Page Leads Friendswood Past La Porte
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Updated: November 19, 2016
Webster Challenger Columbia Stadium- This is my second year to cover high school football. Last year I watched a quarterback turn in 300 yard rushing games after 300 yard rushing games. The first time I saw Tyler Page drop 294 yards was last year against Clear Creek. I thought it was an anomaly. That it was a once in a lifetime game. He did it again against Hightower in the first round of the playoffs. Its what he does. Week in and week out.
Tonight was no different. Last week he ran for 304 yards in a 42-21 win against Richmond George Ranch. Tonight he had 25 carries and 325 yards. And its not how many yards he runs for. Its how he does it. It’s the instincts he uses and the ability to do things that spectators haven’t see before. He and his Friendswood Mustangs willed themselves to a victory mainly via the ground against a tough La Porte Bulldog team, 56-35.
The wide world of Tyler Page continues onward. Next week Friendswood will face the winner of Katy Cinco Ranch vs Langham Creek. Which is tomorrow at Tully Stadium 1 pm.
La Porte came into the game ready for a shoot out. But Friendswood has the master of those. He wears #2. In a game where the wind was blowing out of the north at 30 mph. Field position seemed to be extra important. Having #2 was more important.
La Porte’s opening drive was impressive. 8 plays, 1 minute 46 seconds, covering 74 yards. Highlighted by a 46 yard run from QB Austin Upshaw and finished off by Kevrin Busby 4 yard run, 7-0 LP.
Page struck right back with a drive just short of 2 minutes. Running back Calvin Whitaker punched it in from 1 yard out for the Mustangs first touchdown, 7 all.
The first quarter was relatively calm in this game of highlights. Page provided his first big one on a great 8 yard run with under a minute in the quarter. He made a devastating cut inside two Bulldog defenders and then showed off his speed blazing his way to the pylon, 14-7.
Upshaw, the Memphis commit, fired right back. He hit Busby for 46 yards down to the Friendswood 2. Upshaw then got his first of 2 touchdowns, 14-14 tied it up again. Upshaw wasn’t too bad himself, finishing with 25 carries for 183 yards. 142 short of Page’s total though. Upshaw averaged 7.32 yard a carry. Page averaged 13, good gosh.
Page has a total of 5, 280 yard career rushing yards now.
72 of those yards came on the next drive when he flew down the left sideline to the 5. They had La Porte out of breath, Elijah Blackburn scored on the next play 21-14.
In what may have been La Porte Coach Jeff LaReau’s biggest mistake was giving the ball back to Page and the Mustangs with a minute and a half left in the half. After a Page to Ben Redding pass Whitaker got his second touchdown from 11 yards out, 28-14.
La Porte may have let it get out too far ahead of them then. But they kept scoring. So did Friendswood.
Page had 15 carries for 167 yards at the break. He was also 5-6 passing with 95 yard.
The play of the game and the one all the fans in the stands were talking about was the first score of the second half. It was the second play from scrimmage. Page was in shotgun empty set at his own 37. He dropped the snap, picked it up. They were zone blocking. And he just ran 67 yards over the left end and passed everyone, 35-14.
Upshaw(18-29, 218 yards) wasn’t done scoring either. He hit his favorite target Busby on a swing pass. 55 yards, 35-21 Friendswood.
Page had touchdown passes to Alex Klump(15 yards) and Reed Roher(17 yards) in the second half. He was 8-10 for 140 yards and those 2 touchdowns. Friendswood had 556 total yard and 6 rushing touchdowns.
The wide world of Tyler Page continues onward. Next Saturday Friendswood will face the winner of Katy Cinco Ranch vs Langham Creek 2 pm at NRG. That game is tomorrow at Tully Stadium 1 pm.
by Glenn McCarthy
@GlennMcCarthy44
Coach Koopman interview with Ted Dunnam
@TedDunnam
Players of the Game
Offense QB Tyler Page
Defense DB Reid Nickerson
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
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Friendswood 14 14 14 14 56
La Porte 7 7 14 7 35
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