Navarro Football: Bulldogs lose heartbreaker, 24-23
Nov. 14—ROSWELL, N.M. — In the ultimate would-a, could-a, should-a game Navarro's Bulldogs fell to New Mexico Military Institute 24-23 in the SWJCFC Semifinals Saturday night on the road in a gut-wrenching loss that ended Navarro's season.
Koby Muasau's 45-yard TD pass to Malik Phillips with 1:46 left lifted NMMI to the win and sends the Broncos to the conference title game against third-seeded Kilgore, which upset top-seeded Trinity Valley to reach the title game.
The Bulldogs beat Kilgore 28-21 in the regular season, but fell short of the title game when their game against NMMI went upside down in the fourth quarter in the Wool Bowl, where NMMI spent most of the night failing to reach the end zone against an aggressive Bulldog defense that allowed just nine points (on three field goals) over three quarters.
The Bulldogs led 10-9 going into the fourth, but the two teams combined to score 27 points in the final quarter, including a wild blocked PAT that was returned for a 2-point conversion that ultimately proved to be the difference.
Navarro took a 23-16 lead on Dane Jentsch's 2-yard run with 3:19 left in the game, but NMMI blocked the extra point kick and returned it to close the gap to 23-18, opening the six-point door to victory for NMMI, which cashed in on Muasau's second fourth-quarter touchdown, and that six points was just enough to edge the Dawgs 24-23.
Jentsch gave the Dawgs a 16-9 lead when he scored on a 4-yard run with 11:04 left in the fourth and Axel Robertson's PAT kick made it a 17-9 game, but Muasau connected with Terrance Moore for an 18-yard touchdown pass and the Broncos closed to 17-16 with the PAT.
Navarro finishes the season at 6-4.
