Canyon Lake Penalizes the Billies, 27-17
Eduardo Covarrubias jumping over a Pancake
Canyon Lake’s bend but don’t break defense was up to the task as Fredericksburg could not throw enough at this Hawk team to win.
CL might have learned some valuable lessons from pre/district as they held on for a, 27-17 victory last Friday night at Fredericksburg.
“I’m proud of the kids and they bought into what we wanted done,” Head Coach Charlie Drum said. “One round at a time and we closed out a team after they (Fredericksburg) had tied it.”
“We changed how we practice and our scout team really prepared our starters in the last two weeks…he (Branson Belcher) made big plays and managed the ball well,” Coach Drum responded on questions about the team and how QB Belcher performed on this night.
On the Hawks third possession and third play of their drive, it would become the Doug Hubnik show.
Quarterback Belcher heaved the ball down the sideline to a streaking Hubnik in stride for a 56 yard pass play. Hubnik might have left some burn marks on the grass as he put on his afterburners, leaving the Billies defensive back grabbing air.
Fredericksburg had another way to take advantage of the bend but don’t break defense being thrown at them. Score by kicking field goals.
The Billies completed six of their 13 completions on this set of plays all in a row. Fredericksburg penetrated to the Hawk seven yard line when a holding call and then a negative pass play stopped them on their 21 yard line.
Enter Omar Flores, who cleared the bar by ten yards for a 38 yard field goal.
Canyon Lake would then do something not done this year, when Belcher
Safety Daniel Camarillo stopping a Billie
threw a ball to another jersey. After the 13 yard return, Fredericksburg was setting up shop deep in CL’s territory at their 36 yard line.
The Hawk defense gave up one first down and then held the Billies. This time the field goal try would be from 39 yards out.
“They were afraid to rush the ball,” Linebacker Conner Drum beat. “That caused them to have to change their offensive schemes.”
One yard further and the try would of failed, but their ball bounced on top of the goal post and through for what was now a one point game, 7-6 Hawks.
Canyon Lake would respond with a three play negative one yard series. Belcher would respond with his worst punt of the night of 37 yards.
Hawk fans need to understand that when the worst punt is for 37 yards, then you know all other punts have far exceeded that distance.
To have a player able to average in the 35-38 for high school would be some salty numbers. Belcher averaged over 44 yards per punt on this night and is averaging over 41 yards per punt for the season.
Flip the field would be a better phrase for this part of CL’s game. Field position will help a team and be a deciding factor on the outcome.
Fredericksburg tried an out pattern on their first play and Hubnik was on that ball, like a June Bug on a Peach and 55 yards later the Hawks would lead, 14-6.
“I hope all my games are like this,” Hubnik scored. “They kept running the out and I had a feeling when the quarterback stuttered step, then it was all downhill.”
Eduardo Covarrubias in a Sea of Red
Last season, Hubnik had an interception returned for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a score against Luling. This game was similar with a touchdown pass and interception for scores.
On playing both sides of the ball this game, Hubnik responded on if he might be tired, “You just go through it and pushing it all the for the team, coaches, and I don’t think about it (being tired).”
Two harmless drives to finish the half and Canyon Lake was in the lead for the third time this season.
Belcher would heave a pass to the end zone for a final try to score, but his pass was intercepted and this Billie would have several Hawks miss as he moved for a chance to score.
Wes Dicks would move his big frame being the last chance to keep this player from going all the way in another direction. Plant would be a word best used for his way of taking care of this defensive back for the Billies.
Dicks brought this back down in a way that only a farmer planting his prize crop would be proud. This huge offensive guard might want to come back this spring to see what he planted.
“I saw a big pile and all I could see was the runner and decided to dive at him,” Dicks farmed for his explanation for his play.
Fredericksburg had a quick answer when they started with a 15 yard
Covarrubias running for 97 yards against the Billies
penalty against Canyon Lake and with their return was able to start on their 47 yard line.
This 53 yard 9 play drive was all by rushing, while the Billies first pass on this drive was for their two point conversion to tie the game up, 14 all.
Fredericksburg had started controlling the line after their first drive and was threatening again on their second drive after the half.
The Billies had started with the ball on their 32 yard line and after a first play of seven yards you could see that this might be a time to stop their momentum.
Trevor Duty taking control
Trevor Duty made his presence known when on Fredericksburg’s next play, they were running a quarterback read. Duty was there so quick that he could choose who to tackle with a result of a four yard loss and a third down and seven.
That play might have proved pivotal as the Billies shanked a punt and CL had great field position.
“The defensive end jobs was quarterback, quarterback,” Duty said. “I saw him (quarterback) leaning and I tried what I could do to stop him.”
“The defense finished and held them off….the safeties and linebackers stepped it up and we need a better pass rush.”
Canyon Lake would answer with an eight play 68 yard drive with Eduardo Covarrubias being the Hawks main weapon.
However, Doug Hubnik would catch his only pass on this drive for 31 yards and gave CL a one yard Covarrubias run
Doug Hubnik with a Pick Six
for a lead that would stay for this game.
Fredericksburg field goal specialist would be good from 31 yards on their next drive as a bend but don’t break saved another four points, exchanging three points for seven.
Canyon Lake would answer this score again with an eight play 55 yard drive with Daniel Camarillo having two catches for 39 yards and a touchdown.
The Billies would not quit and drove 67 yards, but stalled and missed their first field goal this time.
Canyon Lake finished and now have a 1-0 district record with a date against Bandera next week at home.
Game 6 1 2 3 4 Final Canyon Lake 7 7 7 6 27 Fredericksburg 0 6 8 3 17 Scoring Summary CLH-Doug Hubnik 56 yard pass from Branson Belcher (Robinson kick), 0:39, 1st FHS-Omar Flores 38 yard field goal, 8:02, 2nd FHS-Omar Flores 39 yard field goal, 4:22, 2nd CLH-Doug Hubnik 55 yard interception return (Jake Robinson kick), 3:10, 2nd FHS-Paco Martinez 3 yard run (Baedage pass from Grona), 8:03, 3rd CLH-Eduardo Covarrubias 1 yard run (Jake Robinso kick), 5:30, 3rd FHS-Omar Flores 31 yard field goal, 11:12 CLH-Daniel Camarillo 10 yard pass from Belcher (pat failed), 7:10, 4th
Game Stats Hawks Billies Total Yards 309 327 First Downs 14 18 Rush/Yards 31/125 33/197 Comp/Att/Int 11/24/2 13/36/1 Passing Yards 184 130 Punts/Average 4/45.5 3/27.0 Fumbles/Lost 0/0 0/0 Penalties-Yards 9-88 4-27 TOP 22:41 25:19
Passing Comp Att Pct. Yds TD Int Branson Belcher 11 24 .458 184 2 2
Rushing Att Yds Ave. Lg TD Eduardo Covarrubias 20 97 4.9 14 1 Branson Belcher 5 11 2.2 11 0 Hayden Dubois 2 7 3.3 6 0 McGuire Johnson 1 4 4.0 4 0 Isaac Pruna 1 3 3.0 3 0 Daniel Camarillo 1 2 2.0 2 0 Casey Coffee 1 1 1.0 1 0
Receiving No Yds Ave. Lg TD Doug Hubnik 3 91 30.3 56 1 Daniel Camarillo 3 40 13.3 23 1 Eduardo Covarrubias 1 27 27.0 27 0 Kyler Huff 1 9 9.0 9 0 Dakota Spear 1 8 8.0 8 0 Hayden Dubois 1 5 5.0 5 0 Casey Coffee 1 4 4.0 4 0
