Stunner: Late touchdown pass propels Refugio past nemesis Shiner into state semifinals
SAN MARCOS — One of the best recent rivalries in Texas high school football has another chapter.
Refugio decided to go for it on fourth-and-12 at its 13 yard line with 4:18 to play trailing nemesis Shiner by two with its season — and state championship aspirations — likely on the line.
Quarterback Kelan Brown dropped back and hit a streaking Isaiah Avery on a corner route, who then broke free of the lone Shiner defender and sprinted for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning 87-yard touchdown as Refugio shocked Shiner 27-21 at Rattler Stadium in San Marcos.
The Bobcats claimed their first Region IV-2A Division I championship since 2019 after falling to the Comanches in each of the last two seasons, seasons that Shiner went on to win UIL state championships.
With one last gasp remaining, Shiner drove to the Refugio 27 and needed just more than 1 yard on fourth down to extend the drive, but Jordan King knifed into the backfield and knocked the ball from quarterback Ryan Peterson's hands.
Although he recovered, Refugio stopped Shiner short of the line to gain and was able to kneel the game out after one first down.
After struggling to slow Dalton Brooks and the Comanches run game for the first three quarters, Refugio coach Jason Herring said rather than letting Shiner gain control of the game and have an opportunity to run out the clock, he decided to take a chance on fourth down.
"We hadn't really stopped them from getting 10 yards and I only had two timeouts left," Herring said. "I thought if we punt the ball, they are going to milk the clock, and run it and get a couple of first downs and we are going to lose the game by two points.
"Rather than let them have control, I took a chance and believed in my kids."
Shiner (13-1) advances to play No. 1-ranked Timpson, which beat Cooper 34-13 on Friday, in the Class 2A Division I state semifinals, set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Berry Center in Cypress.
Key moments
Refugio did not have the ball much in the first half, but when it did, it made it count.
Outside of a fourth-down stop on the first drive of the game, the Bobcats scored on a 96-yard kickoff return from Eziyah Bland to tie the game at 7 and on a 42-yard strike from Kelan Brown to Ernest Campbell on a one-play drive.
Shiner meanwhile pounded Refugio with Texas A&M commit Dalton Brooks over and over, running 44 plays, including 37 runs in the first half. Brooks finished with 31 carries for 157 yards, but was used sparingly in the second half.
Jordan King's 19-yard run pulled Refugio within 21-19 in the third quarter, before the Bobcats used the 87-yard bomb from Kelan Brown to Isaiah Avery to steal the game from Shiner.
Key players
In addition to the touchdown run, King forced a fumble on Shiner's last offensive snap, on fourth-and-short to help secure the win.
Brooks closed his illustrious high school career with 157 yards on 31 carries.
Eziyah Bland led Refugio with seven carries for 43 yards. Kelan Brown threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns on 6 of 8 passing. Ernest Campbell had two catches for 62 yards and one score and Avery turned his only catch into the 87-yard touchdown.
What the coaches said
Refugio's Jason Herring on the game-winning play: "It was just a base play, but it has a corner route from Isaiah (Avery) and a post and a backside. Kelan (Brown) made a great throw, and it was a great catch. Fantastic job by our kids. Defense came up right when they had to, get a stop and after one first down, we were able to run out the clock.
"I'm super proud for our kids and for our community. I'm super proud of our coaches and everybody did an outstanding job. It took every ounce that we had to win this game."
What the players said
Refugio quarterback Kelan Brown on the coaches having confidence in the players to make the key play late: "Coach Herring is a great man. People don't know that he is always there for us. I know he had all the confidence in the world in us. I love that man with all my heart. Isaiah Avery is a great athlete and I trust him with my life. There were other options, but he was open so I knew he was going to make the play. I saw him break the tackle, and I was like 'Wow.' "
Refugio's Isaiah Avery on the game-winning play: "It was a route for another dude, but I told my quarterback to believe in me, trust me and that I have the ability to get open. We practice how we play. Every time we throw the ball in practice, it is serious and you don't take a play off at any time. This is really good to beat Shiner, but now we're not worried about this one. Now we are thinking about Timpson."
Next
Refugio (13-1) vs. Timpson (14-0) in Class 2A Division I state semifinals, 6 p.m. Thursday, Berry Center, Cypress
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Late touchdown pass propels Refugio past Shiner into state semifinals
