Mr. Buddy Garrity
10-24-2005, 08:51 AM
Joseph lifts Titans past Spring
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By Dave Rogers - The News staff writer Posted: 10/23/05 - 01:22:38 am CDT
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HOUSTON - Super-human offensive performances by Memorial's Robert Joseph and Spring's Ricky Hammond weren't enough Saturday afternoon.
Joseph needed a super defensive play, a diving interception with six minutes to go, and then a key last-minute run for a first down, to allow his Titans to hang on for a 37-35 win over Spring at Galena Park ISD Stadium.
"That was an absolutely amazing performance," Memorial head coach Dean Colbert said after his senior free safety, Joseph, again filled in at running back and, for the second week in a row, ran for a career-high: this time 285 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
"They say big-time players make big-time plays in big games," Colbert continued. "He did that. His interception was the biggest play of the game. And then he got the first down after that."
Hammond showed why he's District 22-5A's leading running back, rushing 28 times for 127 yards and two scores and catching two passes for 112 yards and one more score.
But as he tried for a fourth touchdown with 9:23 to go, he unwittingly got a slippery hand in the turning point of the game.
Hammond extended the ball toward the goal line as he swept left end from the 5-yard line with Memorial leading 30-28. The ball slipped out of his hand at about the 2 and bounded into the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback, giving the Titans the ball.
But there was more. At the end of the play, some linemen tussled back at the line of scrimmage and referees assessed Spring two 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
After the walkoffs, the Titans began the next drive at midfield and Joseph scored on a 48-yard run on the second play to make it 37-28.
"They always see the retaliation," Spring coach Sonny Karas said, making it clear he didn't think one of his players started the altercation.
"We didn't keep our composure and retaliated. We deserved to have that one called on us. It was a personal foul. Gol-lee, he (Hammond) fumbles out of the end zone. That was tough."
For Memorial, the victory means the Titans, 2-3 overall, are 2-0 in District 22-5A Zone B play. They match up against 2-0 Humble next Saturday night in Humble for the Zone B championship.
Under 22-5A's schedule redrawn after Hurricane Rita, next week's Memorial-Humble winner will play the Zone A champ for the district title. The loser will play the Zone A runner-up for the league's third and final playoff berth.
Spring, meanwhile, lost for the fourth game in a row, falling to 2-4, 0-2 and out of playoff contention.
"I feel real fortunate to have a win," Colbert said after the back-and-forth game ended. "But I'm real proud of our young men. They showed a lot of poise and character.
"This was a whole program win, for our players, their parents and our community in general. We've all rallied together after the hurricane and I think it's helped us."
After Joseph broke for a 77-yard run and Omar Alvarez added a 30-yard field goal for a 10-7 first-quarter lead for the Titans, Spring threatened to make a runaway of it behind Hammond in the first half of the second period.
He scored on a one-yard run for his second TD of the game. Then he ran 71 yards to score with a screen pass from Spring quarterback Zach Bukowski.
Bukowski passed for 270 yards and two touchdowns, completing 12 of 20 passes with two interceptions.
Spring had 398 total yards as Memorial's defense allowed just one net yard rushing by anyone other than Hammond.
"They weren't really doing nothing we couldn't stop," said Joseph, who is this state's top defensive safety recruit and an early commitment for the University of Texas. "We just had a few coverages get mixed up."
Joseph stepped up again. For the second week in a row he came in for sophomore tailback Patterson Clay, who injured his shoulder last week and Saturday had three carries for a net of zero yards.
Joseph gained 196 yards rushing in last week's 20-13 win over Baytown Lee. That's 481 yards in eight days.
"They needed me out there," the 6-2, 185-pound senior said. "Whatever we have to do, we have to step up and do it."
After Spring went ahead 21-10, a 54-yard kickoff return by Eric Reynolds set up a four-yard TD run by Joseph. Then Isiah Trahan, second baseman on Memorial's baseball team, caught Alvarez' popup kick for a perfect onsides effort. Reynolds got into the end zone himself on a 10-yard pass from Antone Goudeaux to give the Titans a 24-21 halftime lead.
Reynolds returned the second-half kickoff 81 yards, but it was nullified by offsetting penalties (offsides on Spring, holding on Memorial). Unfazed, the Titans went 71 yards in eight plays to score on a kooky play.
Fullback Clarence Williams fumbled as he headed goal-ward from nine yards out. Reynolds came from his receiver spot and fielded the ball on a bounce in the end zone for a 30-21 Titan lead.
Before the third period ended, Bukowski found Kareem Jackson running behind Trahan for a 31-yard touchdown. That cut Memorial's lead to two points.
Just when it seemed Hammond was going to give the Lions a lead, he fumbled into the end zone and Joseph turned the tables to put Memorial up 37-28 with 8:29 left.
Even after Joseph laid out to intercept Bukowski's throw for the pesky Jackson (five catches, 83 yards), the Lions came back. They scored on a 16-yard run by their quarterback with 3:42 to go.
Memorial needed two first downs to run out the clock. Joseph made sure of the second one, breaking several early tackle tries to gain 16 yards on third-and-six.
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By Dave Rogers - The News staff writer Posted: 10/23/05 - 01:22:38 am CDT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - Super-human offensive performances by Memorial's Robert Joseph and Spring's Ricky Hammond weren't enough Saturday afternoon.
Joseph needed a super defensive play, a diving interception with six minutes to go, and then a key last-minute run for a first down, to allow his Titans to hang on for a 37-35 win over Spring at Galena Park ISD Stadium.
"That was an absolutely amazing performance," Memorial head coach Dean Colbert said after his senior free safety, Joseph, again filled in at running back and, for the second week in a row, ran for a career-high: this time 285 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
"They say big-time players make big-time plays in big games," Colbert continued. "He did that. His interception was the biggest play of the game. And then he got the first down after that."
Hammond showed why he's District 22-5A's leading running back, rushing 28 times for 127 yards and two scores and catching two passes for 112 yards and one more score.
But as he tried for a fourth touchdown with 9:23 to go, he unwittingly got a slippery hand in the turning point of the game.
Hammond extended the ball toward the goal line as he swept left end from the 5-yard line with Memorial leading 30-28. The ball slipped out of his hand at about the 2 and bounded into the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback, giving the Titans the ball.
But there was more. At the end of the play, some linemen tussled back at the line of scrimmage and referees assessed Spring two 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
After the walkoffs, the Titans began the next drive at midfield and Joseph scored on a 48-yard run on the second play to make it 37-28.
"They always see the retaliation," Spring coach Sonny Karas said, making it clear he didn't think one of his players started the altercation.
"We didn't keep our composure and retaliated. We deserved to have that one called on us. It was a personal foul. Gol-lee, he (Hammond) fumbles out of the end zone. That was tough."
For Memorial, the victory means the Titans, 2-3 overall, are 2-0 in District 22-5A Zone B play. They match up against 2-0 Humble next Saturday night in Humble for the Zone B championship.
Under 22-5A's schedule redrawn after Hurricane Rita, next week's Memorial-Humble winner will play the Zone A champ for the district title. The loser will play the Zone A runner-up for the league's third and final playoff berth.
Spring, meanwhile, lost for the fourth game in a row, falling to 2-4, 0-2 and out of playoff contention.
"I feel real fortunate to have a win," Colbert said after the back-and-forth game ended. "But I'm real proud of our young men. They showed a lot of poise and character.
"This was a whole program win, for our players, their parents and our community in general. We've all rallied together after the hurricane and I think it's helped us."
After Joseph broke for a 77-yard run and Omar Alvarez added a 30-yard field goal for a 10-7 first-quarter lead for the Titans, Spring threatened to make a runaway of it behind Hammond in the first half of the second period.
He scored on a one-yard run for his second TD of the game. Then he ran 71 yards to score with a screen pass from Spring quarterback Zach Bukowski.
Bukowski passed for 270 yards and two touchdowns, completing 12 of 20 passes with two interceptions.
Spring had 398 total yards as Memorial's defense allowed just one net yard rushing by anyone other than Hammond.
"They weren't really doing nothing we couldn't stop," said Joseph, who is this state's top defensive safety recruit and an early commitment for the University of Texas. "We just had a few coverages get mixed up."
Joseph stepped up again. For the second week in a row he came in for sophomore tailback Patterson Clay, who injured his shoulder last week and Saturday had three carries for a net of zero yards.
Joseph gained 196 yards rushing in last week's 20-13 win over Baytown Lee. That's 481 yards in eight days.
"They needed me out there," the 6-2, 185-pound senior said. "Whatever we have to do, we have to step up and do it."
After Spring went ahead 21-10, a 54-yard kickoff return by Eric Reynolds set up a four-yard TD run by Joseph. Then Isiah Trahan, second baseman on Memorial's baseball team, caught Alvarez' popup kick for a perfect onsides effort. Reynolds got into the end zone himself on a 10-yard pass from Antone Goudeaux to give the Titans a 24-21 halftime lead.
Reynolds returned the second-half kickoff 81 yards, but it was nullified by offsetting penalties (offsides on Spring, holding on Memorial). Unfazed, the Titans went 71 yards in eight plays to score on a kooky play.
Fullback Clarence Williams fumbled as he headed goal-ward from nine yards out. Reynolds came from his receiver spot and fielded the ball on a bounce in the end zone for a 30-21 Titan lead.
Before the third period ended, Bukowski found Kareem Jackson running behind Trahan for a 31-yard touchdown. That cut Memorial's lead to two points.
Just when it seemed Hammond was going to give the Lions a lead, he fumbled into the end zone and Joseph turned the tables to put Memorial up 37-28 with 8:29 left.
Even after Joseph laid out to intercept Bukowski's throw for the pesky Jackson (five catches, 83 yards), the Lions came back. They scored on a 16-yard run by their quarterback with 3:42 to go.
Memorial needed two first downs to run out the clock. Joseph made sure of the second one, breaking several early tackle tries to gain 16 yards on third-and-six.