A&M Consolidated Blanks Magnolia

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: November 20, 2015

photo: Glenn McCarthy

Consolidated Cruises

Waller- Both teams have roughly 45 miles back to their respective homes, but on Thursday night the A&M Consolidated Tigers and Coach David Raffield spent the drive in celebration. The Tigers advanced in the 5A Division II playoffs with a win over the Magnolia Bulldogs, 49-0. Consolidated now has 42 total wins in the state playoffs.

Behind a suffocating defense, the legs of junior tailback Robert Franklin, and the arm of Mason Hickson, Consolidated out gained the Bulldogs 384 yards to 54 in the first half. The Tigers forced 8 plays of negative yardage as Jason Jasperson, sophomore Trevor Williams, Jonathon Sylvester and Noah Langley all harassed sophomore Magnolia QB Reese Mason. Mason filled in for Jacob Frazier who broke his hand in the Magnolia West game two weekends ago.

Consolidated scored on all but one of their first half possessions. They were firing on all cylinders from the get-go. Hickson engineered a 10 play, 64 yard drive lasting a little over 4 minutes to start the game. He was in complete control on 2nd and 10 at the 17 yard line. He audibled a quick strike slant to Tony Williams down to the 4. Two plays later Hickson cashed in from 3 yards out to take the 7-0 lead. The Tigers are also suffering from the loss of a key starter in senior tailback Tyri Merchant who is out for the season with a neck injury. Robert Franklin filled in admirably for Merchant.

Consolidated then had their only 3 and out of the first half sandwiched by two of Magnolia’s own 3 and outs. Coach Raffield’s quick strike hurry up offense took two plays to score, totaling 78 yards. All three of the Tigers starting receivers last names are Williams. Hickson found Tony Williams for 20 yards and then Cade Williams from 58 yards out as he stiff armed his defender slipping past him down the right sideline. The rout was on, 14-0 Tigers.

The Tigers next score in the 2nd quarter was the play of the night. On 4th and 9 at the Bulldog 43, Coach Raffield had his starting safety TJ Raniszeki in to rugby punt the ball. Raniszeki took off to the right side and then threw a shovel pass to up man Jonathan Sylvester who did his best power running back impression carrying a tackler into the endzone from 5 yards out. The A&M Consolidated lead stretched to 21-0.

The Tigers forced Magnolia's fourth 3 and out of the night next. On 3rd and 10 at the Bulldogs 40, Hickson moved to his right out of the shotgun and had a wide open Williams running down the middle of the field but elected to throw to Robert Franklin short on the right side. He blew past defenders and tight roped it down the right sideline for an easy Tiger score. That was the type of night it was for Hickson and the Tigers, any option was good. The lead 28-0 still very early in the game.

A 7-yard Rodney Jernigan TD and another Hickson to Cade Williams toss finished the scoring in the half for the Tigers at 42-0.

Cade Williams spelled Hickson early in the third quarter at his quarterback spot. Sophomore Tre’ Newton scored from 6 yards out for the second half’s only points. The final score was 49-0 A&M Consolidated. Hickson finished 21-27 for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns, all in the first half.

Hickson, the player of the game said this about the Tigers dominant performance, “It was a great team win, against a very good Magnolia team. We came out and executed the game plan, our receivers got open and made some big plays. Defense had some great plays and great stops, and our Oline made some big holes to run through.”

A&M Consolidated will face the winner of the Crosby vs Fort Bend Ridge Point game on Saturday at NRG at 5:30

It was a great season for Magnolia and Coach Sterling Doty who end the year with a 10-2 record. It was their first 10 win season since 1965. In doing so, they become only the 5th Magnolia team in history to reach the 10 win plateau. Doty said this about the future, “We got a lot to build on and a lot of good guys back and a lot of excitement moving forward.”

Player of the Game

by Glenn McCarthy

@GlennMcCarthy44

Players of the game:
Offense- quarterback Mason Hickson
Defense- linebacker Trevor Williams