4th & Long: SV 6th Grade B Blue short-circuit Boerne Chargers, eye championship
The first round of the Hill Country Youth Football League playoffs kicked off yesterday, and the Ranger Reporter was there to take in the highly anticipated semifinals matchup between the SV Rangers B Blue versus Boerne Chargers White. The Rangers came into the game as the 3-seed with the Chargers earning the 2-seed and home field advantage. That home field advantage came in the way of a 2-mile pre-game walk from the visitor parking lot. However, the Rangers were able to overcome the added cardio with an emphatic 32-8 victory. The win sends the Rangers into the championship game next week for a chance to claim the 6th Grade B Division title.
The game did not start as planned. The Rangers received the opening kick and turned the ball over on the second play from scrimmage. The fumble led Offensive Coordinator Jay Ellison, preaching ball security all week in practice, to write a very sternly worded note on his offensive call sheet. However, that would be the only mistake the Rangers made all day as they soundly beat the Chargers in all three phases of the game.
The offensive strategy was to exploit the middle of the Chargers defense and run it through the heart of the offensive line. That strategy proved to be effective as the Rangers’ running back duo of Andrew “Diesel” Davila and Bradley “Hot Wheels” Wolverton, aka Smash and Dash, combined to rush for 267 yards and 4 touchdowns on 41 carries.
Wolverton accounted for 3 TDs and has collected 392 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns combined over the last 3 games. “The coaches have been preaching the strength of our team is the offensive line. Hard to argue that over the last few weeks. Most of the time I’m not getting touched by defender until I get 6 to 7 yards down the field.” said Wolverton. “It was fun to come out here and run all over their field. As coach says, we set the trap, and they fell right into our trap. I guess that’s a hunting reference, I don’t really know.” he continued, referring to Coach Jerry Cobb’s playoff chant. “Mom! Did you bring my Skittles I got last night?!” he said, walking towards his mom asking for his hard-earned Halloween candy.
Davila, the Smash to Wolverton’s Dash, collected a score of his own. However, most notable is Davila’s defensive effort. Tasked with shadowing the Chargers most dangerous pass catcher the entire game, Davila shut down their passing game completely. “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, then we good.” said Davila, rubbing his buzzed head. “Coach Cobb told me ‘cover number 14 like government money on a bad idea’. I just told him ‘Water covers two-thirds of the Earth. I cover the rest. I got you, Coach’. Some might say that’s cocky, but I see it as confidence. And confidence is my natural odor.”
Just as dominant in the win was the Rangers defense who looked like they were in the Chargers huddle on every play. Leading the charge in the heart of that defense was Rhett “Biggie” Clinton at middle linebacker. “It’s hard to beat defenses when you have three levels of dominance and that’s what we did today. We came in with a game plan today. The outside guys needed to seal the edge, our CBs and safeties needed to keep them in front, and me, my job was to line up five, seven yards in front of somebody and run into him at full speed. ” Clinton said. “I believe I deserve a milkshake. I’m not talking about one of those cheap McDonalds milk shakes either. I’m talking gourmet. One of those that they bring to you on roller skates.”
After a week 5 loss to the Boerne Greyhounds, everybody in the 6th Grade B division of the Hill Country Youth Football League wrote off the SV Blue Rangers. Everybody except for the SV Blue Rangers. All they’ve done since that loss is rattle off three straight dominant wins, outscoring their opponents 124-22.
This Rangers team will have a chance to etch their name in history as they prepare to play in the championship game. The last game these boys will get to play as part of the Smithson Valley Youth Football League. An opportunity to exact a little revenge, walk away as champions, and set an example for those that come behind them.