Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Another haunting defeat for Refugio

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Monday, December 13, 1999

Another haunting defeat for Refugio
Like previous playoff exits, Bobcats' loss a tale of missed opportunities
By George Vondracek
Caller-Times

George Tuley/Caller-Times

Refugio cheerleaders (from left) Erin Sullivan, Kristen Lewis and Kim Gallagher console each other following the Bobcats' loss Saturday.

HOUSTON - When a team advances as deep and as often into the football playoffs as Refugio High School does, memories of previous trips become clear. For the Bobcats, unfortunately, those recollections also revive some painful thoughts.
   Refugio's 14-13 loss to Elysian Fields in Saturday's Class 2A Division II semifinals at the Astrodome was the third straight to a speedy Region III team from East Texas. None of the losses have been by more than seven points. But none of them sting any less than the one-point loss to the Leopards.
   "It's just real hard. It's just real hard,'' said junior Refugio linebacker-tight end Matt McKinney, whose older brothers Will and Burl played for the Bobcats and also suffered through some tough setbacks.
   Standing in the seemingly endless walkway inside the Astrodome while stadium workers were shutting down the facility Saturday night, a glum McKinney's thoughts went back to 1995, when the Bobcats lost to Alto, 14-7.
   "The last time we played here I was a manager, when Will was a junior,'' said McKinney, whose first-quarter interception helped set up Alex Boyd's 30-yard scoring run and a 7-0 Refugio lead. "It hurt then and this one hurts even more. We just didn't have it.''
   The difference Saturday was a missed point-after kick, but it wasn't the whole tale. As in the previous four times the Bobcats reached the semfinals, they "had it'' enough to make a game of things, save for a few key incidents:
   Bittersweet memories

In 1982, Kent Harris, son of current Refugio coach George Harris, threw three first-half touchdowns and Refugio beat Navasota, 28-0, in the semis en route to its second state championship the next week, 22-21 over Littlefield. That was the pinncale, as the Bobcats' ensuing semifinal appearances haven't been as enjoyable for them.

In 1987, with an offense and defense perhaps as potent as this year's club, Refugio battled to a scoreless tie with Groveton, but advanced on penetrations, 5-2. It was a pyrrhic victory, however. Talented running back-defensive back Willie Mack Garza suffered a leg injury and lineman-place-kicker Frank Upton cracked a vertebrae in his neck. Garza's impact was limited in the championship game. Upton, in a halo brace, never played again. His kicking ability was missed when the Bobcats failed on a field-goal attempt that could have won the game in the foruth quarter. Refugio lost, 8-7, to Lorena.

A year later, when the Refugio coaching staff thought there was but a yard to gain for a first down, came up a yard shy on a fourth-and-3 play. Corrigan-Camden escaped with a 23-17 win.

Against Alto, with the game tied, the Astrodome scoreboard incorrectly showed Refugio trailing in first downs, but correctly ahead in penetrations. The Bobcats attempted a pass deep in Alto territory to even the count. But the pass was intercepted and returned for a TD and Alto won, 14-7.
   "They've all been close but we haven't been able to get over the hump,'' George Harris said. "We couldn't again, not with the fumble and the dropped pass.''
   Missed opportunities
   The 13-2 Bobcats scored the first two times they had the ball Saturday - Boyd's 30-yarder and a a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Zack Edwards that followed a fumble recovery by Artemio Hernandez. They had success running the ball with fullback Trey Williamson, who led the Bobcats with 130 yards on 24 carries.
   In the second half, despite outgaining the Leopards, 209-131, Refugio misfired on offense.
   Opening the third quarter Saturday night, Refugio drove to Eylsian Fields' 43. End Pete Villarreal barely missed catching a pass from quarterback Zack Edwards near the goal line. He appeared to have caught it, but it fell to the artificial surface. But the Leopards were penalized for pass interference and the Bobcats retained possession at the EF 28. The moved to the 9, but Edwards and Williamson collided on a handoff, fumbled and the Leopards' Drew Mishler recovered.
   Refugio would twice more drive to the EF 22 only to come away short on two fourth-down runs.
   Meanwhile, the 14-1 Leopards' Chris Harris was quietly proving why he is the defending 2A offensive MVP. Also the state's defending 200-meter champ, Harris peeled off runs of 41 and 40 yards in the fourth quarter. He finished with 198 yards on 23 carries. Refugio's Chris Tilley made touchdown-saving tackles on both of the long runs.
   Following the 41-yard run, however, EF quarterback Josh Tiller errantly tossed a pitchout where no one was on a busted play. Jeremy Grant recovered the errant pitch at the Bobcats' 43. Had Refugio mustered a drive to sap a good part of the 7 minutes, 4 seconds that remained, the Bobcats could have been on the way to their fourth state championship game.
   Refugio didn't. The Leopards took over with 4:53 to play on their 22 and methodically drove the 78 yards for the score. After four straight sneaks by Tiller - the first was a 6-yarder that gave EF a first down at the Refugio 4 - Harris was hit low by McKinney near the line but had enough momentum to get into the end zone with 44 seconds remaining. Sean Struwe's point-after kick provided the victory margin.
   Close again
   Refugio had burned two timeouts in the third quarter on the two drives to the 20. The final one was called in the fourth quarter when the Bobcats didn't have enough players on the field for a punt from midfield. With no timeouts after Harris' score, Refugio had 38 seconds to work with after the kickoff. Javon Manning picked off Edwards' pass on the first play after the score and Elysian Fields ran off the remaining time.
   "We were just trying to find something that worked,'' said Elysian Fields coach Chad Morris, whose Leopards will face Celina in a rematch for the Division II championship. "We were beggin', scratchin', clawin' to find something.''
   Elysian Fields found enough for a one-point victory.
   "A close game,'' Williamson said, "is the hardest game.''
   A NOTEBOOK: Chris Harris' TD run, a half-dive and half-lean into the end zone, after four straight sneaks by Tiller didn't come as a surprise to McKinney. ''We knew they were going to run the quarterback sneak. I was just hoping he (Harris) was going to jump in the air. I just didn't have a clean shot at him,'' McKinney said. ''I don't know if I'll be able to forget that play. It'll probably stick with me a while. ... Refugio defensive back Ray King spent the night in a Houston hospital after sustaining a concussion. He was released Sunday morning. ... Refugio probably didn't need to call its final timeout of the game when it had trouble getting its punt team on the field. A 5-yard penalty for delay of game would have moved the ball back to the 45, still decent position from which to punt. ''We had a guy that didn't go in on the punt,'' George Harris said. ''We had to call timeout to get the guy in there. Even if we would have had it (the third timeout), it'd have been a long way to go.'' After EF scored, Refugio had the ball on its 33 with 38 seconds left.

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