Heights ends Dogs' bid 28-15
BRYAN -- Their quarterback's long strides, tailback's spin moves and overall big-play skills practically enabled Harker Heights to shorten the field from 100 yards to about 70.
That's all the more reason why smaller and slower Nederland could not afford the least quarter of generosity. The Bulldogs got in the holiday spirit a bit too early during Saturday's second quarter.
That's all the Knights needed to run away from Nederland, 28-15, in the 4A Division II area playoff round, ending a season for one of the Golden Triangle's all-time most remarkable football teams.
Nederland? That remarkable in 2002, you say?
Absolutely, and the statistics definitely bear it out.
Their 12 opponents outgained the Bulldogs in first downs, 191-162. The 6,000 fans at Viking Stadium saw a microcosm of that because Harker Heights led in first downs, 20-12.
Their 12 opponents outgained the Bulldogs in total yards, 3450-2819, or 287.5 a game to 234.9 a game. Harker Heights (11-1) followed suit, dominating the real estate, 431-181, and a whopping 251-29 lead in rushing.
Their 12 opponents beat the Dogs plus 5 in turnovers, since Nederland and Harker Heights each had four on Saturday.
Yet with all those inferior stats on its resume, Nederland still fashioned an 8-4 season and played further into it than any other 20-4A district team.... even if you're not from Nederland, you honestly should admit that's a remarkable accomplishment.
"We've gone deeper into the playoffs but I've never been prouder," said Nederland head coach Larry Neumann at the close of his 10th season. "I'm very proud of our players and the valiant effort they gave. This will hurt for awhile but we will get over it and build from this."
Harker Heights advanced to next week's regional round against La Marque with the attitude that it needed to clean up its offensive act. Senior quarterback Dominique Zeigler ran for two touchdowns and threw for another but he also threw four interceptions. Zeigler had thrown five all season going into Saturday.
Julian Nunez, Josh Atterberry, Colin Weber and Darin Smith took turns at picking off Zeigler. Though much bigger and faster, the Knights came within about one more second-half mistake of turning a runaway into a nailbiter.
"That second half was probably the worst half of football we've had all season," Heights coach Ross Rogers said. "I've seen the tide turn so many times. You could see those Nederland guys gaining confidence. They deserve credit because we had more talent than Nederland and they hung in there."
A nine-point swing resulted early in the fourth quarter after a mental blunder plagued Knights' punt returner D.J. Jackson. Nederland's great kicker Curtis Parks booted his last high school punt 66 yards. Jackson touched it at his team's one-yard line and then kneeled in the end zone. That's a safety, trimming the Heights lead to 28-8 with 9:48 and forcing Heights to return the ball to Nederland via free kick.
Jake Askew ran that free kick 59 yards for a touchdown and a 28-15 score with 9:32 to play. Unfortunately for Neumann's die-hard Dogs, Nederland's offense never crossed into enemy territory the rest of the way.
"They big-played us," Neumann said. "You give them a short field and that really gives them an advantage. We hoped we could come back and get it down to a one-touchdown game and see what would happen."
Heights scored three second-quarter touchdowns, driving 59, 23 and 33 yards with the last two following fumble recoveries. Zeigler spotted Michael McKillop on a flag route for a 28-3 lead with 2:09 left in the half. Zeigler pranced like a gazelle on 20 yard scoring run for a 21-3 edge with 5:36 left in the half. A speed option helped to set up Zeigler's earlier score, a one-yard leap into the pile for a 14-3 lead with 8:52 left in the half.
Zeigler credited Nederland's defense for contributing to his interception woes with their effective stunts. Heck, as big as Heights' offensive line was, Nederland defensive coordinator Delbert Spell had to keep his defensive front guys on the move.
"That's the most stunts that we've faced and two of my interceptions just shouldn't have happened," Zeigler said. "We were fortunate that our defense was playing good the whole game because we weren't getting it done (on offense). Nederland's amazing. They had a lot of heart."
Nederland also thought it had a fumble recovery on the game's second offensive snap. A Houston-based officiating crew started the day with controversy by ruling Zeigler with an incomplete pass instead of a lost fumble inside the Knights' 25 to Bulldogs' defender Chase Gentile.
It also appeared as if Harker Heights committed two, possibly three fouls, during the Knights' first touchdown play -- two snaps after the play which looked to be a fumble. McKillop galloped 65 yards down Nederland's sideline with a pitchout from Zeigler. Officials tossed yellow flags at points during the play, but they waved them off, permitting the Knights to lead 7-0 with just 1:14 gone in the game.
But to Heights' credit, the Knights ran 43 times for 251 yards with 330-pound Devorias Jackson gouging out huge holes. Paced by outstanding senior linebacker Vernon Lister's 10 tackles, the Knights reduced the Nederland ground game to virtually nothing -- 22 carries for 29 yards.
"First we had to stop the run," defensive wizard Spell said. "Second was the quarterback scramble. Third was the passing game and they were so big up front."
It became obvious even to a casual observer that Dogs junior quarterback Kirk Dean would have to flood the airways because Nederland's ground game clearly was getting nowhere. Dean answered with a good outing despite coping with heavy pressure from Heights' defensive front.
"We kept our heads high and we never quit," Dean said. "We never put our heads down. You know, we had a great season."
You know what? Kirk's right.