Apaches eliminated after 51-3 rout

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FISCHER — For the second year in the row the Gonzales Apaches were ousted in the area round of playoffs by Class 4ADI powerhouse Liberty Hill, this time losing at Canyon Lake High 51-3.

Big plays were the story of the game as the Panthers scored four of their seven touchdowns from over 50 yards out.

 “They’re a good football team, without a doubt, and they’re explosive and that’s what they do,” Apaches’ head football coach Kodi Crane.

On the Panthers’ first drive of the game, the Gonzales defense forced a three-and-out. After gaining just five yards on an offsides, the Apaches punted, leaving the Panthers with the ball on their own 46.

The very next play, Liberty Hill’s Jon Shannon took off for a 54-yard touchdown to open the scoring up.

On the Apaches’ next punt, it was Dylan Joiner who was initially pinned deep but then took off for an 83-yard punt return for the touchdown, going up 14-0 with six minutes left in the first. Later, Gonzales’ quarterback Tyler Hendershot threw a short pass that was picked off by defensive end Carter Ware who then took it back 53-yards for a touchdown, giving the Panthers the 20-0 lead. Their final score of the quarter was on a Caleb Guerin 68-yard rush, giving Liberty Hill the 27-0 lead.

Throughout the game, the Apaches were just unable to execute their plays on offense. There were just too many dropped catches, high throws and Panthers in the backfield causing trouble for both Hendershot and his backs.

Simply put, Liberty Hill dominated on all facets of the game. And the Apaches couldn’t afford to make self-inflicting mistakes.

“That team over there in the purple? They’ve been in the semifinals last year,” Crane explained. “They lost two games to some really good opponents and they’re a great football team. Yes, we had some drops without a doubt. Whenever you’re playing someone that good you got to execute and we just didn’t execute fully.”

As a team, the Apaches rushed for 117 yards with senior back Alyas Ramirez accounting for 97 of those on 19 carries. Hendershot had 82 yards over the air, with John Bashaw snagging five catches for 40, a few of them for key first downs.

“I thought he played awesome for his last game,” Crane noted. “We knew we were going to have to throw on [Liberty Hill] some, their defensive front is really good and we’re going to have to throw it on them some and he made some great plays.”

Unfortunately the Apaches were unable to get in the end zone, with their lone score a 36-yard kick by Bashaw.

The Apaches were able to cut down on giving up big plays, but just could not get the Panthers off the field. Near the start of the third quarter, Liberty Hill would go on a 10-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a Gage Fulps’ two-yard touchdown.

Liberty Hill later completed their first pass in over a month, with quarterback Garrett Wright hitting Xavier Williams for a six-yard slant. Late in the fourth, Wright completed his second pass, this time to Thomas Gillintine for a 36-yard touchdown.

Gonzales ends their season similar to last year, an area round loss to Liberty Hill to move to 5-7.

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