Meyers puts in workhorse effort
Jorge Gonzalez kicked a 29-yard field goal with 5:40 left to lift Dickinson over Lamar 19-17 in the Class 6A Division I Semifinals on Saturday evening at NRG Stadium.
The Gators (12-1) will face North Shore in the region finals next Saturday at Pasadena Memorial Stadium at 1:00 P.M.
On the winning drive, The Gators turned to its workhorse running back Jordan Meyers, who carried eight times for 30 yards to move Dickinson into field goal range where Gonzalez nail the game winner from 29-yards out.
Meyers rushed for 141 yards on 27 carries and touchdown. Fowler added 73 yards on seven carries.
“This bunch of boys have tremendous heart and their so greedy and tough,” coach Snelson said. “They just refuse to give up. As long as there is time on the clock, our kids think their going to win.”
Gators coach Snelson gave his team every opportunity to win the game including misdirection plays, traps, and passes. However, it was the running game that wore down the bigger Lamar Texans.
“We needed to mix in more play action passes, just to get them on their heels,” Said Snelson. “Then the offensive line took over.”
Entering the fourth quarter, the Gators trailed 17-14 and still struggled against a tough Texan defense.
Things seem to go from bad to worst when Gators quarterback Terrance White’s deep pass was picked off by defensive back Anthony Cook at the Lamar one yard line. But it worked in the Gators favor.
If nothing else, White’s interception worked as great punt at Lamar’s one-yard line. After a false start, the ball was moved half the distance inside the one-yard line. The next play, cornerback Wayland Hurst wrestled Dua’Vadis Williams down in the end zone for a safety to pulled the Gators with a point at 17-16 with 11:45 left.
A heavy dose of the ground game got the Gators going. Receiver Jacobie Fowler sprung a big play by taking a hand off 70-yards into Lamar’s territory and later watched Meyers finish the drive with a four-yard touchdown run which gave Dickinson a 7-0.
“We had a little bit of a rough start,” Dickinson receiver Jacobie Fowler said. “We came back the second half prepared. Knowing we had to get it done and we did it.”
Lamar (11-2) scored on its two second-quarter possessions. The first included a 75-yard drive, that watched junior Dua’Vadis Williams go in from a yard out to tie the game at seven after William Fallon’s extra point kick. Then Fallon added a 30-yard field goal with 12 seconds left in the half to give the Texas a 10-7 halftime lead.
The future is bright for the young Texans, who will return a host of starters next season, including junior quarterback Owen Holt who was 8-of-17 with 191 yards. Receiver Al’Vonte Woodard caught two passes for 99 yards.
The Gators took advantage of a partially blocked punt to gain possession at the Lamar 31 in the third quarter. Fowler scored on a two-yard run to give Dickinson the lead, 14-10.
Lamar responded with an 88-yard drive to take back the lead 17-14 when Williams carried the ball in from five yards out.
The Texans defense came alive once again. fullback Leland Young was stopped for a one-yard loss after being stopped by a host of Lamar defenders at the Dickinson 26. But penalties began to mount against Lamar.
“The penalties killed us,” explained Lamar’s defensive back James Bell.
Defensive back James Bell, Tre’Von Lewis, linebacker Orlando Morris and defensive lineman Joshua Landry came up with big stops behind the line of scrimmage. The big Texans defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage.
“At halftime coach told us to tighten up the defense,” Bell said. “We wanted to stop the run and make them pass. We just came up short.”
But it wasn’t enough to keep the Gators from kicking the winning field goal.