The winner of the Fredericksburg-Uvalde game is in excellent shape to make the playoffs.
The loser will try to follow the sage advice of Satchel Paige: “Don’t look back. Something may be gaining on you.”
Fredericksburg and Uvalde are tied for 3rd place in 14-4A-DI. A Fredericksburg loss would force the Billies to beat Kennedy next week to ensure a playoff berth. A Uvalde loss would force the Coyotes to defeat Memorial next week to ensure a playoff berth.
Uvalde (4-3, 1-1 in 14-4A-DI) is coming off a white-knuckle victory over Kennedy. The Coyotes overcame a 15-7 second quarter deficit to lead 22-15 going into the fourth quarter. Chris Rodriguez ran for a 3-yard touchdown in the second; later, Abraham Ale added a fourth down 28-yard touchdown run in the second and a 1-yard TD run in the third.
A safety with 1:51 remaining pulled Kennedy within 22-17, then the Rockets took the ensuing free kick and drove inside the Coyotes 1 before Uvalde got the game-winning fourth down stop.
For all the Coyotes’ mistakes, Uvalde coach Wade Miller admired the urgency of his team’s play. The Coyotes needed a win to keep their playoff hopes realistic.
“To be able to come out of that game with any kind of win makes me happy.”
Fredericksburg (3-3, 1-1 in 14-4A-DI) is coming off a home loss to Somerset. The Battlin’ Billies offense struggled, amassing only 204 yards. Fredericksburg pulled within 14-10 after Reed Spies took over at quarterback and threw a 49 yard touchdown pass to Sam Seidenberger late in the third quarter, but Somerset limited the Billies to one first down in the fourth quarter and came away with a 21-10 win.
Fredericksburg coach Bill Wilder called for a fundamental approach in order to return to the win column Friday. “We’ve got to be consistent. It goes back to what you learned when you started playing football: alignment, assignment, and then execution. You’ve got to be in the right place, you’ve got to do the right things, and you’ve got to do it consistently, over and over again.”
Miller said “(Ale) played really well for us last Friday…so we’re looking for different ways to try to run the football and control the clock, but when it comes down to it, (quarterback) Brodie (Carnes) is going to have to make good decisions and good throws if we’re going to win the game.”
This will be the third home game in 2022 for the Coyotes.
Fredericksburg has worn the Uvalde Coyote logo on the back of their helmets all season. Wilder said, “That’s just something to show some respect and honor that community, and also at the same time to teach our kids how valuable every day is, and to be grateful and thankful and humble and appreciate the people you have in your life that you love.”
“Because things can change.”
Mark Kusenberger
October 17, 2022
Read more from Mark on his blog at https://mkusenberger.wixsite.com/website/blog