Defensive scores lift Christoval over Cross Plains in playoff opener
Paul Harris
BALLINGER — The Christoval Cougars' big plays aren't just limited to their offense.
It was a pair of defensive plays — two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the second half — that carried Christoval to a 28-14 win over Cross Plains in their bidistrict playoff opener Thursday night at Bearcat Stadium in Ballinger.
Christoval's Brayden Wilcox returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter to give Christoval a 21-7 lead.
Beau Jolly then picked off a pass in the end zone and took it back 103 yards midway through the fourth quarter for a 28-7 lead that all but ended the game.
It was Jolly's second interception of the night, to go along with a touchdown catch.
"Our team all year, whether it be on offense or defense, we find a way to make a big play at the right time," Christoval head coach Casey Otho said.
Christoval improved to 10-1 and advances to play No. 4-ranked Wellington in the area round at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the Mustang Bowl in Sweetwater.
Cross Plains finished its season at 7-4.
It was the fourth meeting between the two programs in the last two seasons. Though every game has been decided by 14 points or less, Christoval won all of them, including two playoff games.
"We're 0-4, and I told Coach Otho I hope I never see him again," Cross Plains head coach Daniel Purvis said with a laugh. "I think it's always been a pretty good game."
What was remarkable about Thursday's meeting was how much it played into Cross Plains' game plan.
The Buffaloes were able to control the clock by running 55 plays, compared to 32 for Christoval.
The Buffaloes outgained the Cougars 265 to 174 in total yardage.
Christoval only had two drives in the first half, but the Cougars scored on both of them to take a 14-7 lead into halftime.
Christoval then ended two long Cross Plains' drives with the back-breaking interception returns for TDs.
Incredibly, Christoval's offense didn't touch the ball from 6:36 left in the third quarter until there was 2:15 remaining in the game — a span of 16 minutes, 21 seconds.
"We knew our best chance at stopping their offense was our offense having big, long drives and chewing up first downs and chewing up clock to keep them off the field," Purvis said. "I thought we did a really good job, but it was just a couple of big plays. If you take them away, it's a close game and maybe we're still playing. But they're a really talented group, and I know I'm tired of playing them."
Cross Plains was led by quarterback Caleb Hernandez, who had 20 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
His first score, a 1-yard TD run, capped an 11-play, 53-yard march by Cross Plains on the opening drive of the game.
Christoval answered with a 16-play, 66-yard drive that required three fourth-down conversions.
Wilcox found Jolly for a 7-yard TD pass to finish off the drive.
Jolly's first interception of the night — on a diving catch — then set up Christoval for a 30-yard touchdown run by Wilcox with 2:03 left in the second quarter for a 14-7 lead.
"We just come out and do what we're coached to do, and then we come out and do it again the next week," Jolly said.
Wilcox, who finished with 109 rushing yards, leads a Christoval offense that averaged nearly 40 points per game during the regular season.
Yet it was his interception return with 3:14 left in the third quarter that changed the direction of this game more than anything else.
Cross Plains had just stuffed Wilcox on a fourth-down play at the 13-yard line, and the Buffaloes drove 48 yards to the Christoval 39, threatening to tie the game.
That's when Wilcox picked off a pass and took it 62 yards for a TD.
Cross Plains' next drive covered 71 yards in 13 plays before Jolly's 103-yard interception return.
To the Buffaloes' credit, they responded with another long drive that covered 68 yards in 13 plays, punctuated by Hernandez's 4-yard TD run with 2:15 remaining.
Christoval will now set its sights on Wellington in a matchup of 10-1 teams. The Cougars were overwhelmed 70-6 by the Skyrockets in the second round of the playoffs last year.
"I feel confident that our team will be ready to play," Otho said. "Wellington is a good football team. They have a new coach this year, so we have no idea what they're going to do offensively or defensively.
"We're going to get ready, get prepared and go get another shot at them."
What this game means: This was a Class 2A Division II bidistrict playoff game between Christoval, the second-place finisher from District 8, and Cross Plains, the third-place team from District 7. Christoval advances to the area round to play Wellington, which defeated Electra 56-12 on Thursday.
Players of the game: Christoval's Beau Jolly had two interceptions, including one that was returned 103 yards for a TD. Brayden Wilcox ran for 109 yards and a TD, threw a TD pass to Jolly, and returned an interception 62 yards for a TD.
Christoval head coach Casey Otho on Cross Plains: "They have a great team. They lost three games this year. We beat them, and they lost to Albany, a Top 10 team, and Hamlin, another Top 10 team. It's just one of those things. We just keep matching up like that. Coach Purvis is a good friend of mine, and they have a great program over there."
Notable stats: The game featured no punts and a combined three penalties for 35 yards. Christoval's offense went 16 minutes, 21 seconds, between drives in the second half thanks to a pair of interception returns for touchdowns that ended long Cross Plains' drives.
Christoval 28, Cross Plains 14
Cross Plains 7 0 0 7 — 14
Christoval 0 14 7 7 — 28
First Quarter
CP — Caleb Hernandez 1 run (Keegan Tillery kick), 5:15 remaining
Second Quarter
CHR — Beau Jolly 7 pass from Brayden Wilcox (Brendon Wilcox kick), 7:55
CHR — Brayden Wilcox 30 run (Brendon Wilcox kick), 2:03
Third Quarter
CHR — Brayden Wilcox 62 interception return (Brendon Wilcox kick), 3:14
Fourth Quarter
CHR — Jolly 103 interception return (Brendon Wilcox kick), 7:23
CP — Hernandez 4 run (Tillery kick), 2:15
CP Christoval
First downs 18 11
Rushing-yards 43-203 25-146
Passing 65 28
Comp-att-int 6-12-3 6-7-0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Punts-avg 0-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 2-20 1-15
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Cross Plains: Corey Proctor 5-9, Caleb Hernandez 20-102, Ryan Reed 4-7, Cason Allen 8-46, Casen Conlee 7-39; Christoval: Josh Fava 14-29, Aiden Barron 1-8, Brayden Wilcox 10-109.
PASSING — Cross Plains: Hernandez 6-12-3 for 65 yards; Christoval: Kyle Loehman 2-2-0 for 13 yards; Wilcox 4-5-0 for 15 yards.
RECEIVING — Cross Plains: Proctor 3-38, Conlee 3-27; Christoval: Ketcher Joiner 2-13, Fava 1-7, Beau Jolly 1-7, Apiatan Salinas 1-2, Riley Workman 1-(-1).