Game 5

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 BGCOLOR="#336600" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="066005f0dwnplj.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>GOBBLER SPORTS</B></FONT><B>   |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GOBBLER SPORTS"><U><B>home</B></U></A>   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 1"><U>Game 1</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 2"><U>Game 2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 3"><U>Game 3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 4"><U>Game 4</U></A>   |   <B>Game 5</B>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 6"><U>Game 6</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 7"><U>Game 7</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 8"><U>Game 8</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 9"><U>Game 9</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 10"><U>Game 10</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 11"><U>Game 11</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 12"><U>Game 12</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 13"><U>Game 13</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id82.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Game 14"><U>Game 14</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>District Scores</B></div> <div> <B>Cuero 21\ Rockport 19</B></div> <div> <B>Yoakum 26\ West Oso 0</B></div> <div> <B>Gonzales 6 \ Lockhart 0</B></div> <div> <B>Halletsville 62 \ Wiemer 12</B></div> <div> <B>Goliad 13 \ George West 6</B></div> <div> <B>Luling 54\ Marion 0</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Game 5</div> <bR> <div> <B>9/12/03</B></div> <div> <B>Pirate Stadium</B></div> <div>    Hot and muggy, no coastal breeze blowin', the Gobblers were ready to </div> <div> sink them a pirate ship. The Gobblers took the opening drive and scored.</div> <div> Zach punched in for the first score. After a three and out the Gobbler Defense</div> <div> was pretty much in control. The offense moved the ball down again and Zach </div> <div> was able to get in the end zone again! The Special team effort was great and </div> <div> kept the Pirates deep in their side of the field most of the night. The pirates </div> <div> maybe had 4 big plays, two handed them scores. I didn't see any jitters tonight.</div> <div> The Gobblers bounced back very well. The Gobbler backfield of Dewone, Zach,</div> <div> Larvell, Latrael, and Josh kept the Pirates guessing all night. Kuecker has been</div> <div> on the mark with extra points. </div> <div> This week the Tigers are back in town. Let's go Gobblers, we Beat 'em there, let's </div> <div> strip them stripes off Friday. I believe that a little more spirit is to be expected.</div> <div> It is time to get in gear and bring our level up about 10 more notches, make Sealy</div> <div> remember where they played this week.</div> <div> Great game GOBBLERS.</div> <div> "Go Mean Green"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><B>Cuero edges R-F</B> </div> <div> <B>The Victoria Advocate -</B></div> <div> <B>Saturday, September 13th, 2003</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> ROCKPORT - Latrell Cooper's 24-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter lifted the Cuero Gobblers to a 21-19 victory over the Rockport-Fulton Pirates. </div> <div> Using a strong running game, the Gobblers (0-2) opened up a 14-0 lead behind TD runs of 1 and 8 yards from Zach Gomez in the first quarter. Gomez finished with 89 of the Gobblers' 296 yards rushing. </div> <div> The Pirates (2-0) began chipping away at the Gobblers' lead in the second quarter when Ryan Haun hooked up with David McKnight on a 60-yard TD pass. </div> <div> McKnight and Huan connected again in the third on a 49-yard strike, but the two-point conversion effort failed and the Gobbler held a 14-12 advantage. </div> <div> The Pirates took the lead on an 18-yard run by Tristen Hebert and a Blake McMann extra point.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Cuero wins two-point squeaker, Pirates drop to 1-1 </B></div> <div> <B>By MIKE PROBST, </B><I><B>Editor & Publisher</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>The Rockport Pilot</B></I></div> <bR> <div> The Pirates varsity football team dropped to 1-1 on the young season with a heartbreaking 19-21 loss Friday to 3A Cuero at Pirate stadium. </div> <div> "It wasn't one of our better efforts," said Co-defensive Coordinator Bootsie Larsen. "The offense wasn't sharp, the defense wasn't sharp and the kicking game wasn't good. It was a team loss. We didn't play well enough to win." </div> <bR> <div> Head Coach Johnnie Mac Hollinger is out of town on a family emergency until at least today and could not be contacted for this story. </div> <div> The Gobblers scored on their first two possessions and held the Pirates' wishbone offense to only three plays in the first quarter to take a 14-0 lead. </div> <div> Cuero took the opening kickoff and marched 73 yards in 12 plays for its first score. The Gobblers' one-yard plunge with 6:56 left in the first quarter gave them a 6-0 lead. The extra point, which would later prove to be critical, was good, giving the visitors the early 7-0 lead. </div> <div> The Pirates picked up four yards in three plays before being forced to punt. </div> <div> Cuero mounted another drive, this time marching 61 yards in 15 plays, scoring on a 10-yard run with 11:13 left in the half. The extra point made the score 14-0. </div> <div> RFHS scored on its first of two long passes on its next possession. </div> <div> David McKnight had a good return on the kickoff, but fumbled. Tommy Pham jumped on the loose pigskin to preserve the return. </div> <bR> <div> A.J. Naranjo picked up a quick three yards to the Pirate 40 before Ryan Haun hit McKnight streaking down the middle of the field for a 60-yard touchdown. McKnight ran untouched into the endzone. </div> <div> Blake McMahon missed the extra point, leaving Cuero up 14-6 with 10:07 left in the half. </div> <div> The missed extra point and a failed two-point conversion on the Pirates' next score would prove to be the difference on the scoreboard. </div> <div> The Pirates' defense rose to the occasion, shutting down the Cuero offensive machine on the Gobblers' next possession. </div> <div> RFHS set up shop at its own 29 following a short punt return by McKnight. After an initial first down, David Lowell gained 22 yards on a reverse to give the Pirates a new set of downs at the Cuero 38. </div> <div> Then disaster struck. </div> <div> Haun was sacked twice for 25 yards in losses and a false start set the Pirates back another 5 yards. </div> <div> Facing fourth-and-39, only five yards ahead of where the drive initially started, Dylan Conway was called in to punt. His punt covered 22 yards, giving the Gobblers excellent field position near midfield. </div> <div> The Gobblers tried to slam the door on the home team, but a 30 yard run to inside the Pirate 20 was nullified on a holding penalty. </div> <div> Cuero was forced to punt two plays later. </div> <div> After three plays RFHS followed suit. </div> <div> Nick Johnson gave the Pirates one last chance before the half when he intercepted a Gobbler pass with 16 ticks left in second quarter. </div> <div> The Pirates closed out the half with a one-yard run by Randall Nesloney and two incomplete passes. </div> <div> The Pirates entered the locker room at intermission knowing they were lucky to only be down by eight points. </div> <div> "It's hard to make adjustments during the game because it's hard to get everyone together (since many of the players play offense and defense)," said Larsen. "We made adjustments at halftime and played better in the second half." </div> <div> Neither team mustered much offense in the third quarter. Junior Quarterback Ben Setterbo, subbing for Haun after the quarterback sustained a minor injury, led RFHS on a drive inside Cuero territory, but had his aerial picked off at the Gobbler 13 to end the Pirates' scoring threat. </div> <div> The score remained 14-6 in favor of Cuero entering the fourth quarter. </div> <div> RFHS scored on its first possession in the fourth. </div> <div> Starting at the Pirate 27, Tristan Hebert picked up six yards, followed by a seven-yard pickup by Haun. Hebert and Micah "Sophie" Letts combined for 10 yards to add another first down. </div> <div> With the ball resting on the 50, Haun again hit McKnight with another perfect pass down the middle of the field for another score. </div> <div> Trailing 12-14, RFHS attempted a two-point conversion. However, Haun fumbled the snap from center, recovered the loose ball, and then fell to the turf after tripping over one of his linemen. </div> <div> With 8:18 remaining Cuero retained its two-point lead. </div> <div> The Gobblers scored on their next possession, driving 61 yards in 10 plays and scoring on a 25-yard run. </div> <div> The extra point gave Cuero a 21-12 lead with a little more than three minutes remaining. </div> <div> Haun returned the ensuing kickoff to the Pirate 41. </div> <div> Naranjo picked up nine yards to midfield. Haun then hit Lowell for 35 yards to the Cuero 19. Hebert covered the final 19 on the next play with a bruising run up the middle of the Gobbler defense. </div> <div> McMahon's extra point with 2:47 to play proved to be the final points of the game, pulling the Pirates within two, 19-21. </div> <div> The Pirates' defense couldn't stop the Gobblers. Cuero picked up two first downs to run out the clock. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Gobblers outlast Pirates, take first win with Coach Reeve </B></div> <div> <B>9/17/03</B></div> <div> <B>Cuero Record</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>by Glenn Rea </B></div> <div> <B>Record Editor - </B>What a difference a week makes. After taking it on the nose against Rice in their first game, Cuero’s Gobblers had a much different look Friday in Rockport. </div> <div> Gaining almost 300 yards on the ground, Cuero battered the 4A Pirates to take their first win of the season 21-19. </div> <div> Gobbler Head Coach Mark Reeve kept his running backs busy throughout the contest pounding out 44 rushing plays. Cuero had 14 first downs, several coming on key third and long efforts. </div> <div> The Gobblers set the tone for the night from the start as tailback Zach Gomez collected a first down on a third-and-five try moving Cuero into Pirate territory. Cuero’s drive was kept alive following a Gobbler fumble recovered by tackle Jeremy Spencer at Rockport’s 32. </div> <div> Larvell Roy added a first down in the drive followed by quarterback Matt Schumacher’s push for a first to the Pirate 12. Dewonne Williams fought his way to the 7 yard-line and Schumacher added a couple more. Roy and Gomez inched the team forward to the Rockport 1 and it was Gomez who finished the distance for Cuero’s first touchdown of the night. </div> <div> Brandon Kuecker split the uprights with his point-after kick and Cuero was on top 7-0 using up five minutes on the drive. </div> <div> Cuero’s defense looked just as determined as the offense when they took the field for the first time. Aaron Saenz, Brady Urbanovsky and Dakota Williams allowed only two yards on the Pirates’ first play. Pressure by Larvell Roy on the Rockport QB resulted in a incomplete pass on the second down. </div> <div> Matt Rauch, Williams and Justin Robinson gave up short yardage on third down forcing the Pirates to punt from their own 31. </div> <div> Cuero’s Nick Taylor returned the kick to the Gobbler 40 and Latreal Cooper shot up the left side for a quick five yards on first down. Schumacher called Cooper’s number two more times and suddenly the Gobblers were knocking at the Pirate 42. </div> <div> After stalling for a couple of downs, Taylor woke his team up with a pass reception from Schumacher on a 3rd-and-11 play to get to Rockport’s 27. A Gobbler penalty moved Cuero back five yards but fullback Josh Guajardo bullied his down the right side to the 18-yardline. </div> <div> Cooper moved the team to the 9-yardline but it was Gomez that got the final call. He bounced off a Pirate defender and fought his way across the goal-line for a hard-earned six points. Again Kuecker’s kick was good and the Gobblers took a 14-0 lead with 11-minutes left in the first half. </div> <div> Rockport stunned the visitors after taking the kick-off and tossing a perfect 60-yard scoring pass on their second play from scrimmage. With 10-minutes left in the half, the extra point try failed and the score was 14-6. </div> <div> Both team defenses dominated the remainder of the first half but it was Cuero that had the Pirates facing a 4th-and-30 at one point. Rauch and Saenz both had QB sacks resulting in big losses for Rockport. </div> <div> Both teams enjoyed strong defensive efforts throughout most of the third quarter. But with about two-minutes remaining before the final period, Nick Taylor grabbed an interception at the Gobbler 13 to spoil Rockport’s hope of another long-pass play. </div> <div> Still, on their next possession the Pirates made good on the long pass threat finding a receiver all alone at midfield. Dekota Williams sacked the quarterback to end a try for two points. With eight minutes left in the game Cuero’s lead was cut to 14-12. </div> <div> With six minutes left in the game, Schumacher and Gomez combined on a short pass down that resulted in an 11-yard run to the Pirate 48. Gomez and Latreal Cooper worked the ball down to 34. </div> <div> Schumacher and Guajardo pounded their way to the 24. From there Cooper turned on the after-burners and blew past the Pirate defenders down the left side for the score. Kuecker added the insurance kick and Cuero had a 21-12 lead with about three minutes left. </div> <div> The Pirates used their long pass play on their last drive of the night catching the Gobblers off guard. The effort was good for a touchdown with 2:47 left in the game. With the PAT the score went to 21-19. </div> <div> Thanks to some determined running by Martell Williams, Gomez, Cooper, and Guajardo, Cuero was able to run out the clock and take their first win of the young season.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>