Louisiana recovered an onside kick and Friebert’s late 32-yard field goal was enough to even the score
Baytown – Last year Louisiana beat Texas 30-23 to close the annual series record, 5-4. This year’s plan was to tie it with a victory. Instead, they rallied to stay on par.
Louisiana rallied from a 10-point deficit, recovered an on-side kick and Ralph Friebert kicked a 32-yard field goal with 2:25 left to tie Houston 23-all in the 10th Annual Bayou Bowl Saturday night at Stallworth Stadium.
Not play overtime, was decided by the Greater Houston Football Association, who said, the interest is not keep the kids on the field more than regulation time, due to injuries.
Louisiana’s Coach Terrance Williams added, “I knew we wouldn’t have overtime. We tried to get off a deep ball down here at the end. We couldn’t get it off out and the time ran out. That’s one of those things.”
The tie leaves the series record 5-4-1 in Texas favor.
Trailing 23-20 after QB Quintin Wheeler’s one-yard TD, Louisiana recovered an on-side kick at the Texas 46-yard line and used a 15-play drive which was capped by Friebert’s 32-yard field goal, tying the score 23-23 at the end of regulation.
Texas began the third quarter with a 77-yard drive, which resulted in a Jacob Farmen 47-yard field goal, to take a 13-10 lead and increased it, 20-10 on a one-play 42-yard TD strike when QB Averion Hurts found Stanley Wesley, who caught four passes for 98 yards.
“It felt pretty good to be playing in this game. This is my last time, playing with my best friends. Stanley and we’ve been together since second grade and the quarterback since the eighth grade. So it’s easy for us three to get our timing down,” added Johnson.
On the following series, Louisiana matched Texas 77-yard drive, with a 78-yard scoring drive of its own. First, Friebert, who’s regarded as one of the top kickers nationally, drilled 47-yard field goal with 26 seconds left in the third quarter, trimming the lead 20-13.
“Our kicker is awesome (Friebert). Both team’s kicker did a great job,” Coach Williams said.
Later in the fourth quarter, with just under 10:18 left; from its 22-yard line, Louisiana marched 78-yards, guided by its athletic QB Quintin Wheeler. Wheeler’s39-yard strike to reciever Devon Breaux, put Louisiana in Texas territory at the 21-yard line. Three plays later, Wheeler,
following behind a huge offensive line, scored from four yards out and pulled Louisiana within three, 23-20 after Friebert’s extra-point kick.
“We saw they had one linebacker in the middle and our QB Quintin Wheeler is a great athlete and was doing a great job. So we wanted to get him lose. We were driving pretty good and then got popped pretty well. That just kind of spoiled everything,” said Coach Williams.
Louisiana’s QB Quintin Wheeler said, “I just started getting back competitive, because I don’t like to lose. I just started getting into the game. I didn’t want to come out. On the play that worked so well (quarterback draw). It was a typical play that I ran at my old high school. I just dropped back and wait for the linebackers to clear out, and then I go up the middle.”
In the first half, Louisiana and Texas battled to a 10-10 first half tie. Louisiana took possession on its 38-yard line and worked its way down to the Texas five, before settling for a 22-yard field goal with 5:08 left in the first quarter. The diversified offense led by Wheeler, which kept Texas off balance with a mixture of swing passes and quarterback keepers, was a key to its success.
Texas scored 10 unanswered points to lead, 10-3 after shocking Louisiana on a one-play, 75-yard TD pass from quarterback Justin Dvorak to receiver Marquise Johnson, and led 7-3 after Jacob Farmen’s extra point kick.
Texas receiver Marquise Johnson mentioned, “I saw it because the safety was biting down (the ball in the air). It was just me and the cornerback; I knew he couldn’t hold me.”
Johnson’s stellar day included two receptions for 119 yards, a touchdown and was awarded the MVP. He’s undecided, but Navarro and Bakersfield are the front runners.
In the second quarter, Farmen added a 24-yard to give Texas a 10-3 lead, before Louisiana answered with a 69-yard scoring drive. Wheeler followed his offense line into the end zone, tying the game at 10 after Friebert’s extra point kick.
With 5:07 left, Wheeler took a wicked hit from LB Ken Butler and DT Travaughn Henderson, which ended his evening with a blow to the head.
“On the play I was hurt on, I didn’t know I got the first down,” Wheeler said, who signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast. I’m glad I got the first down. I didn’t want to let the team down. I got hit in the top of the head and I blacked out. I have a little headache now, but I’m good. My hand was hit by a helmet (hand wrapped in ice).”
Texas, much like Louisiana used a balanced attack to keep its offense on the move.
