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Texas City’s late score dooms Yellowjackets
Published September 5, 2009
ALVIN — The Alvin Yellowjackets had plenty of big plays Friday night in a game full of them at Memorial Stadium, but the Texas Stingarees came through with the final and decisive score.
Alvin took a three-point lead with less than three minutes remaining. However, Texas City reached the end zone on a 13-yard pass with only 16 seconds left on the clock to rally for a 28-24 nondistrict win.
“Whoever had the ball last, it looked like they were going to win that game,” Alvin head coach Jeff Dungen said. “We might have scored too quick there at the end, but I’ll put the game on my defense any time.”
Alvin (0-2) tied the game at 14 in the second quarter thanks to a big first half from senior quarterback Dustin Moehlig and senior receiver Joe Ramirez. The pair connected on touchdown passes of 45 and 41 yards to counter a punishing ground attack from Texas City (1-1).
The Yellowjackets gained 210 yards in the first half, and 199 yards came on four plays.
Alvin took their first lead in the game with 7:23 to play on a 25-yard field goal from senior Jonathan Jauregui that made it 17-14.
That drive was set up after Alvin stopped the Stings on the Yellowjacket 11-yard line when senior linebacker Bob Brown stripped Texas City quarterback Ryan Harper and the ball was recovered by Matt White.
Alvin converted a pair of fourth downs on the 18-play, 81-yard drive, including a fake punt at the Texas City 43.
“We were fighting for it and doing our best,” Dungen said. “We were pulling out all the stops. We weren’t going to leave anything in the basket.”
The Stings went ahead with 3:21 left in the game on a 20-yard run by senior tailback Justin Branch, who finished with 276 rushing yards on 34 carries and three touchdowns.
But the Yellowjackets bounced back. Alvin found the end zone after three plays, taking a 21-24 lead when Bryce Jackson scored on a 35-yard run.
Texas City was able to sustain the final drive of the night. The Stings moved downfield and converted a key 4th-and-1 from their own 30 when Branch broke away on a 39-yard run.
With time running out, Harper found tight end Andrew Gutierrez in the corner of the end zone on a 13-yard pass with 16 seconds to play.
“I’m as proud as I can be,” Dungen said. “I told the team, ‘One inch one way or one inch the other way and we win that football game.’ We came so close to knocking the ball down. It went right through my guy’s hands. But that’s football on a Friday night in the great state of Texas.”
Moehlig was 9-for-28 passing for 153 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He ran 14 times for 143 yards.
Jackson finished with 16 carries for 127 yards with a score, and Ramirez caught six balls for 138 yards with two touchdowns.
“Just that expressiveness we have,” Dungen said. “It brings a smile to my face even though we lost.”
Alvin plays again 7 p.m. Friday at South Houston.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: (AL) Moehlig 14-143, Jackson 16-127 1TD; (TC) Branch 34-276 3 TDs.
Passing: (AL) Moehlig 9-28-1 for 153 yards, 2 TDs; (TC) Harper 5-12-1 for 46 yards, 1TD.
Receiving: (AL) Joe Ramirez 6-138 2 TDs; (TC) Rice 2-27.
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