Lions close season with tough loss to Del Valle

By Alonzo Garza
POST-REGISTER

The Lockhart Lions (1-8) traveled to Del Valle for their final game of the season on Friday, Nov. 9. Despite Lockhart”s best efforts against the determined Del Valle Cardinals (5-5) during the first half of the game, the Lions simply lost focus, and ultimately the game, in the second half with a final score of 44-21.
“We playe

d well against a good Del Valle team,” Head Coach Troy Moses said. “I am extremely proud of our kids this year. They could have given up many times throughout the year, but they just kept playing. Every week they came out and gave all they could in one of the toughest 4A districts in the state.”
The season was what it was. The Lions played as hard and as well as they could have against formidable opponents all season long. They learned valuable lessons in what it takes to give unselfishly to a greater cause and, more importantly, the type of perseverance it will take to continue despite numerous setbacks – lessons the seniors will be able to apply to other aspects of their lives.
The first half of the game was incredibly exciting to watch. The contest seemed to be evenly matched, with each team executing plays and gaining good yardage, especially during the second quarter.
The game began with Del Valle kicking to the Lions. Both teams played well until the last three minutes of the first quarter when the Cardinals scored the first touchdown of the night. Del Valle”s Michael McDowell scored the touchdown with a 27 yard run for a score of 6-0. The extra point kick failed. The Lions recovered a fumble by Del Valle at the end of the quarter guaranteeing favorable field position. The first quarter ended at 6-0.
The second quarter began with Lockhart deep in Del Valle territory. With excellent field position, the Lions” Casey Butler carried in the first Lion touchdown with a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line at the top of the quarter. The extra point kick was no good for a score of 6-6 with 11:12 remaining in the second.
Del Valle scored a total of 18 points during the second quarter while Lockhart put a total of 21 points on the board for the Lions. By far the most exciting quarter of the night, the second showed everyone what the Lions could do against a good opponent.
The second quarter points for both teams came in the following order. Lockhart”s Butler touchdown with a 1-yard run started the scoring. Del Valle”s Travis Collin-Johnson made a 12-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals” two-point conversion attempt failed. Zachary Leija made his own contribution to the Lion score with a 14-yard touchdown run. Michael Oliva added a point with a successful kick. Del Valle”s Justin Wilson made a 70-yard touchdown with a pass from Jozef Cortez. The Cardinal two-point conversion attempt failed again. Butler scored for Lockhart again with another 1-yard run touchdown and the two-point conversion attempt by Leija was good.
The last bit of scoring in the second came from Del Valle. Josh Brinson-Howard scored with a 3-yard pass from Cortez. Their extra point kick failed. The first half ended with both teams confident and excited and the score at 24-21 with Del Valle leading.
The third quarter remained scoreless for both teams. It could have been excellent defense on both sides, or just tired players waiting for their second wind. Still, the Lions did an excellent job of the driving the ball forward.
The fourth quarter was the most important quarter of the game. Unfortunately, only the Cardinals regained their composure and executed an excellent assault on the Lions. The Lions, on the other hand, hit a wall of confusion and fatigue. All the scoring in the fourth belonged to the Cardinals. When it was all over the Cardinals scored 20 additional points while the Lions scrambled for the ball until the very end.
The season-ending game ended with a final score of 44-21.
“We earned a lot of respect from other teams in the district this year,” Moses said. “We would like to thank the community for their support all year long. It was because of the support of the community that these kids kept playing as hard as they did every week.”
One positive outcome of the season was Butler”s tremendous rushing performance throughout the season. Butler finished in third place in the Austin-American Statesman”s Central Texas High School Football Statistics standings. He was only 20 points behind second place. Butler rushed 1,181 yards in 216 attempts.
See you next season.
agarza@post-register.com