CL Hawks Searching for Light Switch in Loss to Billies, 38-14
Josh DeVries in game with La Grange
Canyon Lake loses their first District 27-3A contest, 38-14 as the Hawks could not translate their total yards into points.
“They (Fredericksburg) came out ready to play and we didn’t,” Head Coach Charles Drum said. “We got knocked down in the first round tonight, they had 14 points just like that… but we have four more rounds to get in this fight and it is not over.”
“This was just our first district game and we can even our record next week,” Coach Drum said confidently. “This game was the story of our season, we can’t make our 3rd downs and we could not stop their 3rd downs.”
The Hawks out gained the Billies but when you can’t capitalized that aspect of this game, then those numbers don’t mean much.
Canyon Lake had their third best rushing game in their history with four backs totaling 50 or more yards via the ground.
Quarterback Skyler Tschoepe who had rushed for -23 yards this season turned the tables and had 60 yards in tonights game.
“We got their linebackers to go to the other side of the line after the fake,” Tschoepe ran. “If they read the guards, then we can catch them off guard with some trickery.”
Josh DeVries who had been the second leading rusher this season was now a leading receiver in this game. DeVries also had several other chances but the sideline would come into play nullifying some of those catches.
Fredericksburg also did their part by converting 4 of 7 third downs helping to keep drives alive and having an eventual score.
The Billies had the ball four times in the first half and scored on three of those possessions. That makes it hard for a rushing team to eat up the clock and get traction to put a game away.
After two Fredericksburg touchdowns to start this game, Canyon Lake finally responded when JJ Nance took off like a rocket around the end for a 52 yard run and score.
“With Hayden (DuBois) and McGuire (Johnson) making good blocks, I was able to get a good run,” Nance said. “We make great blocks and that is why the hole was so wide open.”
That run could of been played one below for the defense as no Billie was able to touch Nance on that run. That drive cut the lead to 14-7 and after a defensive stop, CL was working again for a chance to tie the score.
This drive had some costly penalties as CL had a first down on the Billies 12 yard line. How about three holding penalties had a first down and 10 deep in Fredericksburg territory to a third down and 35 yards needed to keep that drive going from the 37 yard line. That gave CL a tough time converting in the red zone.
Canyon Lake needed a stop on Fredericksburg’s first drive to start the second half and methodical 8 play 68 yard drive for all intense and purposes put this game away being down 28-7.
Scoring on five of six possessions gave Canyon Lake a high mountain to climb without any ropes.
Futility would be a good word to describe an offense that gains 387 yards and can only muster 14 points.
Non/Scoring Drives Plays Yds Time off Clock Result What stopped Drive? 4 5 1:35 Punt Good Defense 4 4 1:17 Punt Good Defense 7 49 3:23 Downs Muffed Pitch on a 3rd and 4 in the Red Zone-15 yard line 10 31 3:54 Punt Good Defense 11 73 6:45 Downs 3 Penalties & Muffed Pitch & fum after CL got to 17 yd. line 6 20 3:10 Downs Could not convert 4th and 1 play 8 53 1:31 Downs Good Defense after CL penetrated to 16 yd. line Totals 50 plays 235 yards 21:25 No Points
Two Scoring Drives Plays Yards Time off Clock Result What kept Drive going? 7 75 3:00 Touchdown Had two manageable 3rd downs of 3 & 2 yards Nance 52 harder 6 75 2:21 Touchdown Johnson 54 yard run and DuBois 16 yarder to the 1 yard line. Total 13 plays 150 yards 5:21 14 points No Penalties or muffed plays.
Canyon Lake is not out of a playoff spot as they will now need to take care of business next week in Bandera to get this train back on track.
The Hawks need to start the game with more intensity so that this offense can churn some yardage and eat some clock and put their opponent in a hole.
That has not happened this year as CL has been spotting points to their opponents and then needing to play perfect football to catch up. Hard to do and the proof is looking at the Hawk’s record this season.
What can Canyon Lake do? “We are coming to practice this next week and work harder and try to get more discipline,” DeVries said resoundly.
“We are close…we are right there,” QB Tschoepe said. “We need to finish what we started and the wins will take care of themselves. We have to try to attack first.”
Coach Drum summed up what has to happen next, “We have to be on the attack instead of reacting we need to act first. We are not forcing the issue.”
Canyon Lake will go on the road to Bandera next Friday to get a chance of putting this season in a different light. Now we just need to get an electrician to help make that connection.
1 2 3 4 Final Fredericksburg 14 7 7 10 38 Canyon Lake 7 0 0 7 14 Scoring Summary: FHB-Martinez 6 yard run (Ortiz kick), 7:49, 1st FHB-Beard 57 yard pass from Grona (Ortiz kick), 6:12, 1st CLH-J.J. Nance 52 yard run (Mike Thorpe kick), 3:12, 1st FHB-Shepherd 30 yard pass from Grona (Ortiz kick), 4:32, 2nd FHB-Grona 6 yard run (Ortiz kick), 8:43, 3rd FHB-Grona 1 yard run (Ortiz kick), 10:33, 4th CLH-McGuire Johnson 1 yard run (Mike Thorpe kick), 8:12, 4th FHB-Ortiz 47 yard field goal, 1:58, 4th
Game Stats Billies Hawks
Total Yards 354 387
First Downs 17 15
Rushes/Yards 32/149 47/334
Comp/Att/Int 11/17/0 3/12/0
Passing Yards 205 53
Punts/Average 2/31.5 3/35.3
Fumbles/Lost 0/0 3/0
Penalties-Yards 6-55 6-55
Time of Possession 22:09 25:51
Passing Comp Att Pct. Yards Lg TD Int
Skyler Tschoepe 3 12 .250 53 29 0 0
Rushing Att Yards Ave. Lg TD
McGuire Johnson 21 157 7.5 54 1
JJ Nance 8 74 9.3 52 1
Skyler Tschoepe 7 60 8.6 29 0
Hayden DuBois 9 51 5.7 16 0
Josh DeVries 1 0 0.0 0 0
Team 1 -8 --- -- -
Receiving No Yards Ave. Lg TD
Josh DeVries 2 43 21.5 29 0
TJ Jones 1 10 10.0 10 0
