Randle returns, Rattlers roll
Navasota running back Darius Randle returned to the field and rushed for five touchdowns and 171 yards on 17 carries.
HUFFMAN- Darius Randle made an illustrious return scoring five touchdowns as the Navasota Rattlers rolled to a 41-12 win over the Bridge City Cardinals clinching a 4A-1 Region III, Bi-District championship.
Navasota (7-4) advances to take on the Midlothian Heritage Jaguars (7-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, at Waco Midway ISD Stadium.
After winning the coinflip and deferring till the second half, it didn’t take long for the Rattler offense to take the field. Navasota recovered a fumble on the opening kick.
Randle capitalized scoring his first touchdown, a 27-yard run. Miguel Alvarado tacked on the extra-point. On the ensuing kickoff the Cardinals coughed the ball up again and Navasota recovered. Navasota marched downfield but a holding call forced Navasota to attempt a field goal that missed wide left.
Navasota’s defense finally took the field and forced a Cardinal punt. Randle and the Rattlers capitalized on his second touchdown of the quarter, good for 7-yards.
“That was about a good of start as we could have hoped for,” said Navasota head coach Casey Dacus. “I’m just really proud of our players. You never know how your team is going to respond after an open week. We built a lot of momentum with the win over Wheatley and then we had the open week and I was hoping we would come out and play like we did.”
Randle scored two more touchdowns on runs of 17 and 5-yards, with a Darick Henderson 33-yard touchdown run sandwiched in between. Randle’s night returning after injury, consisted of 171 yards rushing on 17 carries, and five touchdowns. He also caught one pass for 24 yards.
The Rattlers racked up 376 yards of offense and held Bridge City to 165. Jackson Tims scored on a 54-yard touchdown reception from Colby Collins in the third quarter for the Cardinals first score.
Randle answered with a 2-yard touchdown run. “I expected to be rusty getting back on the field, but I was happy to see it take long for me to get back to my old self,” explained Randle. “Every player on our offensive line played great and even when plays get busted they work to get back in position again.”
Bridge City finishes their season with a 3-7 record.