By Scott Hansen
OK3Sports.com
Photo Gallery – Rangers vs Rockets – 3 November 2017
No. 1 Converse Judson was unable to protect its home field on Friday, dropping a 40-37 overtime decision to No. 4 Smithson Valley in a District 27-6A battle on Friday night at D.W. Rutledge Stadium.
On its first possession following a Judson interception, the Rockets converted a fake punt on its first possession. Sophomore Amarea Bailey-Davis was surprisingly given the start at quarterback over a dressed out Julon Williams and junior Sincere McCormick, who deputized at quarterback in two games this season. Later in the possession, Bailey-Davis converted a fourth and 3 to keep the drive alive before McCormick would score on a 3-yard run with just under six minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Williams is not injured seriously and has enough nagging injuries to keep him out unless he is absolutely needed before playoff time.
After TCU commit Trevon Moehrig-Woodard returned the ensuing kickoff into Judson territory, junior Levi Williams led the Rangers down for the game-tying touchdown from six yards out with 5:13 remaining in the first quarter.
Judson committed its first turnover in the game on an errant exchange between Bailey-Davis and McCormick. Smithson Valley capitalized on the miscue when Mason Pierce scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to give the No. 4 Rangers the lead after the first quarter. It was the first time all season Judson had trailed after the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Bailey-Davis answered quickly when he hooked up with Joseph Hudson on a 60-yard touchdown. Shane King tacked on the PAT, giving the top-ranked Rockets the lead back at 14-13 with one minute gone in the second quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Smithson Valley’s Nick Akin fumbled it back to Judson on the 26-yard line. Judson’s attempt for yet another touchdown was stopped and the Rockets had to settle for a 36-yard field goal with 10:02 remaining in the half. Akin made up for it on the next offensive possession, scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run to give Smithson Valley a 20-17 lead.
Judson tied it back up at 20 with 2:06 remaining in the second quarter after King booted his second field goal of the evening, this time from 27 yards.
After halftime, the Bailey-Davis led Rockets emphatically drove the ball down the field. A key play was a 40-yard strike to Kenyon Morgan down to the 9-yard line. Avoiding disaster on a mishandled snap on second down, Bailey-Davis narrowly missed on a fourth down attempt inside the five as Smithson Valley’s defensive unit held firm.
On the next possession for the Rangers, horrible field position was a factor again when Judson downed a punt at the 3-yard line. But on first down, Williams found Mason Pierce on a huge 97-yard touchdown pass with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter to give Smithson Valley a 27-20 lead. The Rangers would hold that lead until the end of the quarter and would be in the mix for what would be considered a mild upset.
In the fourth quarter, Judson went back to McCormick at quarterback. Judson’s offense stepped it up another gear and drove down the field to tie the game at 27 with 9:10 remaining on McCormick’s 2-yard touchdown run.
With 8:14 remaining in the game, Michael Washington picked off Williams for the second time and returned it 29 yards to the house to give Judson the lead for the first time since the first quarter.
Williams was not available at the beginning of Smithson Valley’s next drive but returned with two minutes left to go and the ball on the 17-yard line. Williams would come through, hitting Pierce on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 1:36 remaining to pull the Rangers to within one. Joaquin Rodriguez booted through the point after to tie the game.
On Judson’s ensuing possession, McCormick fumbled the snap on the 36-yard line to give the ball back to Smithson Valley. Williams converted a key second down play with a 14-yard pass to Adoryzel Hunter into the red zone with under a minute remaining. Smithson Valley was unable to capitalize with a Williams passing attempt to Pierce falling incomplete.
McCormick nearly fumbled away the first snap of overtime, but Judson was able to clean up its own mess at the 22-yard line to avert disaster. On fourth and three from the 18, Judson converted another fourth down attempt in the red zone instead of allowing King an attempt to give the Rockets a three-point lead. King would eventually get his chance, drilling his 27-yard field goal to give Judson a 37-34 lead.
Smithson Valley would pull out a crucial road victory when Williams threw his third touchdown pass from 25 yards out to Woodard-Moehrig to end Judson’s 19-game home winning streak after pulling out an impressive come from behind victory. Williams finished with 397 total yards and accounted for four touchdowns in the victory. For Judson, McCormick would finish with 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Photo Gallery – Rangers vs Rockets – 3 November 2017
