1 week Ago By Mike Forman
PORT LAVACA — Ganado and Refugio have been ranked in the top four of the Class 2A, Division I state poll all season for a reason. Neither team was going to back down from a challenge, and both expected to be tested by each other. “It was a little bit of everything,” said Ganado junior Landon Hicks.
“There was a lot of adversity going both ways. It was just who was going to overcome. The team that overcomes adversity the best is the team that is going to win.
” Ganado was able to push through, capturing a 14-6 regional semifinal win Friday night at Sandcrab Stadium. The Indians improved to 12-1 with their second consecutive playoff win over Refugio, and moved into the regional final against Marlin, a 40-37 winner over Mason. The regional final has been scheduled for 7 p.
m. Thursday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The Bobcats had a streak of 17 regional final appearances end, and finished the season at 11-2.
“I’m so proud of our kids defensively to come out and win 14-6,” Ganado head coach Josh Ervin said. “We haven’t had a low-scoring game like that all year. Some people didn’t know if we could.
So much adversity that they battled and were able to respond positively.” Logan Bures led Ganado's ground game. He carried 22 times for 182 yards and scored on a 5-yard run in the first quarter.
“I knew it was going to be a good defense we were going up against so I worked hard all week to prepare for it,” Bures said. “I was running downhill. The offensive line was blocking great.
The O-line had a great game. They were opening a whole bunch of holes and I was just hitting it, cutting back and running around.” Ervin's game plan was to run the ball to keep the Bobcats’ offense off the field.
“To beat them we were going to have to run because obviously with their running back ...
they have a great offense and we had to keep them off the field,” he said. “The offensive line has just been getting better and better week after week. Our running backs are doing a great job and we felt like we were going to come out here and run the ball.
” Refugio running back Jordan King carried 26 times for 149 yards and scored on a 19-yard run. But the Bobcats passed for only 27 yards, had an extra point blocked and failed to score after reaching Ganado’s 28, 11, and 16-yard lines. Refugio also had a 12-yard touchdown pass negated by a holding penalty.
“We couldn’t get anything going offensively in the first quarter,” Refugio head coach Drew Cox said. “From the second quarter on, we moved the football and just couldn’t get it in except for that one time.” Ganado extended the lead on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Ullman to Austen Pena.
The score was set up by a 48-yard Bures run. “That’s why we work so hard throughout the season,” Bures said. “No matter who we play, we play to the best of our ability and give it full effort.
So when we play a good team like this we’re ready to go.” Refugio held Ganado on downs and took over at its 23-yard line with 3:25 left in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats moved to the 49 on runs by King and quarterback Kelan Brown.
But, after an illegal procedure penalty, Brown could only complete one of his final four passes for a 6-yard loss. “Our defense played a hell of a game,” Cox said. “They were really good.
It just is what it is with two good football teams. We knew it would be a war and it was.” The Indians were happy to get the opportunity to play again next week.
“You’ve just got to have confidence in your teammates,” Hicks said. “You just have to have confidence that you can execute.”.
