Video: Klein Collins over Houston Lamar 091417
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Updated: September 15, 2017
Houston-- On a pleasant night three weeks into the Texas high school football season, the Klein Collins Tigers beat the Houston Lamar Texans, 23-14. Despite the late start, this was both team's inaugural game of the 2017 season.
Klein Collins Coach Drew Swoboda said, “An ugly win is better than a pretty loss.” Indeed. Breaking in a new quarterback, with a starting tailback cramping up all game, and after losing 47 seniors to a 6A DII Final Four team, Klein Collins and Coach Swoboda showed that his program is still one of the tops in the Houston area.
New quarterback Carter Rhyne performed admirably in replacing departed Harvard freshman Bryson Powers. They weren’t the only team finding a replacement for a senior headed to Boston to play for the Crimson. Lamar and Coach Tommy Nolen moved 2016 wide receiver Ty Holden to take Owen Holt’s place at quarterback.
Rhyne had an inauspicious start throwing a pick 6 to Lamar senior corner back D’ Shawn Jamison. Lamar is called DB-high for a reason. Jamison was showing off his jets and returning everything in the early going. His interception return went for 47 yards to go along with several long kick returns.
Lamar’s quick start slowed down after the Jamison touchdown. Flags were the main culprit and played a big part in the Lamar loss. Lamar had eight penalties for 80 yards in the first half alone. They also almost had a pick 6 returned of their own. Tiger corner Cameron Godley intercepted a Holden pass 72 yards but the refs ruled him down at the Lamar 1. The refs also called a block in the back pushing them all the way back to the Texans 29. A personal foul and two plays later, the Tigers had their first touchdown of the season. Rhyne found senior AJ Bennett with a quick pass to the left side. He leveraged his way into the end zone for a 12 yard TD pass and a 7-7 tie.
Another Lamar miscue came on their next series. Holden and star senior tailback Ta’Zhawn Henry (TCU commit) were forced to a three and out behind a huge 6 yard tackle for loss on third down by sophomore AJ Townsend. Lamar punter David Lastra tried to rugby punt to his left side, but he had junior Ethan Frazier tracking him. Frazier deftly blocked the punt out of bounds.
With starting field position at the Lamar 23, Klein Collins could only get a field goal out of it before halftime. Junior Landon Powers converted from 23 yards to give the Tigers their first lead of the game, 10-7.
The Tigers defense held Lamar to 43 yards and two first downs in the half. Collins only had 55 yards of their own. Either both teams had great defenses or the offenses showed that this was their first game of the season. I think it was a little of both. Coach Drew Swoboda pointed out how All-American receiver Al’ Vonte Woodard was held to one reception all night. His defense was on point.
Neither team could score in the 3rd quarter either.
Rhyne and his offense had their final scoring drive start their own 23 with 10:52 on the clock in the 4th. Josh Powell did the heavy running for the Tigers filling in for stud junior runner Isaiah Spiller who was cramping up in the second half. Rhyne found Jackson Loftin for a big 31 yard pass play into Lamar territory. And then Rhyne faked a lead draw to Powell and went right up the gut of the Lamar defensive line for a 19 yard score and a 17-7 lead.
The Lamar Texans answered back quickly. A Ty Holden TD pass to Ta’ Zhawn Henry for eight yards kept it close 17-14.
Klein Collins rallied back. Rhyne had a nice, seemingly game ending 76 yard drive go wrong as the miscues just kept piling up. Coach Svoboda elected to go for it on 4th down inside the 10 yard line. It appeared the Tigers were hoping to entice Lamar to jump offsides and surrender the first down but a Klein Collins false start took away that chance. Despite again facing 4th down - this time with 7 to go, Svoboda again chose to go for it as he looked for another coffin nail. An incomplete pass turned the ball over on downs.
Lamar had a chance against long odds to drive the length of the field for the win but once again early season mistakes ended that. This time Holden fumbled the ball right into defensive linemen Issac Barron’s arms as he scooped and scored on the final play of the game, 23-14.
Klein Collins picked up a game next week against another winner tonight in Humble Atascocita. Lamar plays Alief Elsik next Friday again at Delmar.
Star Tiger Linebacker Donovan Mutin (UH commit) said this about the added preparation for their first game, “We prepared for Lamar just like we do for any other team. We approached it like we did last year. A normal game week. We came in, we studied film. We had a mental day, we had a day were we got after it. We had a great practice, came back with another mental day, and came out to play. I would say the approach is not different than any other game.”
by Glenn McCarthy
@GlennMcCarthy44
Players of the Game
Offense QB Carter Rhyne
Defense LB Donovan Mutin & CB Cameron Godfrey
Interviews with:
@jasonrmcdaniel
@QuentinEdmiston
Scoring
Collins 7 3 0 13 23
Lamar 7 0 0 7 14
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