Yoakum’s Bulldog Stadium will feature teams which run with power out of the spread formation when the Poth Pirates face the Boling Bulldogs there Friday night at 7 PM.
Poth (10-1, 6-0 in 15-3A-DII, #7 in the 3A-DII Padilla Poll) does not shy away from strong competition. Their only loss is 22-21 to defending 2A-DI State Champion Shiner. They defeated defending 2A-DII State Finalist Falls City 41-0. They’ve averaged 48 points a game despite scoring only 21 each in their victory over Blanco and their loss to Shiner. The Pirates did boost their average points per game with their 65-0 first round victory over George West.
The offense is led by Zane Raabe and Matthew Bunn. Raabe has 1017 rushing and 655 passing; Bunn is four yards short of joining him as a 1000 yard rusher.
Poth has made the playoffs 23 of the last 26 years, including all seven years Jeff Luna has led the program. In 2021, Poth played in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2000, and won three playoff games for the first time since 1969. Last season, Poth played Falls City, Shiner in non-district and were eliminated by Franklin in the playoffs; each of those teams played in a state championship game.
The Boling Bulldogs (8-3, 4-2, 2nd in 14-3A-DII, #15 in the 3A-DII Padilla Poll) are trying to build the consistent success Poth has enjoyed. Head Coach Kevin Urbanek, in his sixth year as head coach, credits his seniors for the Bulldogs’ breakthrough success in 2022. “The senior class are great leaders. It’s a great group of kids.”
Until this season, Boling had played one playoff game since 2017: a 54-14 loss to Lorena in 2020, when the current seniors were sophomores. “None of them knew what it was like to win a playoff game. Now, none of them know what it feels like to win a second playoff game, and practice during Thanksgiving. That’s their goal right now.”
Among the seniors is Urbanek’s son Jaxson. As a quarterback, Jaxson has led an offense which averages 39 points a game. As a defensive back, he’s intercepted 4 passes, returning 3 for touchdowns.
When Jaxson Urbanek is in the game, whatever the role, the Boling scoring unit is on the field.
Ryan O’Neal has emerged as a running back with college playing potential. O’Neal rushed for 800 yards in 2021 despite missing two and a half district games due to a concussion and a broken ankle, injuries which hurt his production and his visibility with college scouts.
In 2022, O’Neal has 1082 yards rushing in district alone – 1900 for the season – and is drawing interest. His legs allow him to run a 4.6 40 yard dash and squat 500 pounds. As Urbanek described it, “you don’t take him down with just an arm. Plus, he’s got some of the best vision I’ve ever seen. He can cut on a dime, and he’s full speed two steps later. He’s made some people look pretty bad trying to tackle him.”
Given each team’s emphasis on the running game, Urbanek expects the game to be decided in the proverbial trenches by the offensive and defensive lines. This is an especially intriguing prospect for a 3A DII playoff game, given that many of the linemen will play on both sides of the ball.
Boling, like Poth, has been tested by strong competition. After spending four years in 3A Division I, including years with state powers Hallettsville and Yoakum as district rivals, they played in 3A Division II this year – with historically strong programs like East Bernard and Tidehaven in their district.
Of the playoff teams in 14-3A-DI, only third place Van Vleck was eliminated in their 22-0 loss to Rogers. Boling, the runner-up in 14-3A-DII, beat the Buffalo Bison 35-7 in the first round and advanced along with first place Tidehaven and fourth place Wallis Brazos.
These teams have met twice in playoffs, with Poth winning 50-29 in the second round in 2010 and Boling winning in the first round 50-13 in 2015. The Boling win in 2015 was the first of 12 playoff victories in 3 years for the Bulldogs.
Boling won a State Championship in 1972 defeating Rockwall 20-0.
Poth played in a State Final in 1968 losing to Sonora 9-0.
Mark Kusenberger
November 14, 2022
Read more from Mark on his blog at https://mkusenberger.wixsite.com/website/blog