. The first play looked like a gain for the wolves but a late flag for holding set them back ten yards. Hernandez then used first down to get back to where they started. A pressure by the Bobcat D-Line caused an incompletion and a third down. On third down, Hernandez tried to run it but wasn’t open and Cedar Park was forced to punt. 

Junior Running Back Ashton Hartsfield picked up a huge 14 yard gain on first down to get them near midfield. They were not able to build off this run and punted the ball to the Wolves. They started on their 15-yard line. 

Xy’Kerion Paulk got his first sack of the game on this first down. It forced the Wolves down at the four yard line. Three plays later and Cedar Park was forced to punt again. 

Brown started with the ball near the forty but ran it into enemy territory on the first play. Play two Brown barrelled his way through the defense which made it second and short. Then Brown found Christian Gabaldon for a huge 22-yard gain which put them in the red zone. 

Brown completed a huge 15-yard play to Jackson who then ran it in on the next play to give the Bobcats the lead. Central took the lead 28-21. 

After a long kickoff return by the Timberwolves, they could not get things going. The Central Defense continued to pressure at the line as well as play tight coverage everywhere else. The Bobcats started with the ball with 3:56 left in the game. 

This is when the wind left the Timberwolves sails. Brown easily took the ball to their 45-yard line and slid down to keep the clock running. 

Brown then seemed to  put the nail in the coffin by running the ball 39 yards into the endzone on third down. There was only 2:14 left in the game. 

This is when the doomsday clock began ticking for the Bobcats 

Hernandez carved up the Bobcat defense on this drive. He had 54 yards passing on the drive and ended with a 17 yard rushing touchdown to squeeze the lead to one possession. 

They then kicked the onside and recovered it with 51 seconds left in the game. 

The first play of the final drive was right on the money and Hernandez moved the chains for the Timberwolves. 

The next three plays were incompletions which made it fourth and 10. On fourth down despite heavy pressure, Hernandez found a receiver for a 13 yard gain. Two plays later Hernanez found Josh Cameron for the tying touchdown. 

The score at the end of regulation was 35-35. 

Central received the ball first in over time but it didn’t last long. Brown fumbled on the second play of the drive and Cedar Park recovered it. 

The Timberwolves took over on the 40-yard line after an unsportsmanlike flag. The central defense forced a fourth down and then a false start had Cedar park at 4th and nine. 

Hernandez found Cameron again and this time it put the Wolves in scoring position. 

On the next play, Cedar Park handed it to their big fullback Brock Johnson put the final score on the board. 

Central loses in Overtime 41-35. 

Cedar Park had 429 of total offense. 355 yards in the air and 74 on the ground. 

Central had 473 yards of total offense. 238 in the air and 235 on the ground. 

Hernandez was 23 for 42, 355 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 38 yards on the ground and a touchdown. 

Brown was 27 for 44, 238 yards, two interceptions, and two touchdowns. He also had 139 yards on the ground, one fumble, and two touchdowns. 

Jackson had 69 yards and one touchdown. 

Dabbert had 9 catches, 117 yards, and one touchdown.