Jul 30, 2010
Lazard, defense capture Region III championship
December 6, 2009
GALENA PARK — Every coach, no matter what sport, will tell you that it is always tough to beat the same team again in the same season - especially in football.
When Pearland Dawson and Friendswood faced one another in district competition - the Mustangs came away with a 21-6 win, but the game was played with a hobbled Dawson quarterback Darian Lazard.
On Saturday at Galena Park ISD - the Mustangs had to face the Eagles a second time in the Class 4A Region III Division I championship game with the winner advancing to the 4A state semifinals.
The 'Stangs also had to face a healthy Lazard who didn't have the turf toe problem that he had six weeks ago against Friendswood. And that proved to be one of the key reasons why that the Eagles romped to a 28-11 win over the Mustangs - who entered the game as the defending Region III Division I champions.
The other key to the win was the Dawson defense that smothered Friendswood quarterback Peter Maetzold who entered the game hitting 70 percent of his passes during their playoff run. However, The Eagles held Maetzold to only 32 percent (8-of-25, 126 yards and one INT).
Friendswood was held to 80 yards in the first half and finished the game with 222 total yards. Running back Andrew Cole had 17 carries for 84 yards and the only touchdown for the Mustangs.
Zach Hardy kicked a 29-yard field goal on the first possession of the game for the Mustangs for a 3-0 lead.
Those were the few bright spots for the Mustangs as Dawson proved to have too much speed on both sides of the ball.
Dawson's second possession saw Lazard and Co. shake off the jitters and march down the field 67-yards, in nine plays capped off with a 1-yard sneak by Lazard for the touchdown. Sascha Martinelli booted the extra point giving the Eagles a 7-3 lead with 07 seconds left in the opening period. The Eagles would never relinquish the lead for the rest of the game.
The Mustangs had the ball four more times in the first half and the Dawson defense forced Friendswood to punt after only three plays on three of the possessions. Led by Tre Oliver, Bobby Deneke, and Robert Seals - Maetzold was sacked four times by the swarming Eagles.
With 1:15 left in the first half, Friendswood had the ball at the Dawson 32. The Mustangs ran a double-reverse pass and the receiver was behind the Dawson defense 25 yards and all alone on the goal line. Maetzold threw the ball short of the receiver and Dawson dodged a bullet.
Two plays later, wide receiver Keith Canada had worked free in the secondary, but the pass was short again.
Dawson got the ball on their own 35 with 48 seconds left before intermission.
Everyone thought the Eagles would just run out the clock, but not this young team.
Lazard got loose for a 14 yard gain and a first down. After Friendswood was penalized for a face mask call to the Mustang 30, Lazard dropped back and completed a pass to Micah Tillotson at the Friendswood three-yard line with :03 seconds left.
That's when things got crazy as the Eagles ran to spike the ball, but it appeared that Lazard lost control of the ball and Friendswood recovered the fumble to take over at their own 2.
After the officials met on the field - it was ruled that Lazard spiked the ball giving the Eagles one last play with Friendswood head coach Steve Van Meter and all the Friendswood players and fans openly upset with the call.
Lazard wasted little time in scoring on a sneak as time expired. Martinelli added the extra point and the Eagles took a 14-3 halftime lead at intermission.
Friendswood got the second half kickoff and drove from their own 40 to the Dawson 28, but a dropped pass on fourth down gave the ball to Dawson.
The Eagles drove from their own 28 for a 1-yard plunge by Akeem Blackshire and a 21-3 advantage with 3:20 left in the third quarter. The drive took 5:12 off the clock which also meant that it kept Friendswood's potent offense off the field.
The Mustangs began their next drive on their own 41, but Dawson's Tre Oliver picked off a Maetzold pass on first down.
But the Friendswood defense stepped up this time led by Beau Barnes and Tanner Chidester who sacked Lazard on third down. A fourth down pass gave the ball back to the Mustangs.
The Mustangs wouldn't let another opportunity escape them as they drove from their own 38 to score on a 4-yard run by Andrew Cole with 9:53 left in the game. The key play was a 31-yard pass from Maetzold to Matt Kennemer. Maetzold hit Austin Ratcliff for the 2-point conversion to close the gap to 21-11.
Dawson got the ball back on the kickoff and showed maturity beyond their years as the Eagles marched methodically down the field while taking time off the clock. Facing 4th and 9 at the Friendswood 18 with 2:00 left in the game - Lazard dropped back and lofted a perfect pass in the end zone. Vaughn went high above the Friendswood defender and caught the ball for a touchdown with 1:42 left in the contest. Martinelli added the extra point and the 28-11 final score was posted to an estatic Dawson team.
“It is unbelievable; it is unbelievable,” an elated Pearland Dawson Eagle coach Eric Wells said. “To play a team like Friendswood with such tradition, and (Steve) Van Meter being one of the best coaches in the Houston area for so many years, it is unbelievable.
“But my kids played hard and the coaching staff put together a plan. Any time you play someone twice in the same year, that is hard. But they came back and put a plan together and it worked to the tee,” he said.
Lazard finished the game with 96 yards on 26 carries and two scores. He was 9-of-19 passing for 150 yards and one TD and one INT.
Marcus Vaughn had three catches for 74 yards and one TD. Randall Weeks caught three passes for 34 yards and Micah Tillotson had two grabs for 36 yards.
Maetzold was held to 8-of-25 passing for 126 yards and one INT.
Cole had 17 carries for 84 yards and one score. Jonathan Johnson had four catches for 77 yards. Matt Kennemer had one catch for 31 yards. Cole had three grabs for 18 yards.
Dawson will move on to the 4A Division I state semifinals to play defending state champ Lake Travis at 2 p.m. Saturday at College Station on Kyle Field. Lake Travis defeated Alamo Heights, 27-13, Friday night in San Marcos.