Sam Houston makes solid showing against potent Somerset

TEAMS INCLUDED:Holy Cross, Lanier, Sam Houston.

Austin Regents receiver McCade Rice’s fourth touchdown kept the Knights (7-0, 4-0) undefeated, enabling them to hold off defending champion Holy Cross (4-3, 3-1) for a 35-28 decision Saturday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium.

It was the Holy Cross Knights’ first loss in 11 games in TAPPS District 3-II.

Rice (78 yards, 10 catches) scored the winning touchdown with 6:48 remaining in the game. Holy Cross responded quickly, as senior Greg Kelly (77 yards, 6 recptions)hauled in a 35-yard scoring pass from quarterback Cisco Flores (8 of 17, 109 yards) 48 seconds later.

However, Holy Cross wasn’t able to mount another scoring drive to win the game or send it to overtime.

Regents took a 7-0 lead with 2:46 remaining in the first quarter on a four-yard pass from Grant Brown (27 of 37, 214 yards) to Rice. Holy Cross junior Greg Scott (79 yards, 17 carries) scored on a 25-yard run before the quarter ended.

Regents scored the only touchdown of the second quarter, on a 55-yard run from Will Zudock. It gave Reents a 14-7 lead.

Kelly scored on a 25-yard run that opened the scoring in the second half, but Rice returned the ensuing kickoff 91 yards to the end zone.

Trailing 21-14, Holy Cross tied it for the last time on a 64-yard bolt from Flores (111 yards, 14 carries) with 3:18 left in the third quarter. Rice gave Regents some separation with back-to-back touchdowns, starting with a 13-yard reception with 1:01 to play in the quarter. 

Somerset 32, Sam Houston 20

Erin Mack was back and Raymonte Prime was, well, in his prime for Sam Houston (1-6, 0-1) Saturday at Wheatley Heights Sports Complex. Those factors and a couple of new weapons helped the Hurricanes challenge an explosive Somerset team led by Koy Detmer Jr.

Sam Houston took a 7-6 lead with 3:36 remaining in the first quarter on a three-yard pass from Prime (11 of 22, 220 yards) to Steven Garcia. The Bulldogs (6-1, 2-0) surged ahead 12-7 at the half when Detmer, whom the Hurricanes held under 200 yards, found Demitre Molina for a two-yard touchdown late in the second quarter.

Somerset built an 18-point lead when Justin Guerra returned the second-half kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown and Donaldo Perez (134 yards, 25 carries) scored on a 15-yard run.

Mack (129 yards, 9 carries) brought the Hurricanes back with a 90-yard run at the 5:16 mark of the third quarter. Following a Somerset touchdown, Prime passed to Khiry Darby (113 yards, 5 receptions) for a 45-yard strike.

Hurricanes senior Jvoni Badie-Jones caught three passes for 91 yards. Detmer, who had averaged 259.2 yards a game, to 156 yards. The junior, grandson of Somerset coach Sonny Detmer, completed 10 of 15 throws.

Sam Houston produced 377 total yards. The Bulldogs finished with 310.

Brennan 62, Lanier 0

Brennan (8-0, 4-0) posted its third shutout in four District 28-4A games Saturday at Gustafson Stadium. The loss ended a two-game winning streak for Lanier (2-5, 2-1).

Brennan took the lead with a pair of first-quarter touchdowns from Nathaniel Wells Jr. on runs of 64 and nine yards. Wells ran for 89 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught a pass for another. Makai Green had a game-high 150 rushing yards on eight attempts.

Neither team had its starting quarterback. Explosive Da’Shawn Key did not play for the Bears. The Voks played without Nicholas Garcia. Senior running back Steven Veliz stepped in as his replacement and threw for 34 yards.

The Bears limited Lanier back Joe Orta to 13 rushing yards. Rodrigo Garcia had a 27-yard reception. Brennan finished with 417 total yards. The Voks mustered 49 against a Bears defense that recorded its sixth shutout this year. Brennan also forced three turnovers.