By Matt Tasler/sports@trcle.com
The Cleburne freshman Black team fell to Waco 28-19 on Thursday night at Yellow Jacket Stadium, dropping to 6-1 on the season.
The Yellow Jackets got on the scoreboard early, as quarterback Cooper Walls scrambled for 55 yards to set up his own 10-yard touchdown run with 7:19 left in the first quarter. Cleburne’s Carlos Garrido kicked the extra point to make it 7-0.
The Lions answered quickly when Darrell Harris scored on a 60-yard run with 5:09 left in the first quarter, but the extra point failed as Cleburne held a 7-6 lead.
Waco was called for a 15-yard penalty on the score, which was assessed on the kickoff as the Jackets gained possession at midfield.
Mark Jones gained 41 yards on first down to set up a first down and goal. On second down, the Jackets fumbled the ball back to the Lions at the 10 with 3:40 left in the first quarter.
Shawn Sunday capped the drive with a 75-yard scoring run with 2:37 left in the first, giving the Lions a 12-7 lead after the two-point conversion run failed.
The Jackets answered with a six-play, 60 yard drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Walls with 8:10 showing on the clock. The extra point failed, leaving Cleburne holding a 13-12 lead.
Harris gave the Lions the lead back on a 47-yard touchdown run with 5:51 left in the second quarter. The Lions converted the two-point conversion on the ground to stretch the lead to 20-13.
After a long kickoff return, the Jackets took over at the Lions’ 48, but were unable to score and turned the ball over on downs.
The Lions drove the ball inside the red zone, but the Jackets’ defense stiffened and Waco turned the ball over on downs at the 5 yard line with less than a minute to play in the half.
Cleburne ran one play before settling for the 20-13 halftime deficit.
Waco extended its lead when Deonte Phillips tossed a 35-yard scoring pass to Chase Hobbs and the Lions made it 28-13 with a two-point conversion with 4:12 remaining in the third period.
Edward Anderson capped an eight-play, 74-yard drive with an 11-yard scoring run, but the extra point failed to leave the Jackets trailing 28-19 with 8:10 to play in the contest and that proved to be the final score.
Walls finished with 185 yards on 22 carries, while Jones added 71 yards on five carries. As a team, the Jackets had 31 attempts for 284 yards.
The Cleburne Gold team fell to Waco 12-0 as the Lions scored on a reverse in the fourth quarter and took advantage of a Cleburne miscue for their second score in a matter of three minutes.
Waco drove 68 yards in five plays, with Milton Forcey scoring on a 27-yard reverse to cap the scoring drive. The Jackets’ defense stopped the Lions from converting on the two-point conversion with 4:06 to play in the contest.
Cleburne fumbled the ball back to Waco on the kickoff return and the Lions took over at the Cleburne 18.
The Lions took advantage of the short field as Demetruis Scott scored on a 7-yard run on third and goal, upping the lead to 12-0 after another failed two point conversion with 1:44 to play.
The Jackets opened the game with the ball and drove down the field before Andy Anderson’s pass was intercepted at the Waco 20. The Lions mounted a drive of their own before Cleburne’s Jay Garcia intercepted a pass near the Waco 10.
Cleburne ran seven plays before the Lions forced a Jacket punt. The Cleburne defense held on Waco’s next possession, as the Jackets forced a Lions punt to get the ball back.
The Jackets picked up one first down before quarterback Andy Anderson was unable to convert on a quarterback keeper on fourth down as the ball went back to Waco.
The Lions took over, but were unable to score before the half as the teams went to the intermission in a scoreless tie.
Waco opened the second half with a sustained drive before the Jackets’ defense stuffed the Lions on a fourth down play to get the ball back to the Jackets at the Cleburne 31.
The Jackets were forced to punt, but Waco was flagged for a personal foul, pushing the ball back to the Waco 32.
The Lions picked up a first down behind a pair of running plays as the horn to signal the end of the third quarter sounded.
The Jackets finished with 54 yards rushing and 54 passing. Anderson gained 36 yards rushing on 10 carries , and completed 5-of-12 passes with one interception for 54 yards.
Edgar Charo gained 20 rushing yards on five carries, while Dammerick Anderson had one carry for negative two yards. Dammerick Anderson finished with three receptions for 26 yards. Hayden Wright was the leading receiver for Cleburne, nabbing a pair of passes for 28 yards.
Scott led Waco’s ground game with 119 yards on 17 carries. Forcey added 69 yards on six attempts.
