The Uvalde Coyotes can clinch a playoff berth Friday night when they take on the Memorial Minutemen. But Memorial has their own playoff aspirations.
Uvalde (4-4, 1-2 in 14-4A DI) has already matched their highest win total since 2017; that year was the last in a run of 10 playoff appearances in 12 years. Should they defeat the Minutemen, the Coyotes will make the postseason for the second time since 2017.
Their game against Fredericksburg, despite the 32-14 score, came down to several crucial moments. The Coyotes were within 12-7 late in the half when Will Degenhardt found Jesse Leija for a 9 yard touchdown pass, extending the Battlin’ Billie lead to 18-7 at intermission. Uvalde was within 25-14 and driving in the fourth quarter when an end zone interception stymied them. Uvalde had an onside kick recovery erased by an offside penalty.
Coach Wade Miller noted his team’s progress. “I thought my kids played really well. I did not come away feeling our kids didn’t give max effort.”
For the Minutemen, the bad news is they’re 0-8, 0-3 in 14-4A DI. The good news is, they still control their own destiny. If they win their last two games, they make the playoffs. Memorial seeks to make the postseason for the second time in six years and only the third time in school history.
Under first year head coach Paul Ortega, the Minutemen have concentrated on the running game. In fact, they concentrate very hard on the running game. In eight games, they’ve thrown 48 passes. Only 8 of those passes were during their three district games. Against Boerne, their first 13 plays were runs up the middle, 11 by bruising fullback Francisco Ontiveros.
“If they can stay with the chains and get three or four yards a carry, they can be tough,” advised Miller.
Uvalde quarterback Brodie Carnes missed the last eight minutes of the Fredericksburg game when he got hurt; as a result, Miller expects linebacker Chris Rodriguez to see more time at quarterback for this game. “This is one of those games where it’s all hands on deck. We set a goal at the beginning of the season to make the playoffs. If we do that Friday night, it’ll be a lot of goals accomplished.”
The Minutemen’s opponents this year have a combined 47-17 record; they include Devine (8-1), Pearsall (6-2), Antonian (7-1), Boerne (8-0), and Somerset (7-1.) Their only foe with a losing record this year is 3-5 Floresville.
Mark Kusenberger
October 25, 2022
Read more from Mark on his blog at https://mkusenberger.wixsite.com/website/blog