Rattlers ready for war
Navasota lineman Douglas Franklin works to stave off a Bulldog defender in the Rattlers 28-20 homecoming loss to #5 Yoakum. Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra
Rattler quarterback Ja’mar Jessie is stopped just shy of the goal line late in the fourth quarter against the Yoakum Bulldogs. The 28-20 loss was the final non-district tune-up for Navasota. Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra
Navasota was battle tested in non-district and are confident heading into the war despite a 28-20 homecoming loss to the #5 Yoakum Bulldogs.
The Rattlers have faced three top-10 teams in non-district. “I honestly feel a lot better tonight than I did a week ago,” said Navasota Head Coach Casey Dacus following the loss. “A week ago, I felt like we were just sloppy, didn’t play well and really never gave ourselves a chance when we played Huffman. This week I felt like we were in the game.”
Trailing 28-20 with a little over four minutes remaining in the game, the Rattlers threatened deep inside Bulldog territory but were unable to punch it in and turned the ball over on downs. “They [Yoakum] overloads everything and they dare you to throw it,” explained Dacus. “Of course, if you can’t get open right away then you are going to be under pressure. They made a play and they stopped us. That is all you can ask is to have a chance to win it in the end against a top-10 team.”
The Bulldogs unleashed early in the opening quarter blocking a Rattler punt at tempt. Jayden Jones capitalized with a 3-yard run.
Navasota answered on a pair of huge scores, the first a 24-yard keeper by Ja’mar Jessie on a read-option play. Juan Vargas booted in the point-after to tie the game 7-7. Kadden Hubbard scored on a flip-pass that went 73 yards.
In the second quarter Jayden Jones scored two more rushing touchdowns good for 66 and 7 yards. Christopher Chavez converted both extra-point attempts.
Jessie scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, but an extra-point attempt that hit the uprights was the difference heading into halftime, Yoakum maintained a 21-20 lead. Jessie was 10-of-27 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown and rushed 26 times for 191 yards and two scores.
Deja Thomas was crowned Navasota Homecoming Queen during halftime. But after that it was all Yoakum.
The Bulldogs scored quickly in the third quarter on a Cavan Smith 2-yard run that finalized the score 21-20.
The Rattlers have an open week before beginning District 13-4A Division 2 play hosting the Smithville Tigers Friday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m.