Rattlers trail early again in loss
Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra Iowa Colony quarterback Carson White releases the football just before Navasota’s Matthew Sosa is able to corral him for a sack. The Pioneers won the Oct. 13, matchup at Rattler Stadium, 37-21. Sosa had a sack, three quarterback pressures, two tackles and graded highest on the offensive line.
Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra Artavian Rutherford rushes for a huge gain in the Rattlers loss at home to Iowa Colony. Rutherford had a rushing touchdowns and 120 all-purpose yards.
Examiner photo by Matthew Ybarra Navasota quarterback Hudson Minor runs for a big gain against Iowa Colony. The senior started at quarterback this week with the absence of Javyn Jessie. He had a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown in the 37-21 loss.
For consecutive weeks, the Navasota Rattlers dug themselves a hole they were unable to climb out of. This week Navasota fell behind three scores in a 37-21 loss to the sixth ranked Iowa Colony Pioneers.
“We have to start games better and we have to do a better job of not getting behind and having to force our way back out of it,” said Navasota Head Coach Casey Dacus. “A couple weeks now against top-10 football teams we fell behind. We talk about it all the time that it is hard to beat those teams when you dig yourself a hole.”
The loss drops the Rattlers to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in District 12-4A. Navasota has a road game against Stafford Friday, Oct. 20, and host the Brazosport Exporters Oct. 27, for Navasota’s final district game. The Rattlers must win the final two games to have a chance of advancing to the playoffs.
Iowa Colony (7-0, 3-0) jumped out to a 21-0 lead over Navasota, beginning with the first drive of the game. The Pioneers drove 75 yards capped by a 36-yard touchdown pass. Navasota tossed an interception on the ensuing drive and the Pioneers capitalized with another passing touchdown, this one good for 29 yards with 8:30 remaining in the opening quarter. Iowa Colony’s final score of the opening quarter was a 46-yard run.
Navasota scored its first points of the game came with five seconds remaining in the first quarter on a 14-yard run by Artavian Rutherford. Juan Vargas booted in the extra point. The Pioneer lead was trimmed to single digits with 40 seconds remaining in the half on a determined run by quarterback Hudson Minor. He stretched across the goal line while grasped by Pioneer defenders. Vargas completed the point after.
The comeback seemed evitable with the Rattlers receiving the second half kickoff, but the drive came up empty with a field goal attempt that was just outside of the left goal post. Iowa Colony answered with their own drive and tacked on three with a 24-yard field goal.
Navasota trailed 24-14 after three quarters. Cameron Ross hauled in a 14-yard touchdown reception from Minor to pull within three, with 9:30 remaining. The Pioneers extended the lead back to 10 on a 7-yard run. Scoring was capped, 37-21, with 2:08 remaining on an 18-yard quarterback keeper by Carson White.
“I’m proud of our guys because we competed, we fought,” said Dacus. “We were dinged up tonight, missing some key guys. I thought the guys that played tonight did a really good job and there were no excuses made. We just didn’t get it done. It’s not the result we wanted or desired, but we will come back starting tomorrow, put this one behind us, and get to the next one.”
After trailing to #9 Needville 14-0 last week, the Rattlers battled back in a shootout that fell short. “One thing that I have known but it is being reaffi rmed to me is that our dudes will fight. They’ll compete and they’ll stand in there and get after it,” stated Dacus. “I thought we did that tonight.”
Dacus said it is really easy to get disheartened when things aren’t going your way, but he credits his team for continuing to fight.”
The kickoff between Navasota and Stafford (43, 1-2) is slated for 7 p.m. Navasota will have a bye the final week of district play, Nov. 3.