STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

- WACO - To say Friday night’s Class 3A Division I quarterfinal between the Navasota Rattlers and the Chapel Hill Bulldogs was entertaining would be an understatement.

The Rattlers and the top-ranked Bulldogs thrilled and delighted the crowd at Floyd Casey Stadium, keeping them on the edge of their seats in a wild affair that was finally won by the Bulldogs, 56-46.

The game was tied heading into the final quarter, and the Rattlers grabbed their first lead with 10 minutes and 11 seconds left, but Chapel Hill scored the final 15 points to pull out the victory.

“It was a dogfight back and forth,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “I am proud of our kids and the way they played.”

This was the fifth consecutive trip to the quarterfinals for the Rattlers, and unfortunately it was the fifth time they saw their season end in this round. This time it ended with an 11-2 record.

The Bulldogs improved to 13-0 and advanced to next week’s semifinal round where they will face West Columbia, who earlier in the evening eliminated La Vernia, 28-7.

Chapel Hill, which came in averaging 524 yards of offense per game, rolled up 597 against the Rattlers, including 428 on the ground.

“They’ve got some great athletes on their offense and it was tough on our defense,” Fedora said.

It would have been easy for the Rattlers to hang their heads and pack it in after Chapel Hill scored 13 points in the first 39 seconds of the game following a pair of Rattlers’ turnovers.

Instead the Rattlers continued to battle, managing to draw even by halftime thanks to a pair of defensive touchdowns — an interception return by Solomon McGinty and another by Jaylyin Minor.

“When you get turnovers and score off turnovers it is big,” Fedora said. “Our kids kept competing.”

The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, setting up a wild final 12 minutes.

Chapel Hill struck first in the final frame when Deaveron Dean fell on loose ball in the end zone after teammate Jay Regan coughed it up at the 1-yard line.

The Rattlers wasted no time answering, as Kadarius Baker hit Austin Collins with a pass that Collins hauled in, turned on the jets and went 66 yards to pay dirt. The extra point was no good, however, leaving the Rattlers down by one.

Navasota’s defense came up with its third score of the night 19 seconds later when Autra Maxey scooped up a fumble and raced 26 yards for a touchdown, handing the Rattlers their first lead of the night.

Having missed the previous extra point, the Rattlers went for two, running a trick play on a pass to Maxey. He bobbled the pass, but eventually secured it, only to have it squirt loose as he dove for the end zone, leaving the Rattlers with a 46-41 lead.

After the Bulldogs returned the ensuing kick to midfield, they went on a 10-play scoring drive, with Reagan capping it with a 1-yard run.

Navasota was forced to punt the ball away, giving the ball to Chapel Hill with under 3 minutes remaining in the game.

The Rattler defense had a chance to get the ball back when the Bulldogs faced a third-and-3 from their own 35. But Reagan broke through the line and raced 65 yards for the score that put the game out of reach at the 1:30 mark.

Navasota’s offense finished the night with 272 yards. Baker threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns, completing 15 of his 26 pass attempts. Collins had three receptions for 99 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while McGinty had five receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown.

The Rattler weren’t able to muster much on the ground, finishing with 14 rushes for minus-15 yards.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

- NAVASOTA - The old saying goes, “the third time is the charm.” The Navasota Rattler football team will be looking to change that saying Friday night as it takes on the Chapel Hill Bulldogs in the Class 3A Division I Region 3 quarterfinals at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco at 7 p.m.

It is the fifth consecutive season the Rattlers have made the quarterfinals, with their first four trips ending in defeat to a team that either went on to win the state championship or finish as the runner-up.

Navasota (11-1) hopes the fifth trip to the quarterfinals will be the charm, but they know it won’t be easy, as they face the Bulldogs (12-0), who have been ranked No. 1 all season and enter the game as a 10-point favorite according to the Harris Ratings.

“That just tells you about Region 3,” Rattler head coach Lee Fedora said. “When you think about Region 3 in 3A Division I, every year when you get to that quarterfinals you are usually facing the No. 1 team in the state.

“You always have to believe that for that ultimate goal that you want, you have to beat the best if you are going to be the best. It just so happens that every year we have caught it in the quarterfinals.”

The Bulldogs are also the team that ended the Rattlers’ season last year, 42-13, in a game that was close, but got away from the Rattlers when they turned the ball over three times in the second quarter, leading to 21 straight points for Chapel Hill.

“I am one that hates watching that film from last year because that was a disappointing way that it turned out,” Fedora said. “I put the film on for our kids before practice [Tuesday] and I was showing them that in the second quarter it was 7-7.

“We were in the ballgame and we were getting stops when we need to and we were moving the football. Then we gave up sacks, we throw an interception they return to the 1 and then they score. We fumble the kickoff and they score and then we fumble into the end zone and they score and the next thing you know it is 28-7 and I saw out kids just lay down a little bit.

“I think this group this year has been there, done that and they have handled adversity well.”

Navasota reached the quarterfinals with a dominating 44-3 victory over Huffman-Hargrave last week. The Rattlers scored on their opening possession and never looked back.

“I was proud of our kids,” Fedora said. “We came out with 100 percent intensity and from the get-go we started that gas pedal and stayed on top of it and it just kept going from there.”

Chapel Hill had a much tougher game last week against La Vega. The Bulldogs needed a late goal-line stand and a 93-yard touchdown run from Andrew Tucker with less than a minute remaining to pull out the 27-20 victory.

Tucker’s jaunt capped a night where the Bulldogs rushed for 230 yards, which was well under their average of 323 rushing yards per game. Tucker averages 10 yards per carry and has 10 touchdowns, but he is far from being their only threat.

Senior Jay Reagan has carried the rock 111 times for 925 yards and a team-high 16 touchdowns. Three other Bulldogs have at least 44 rushing attempts on the season.

“They are a running football team that can run it at any time and can break it at anytime,” Fedora said.

The Bulldogs can also pass the ball as well, having thrown for an average of 200 yards per game. Senior quarterback Avery Saenz has thrown for 1,154 yards and 13 touchdowns with no interceptions, despite suffering a fracture in his lower right leg in the third game of the season, forcing him to sit out until the final regular-season game.

In his absence, senior wide receiver Anthony Kincade filled in, completing 74 of 107 passes for 1,201 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

“If you stop the run they can also throw the football,” Fedora said. “I think it shows what a talented group Chapel Hill is in the fact that their starting quarterback gets hurt early and they still find ways to win and be undefeated.”

The Chapel Hill defense has been stingy this season, holding teams to an average of 297.9 yards per game, but will face a Navasota offense that has been rolling, averaging 427 yards and 40 points per game.

The winner of Friday’s game will advance to the semifinals to face the winner between West Columbia and La Vernia who meet at 6 p.m. Friday at the Berry Center in Cypress.

The Navasota-Chapel Hill game can be heard live on Navasota News 1550 KWBC with the pregame set to begin at 6:30 p.m.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

- SHENENDOAH  - It didn’t take the Navasota Rattlers long to show the Huffman-Hargrave Falcons they were in for a long night Friday.

Navasota scored in its first possession, then added four more scores in the first half to build a 32-point cushion at the half, on the way to a dominating 44-3 victory at Woodforest Bank Stadium in the Regional Round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs.

The victory lifts the Rattlers (11-1) into the regional quarterfinals for the fifth straight season where they will face top-ranked Chapel Hill, which defeated La Vega, 27-20. Chapel Hill eliminated Navasota from the playoffs last season in the quarterfinals, 42-13. Huffman, which finished second in 22-3A ends its season at 9-3.

“I don’t think I will have to get our kids geared up,”Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “They know it is a big ballgame. We just have to keep playing our type of game and get ready to face the No. 1 team inthe state.”

The Rattlers put the wraps on a Falcon offense that came in averaging 338 yards per game, holding them to 104 in the first half and 135 on the game. The halftime yardage total was inflated by a 52-yard run on a fakepunt.

“I was very proud of our kids,” Fedora said. “Look at what our defense did, holding them to three points. It was a fake punt that got them down there. Then we held on and stood strong and made them kick a field goal.”

Meanwhile the Navasota offense rolled up 398 yards by the half, totaling 546 for the game. Kadarius Baker threw two touchdown passes in the first half, one of 73 yards to Austin Collins and one covering 97 yards to Solomon McGinty. Xavier Creeks rushed for a pair of touchdowns — 1 yard and 41 yards — as the Rattlers took control early.

“We only had 30 snaps [in the first half] but everything we were doing was working,” Fedora said. “Our offensive line, you have to give them credit, they were not allowing any penetration and they did a great job.”

Baker, who continues to state his case as the top quarterback in the Brazos Valley, finished the night completing 16 of 20 passes for 290 yards with two touchdowns. On the season he has thrown for 37 touchdowns with just two interceptions.

“Kadarius did what he had to do,” Fedora said.

When Baker wasn’t cutting up the defense with his passing,Creeks was doing it with his legs. The junior tailback finished the night with 134 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries.

While the offense for Navasota was sharp, the story on the night was the defense, which seemed to know where every play was going and managed to get to the spot before the Falcons could.

The secondary picked off Huffman quarterbacks twice— one by Creeks and one by Collins — and shut down a passing attack that was Huffman’s bread and butter all season long.

Starting quarterback Preston Townley, who had thrown for 2,670 yards and 29 touchdowns coming in, only managed 22 yards passing before he was knocked out of the game early in the second quarter. His backup, sophomore Cole Harrell, completed just 5 of 14 passes for 45 yards.

In the second half, the Rattlers wasted no time adding to their lead. Navasota got the kick to start the half and went 72 yards in just nine plays. Creeks concluded the drive with his third score of the night, this one from 6-yards out.

Cesar Barron, who kicked five extra points on the night,concluded the scoring with a 36-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

- NAVASOTA - The great Yogi Berra, once quipped, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.” For the Navasota Rattler football team the saying holds true for a second consecutive week of the Class 3A Division I playoffs.

After facing the Sealy Tigers last week in the first round of the playoffs, the same team Navasota faced in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, the Rattlers again face a familiar foe.

This time it is the Huffman-Hargrave Falcons, a team the Rattlers defeated at this same juncture of last year’s playoffs.

The Rattlers (10-1) and the Falcons (9-2) will battle at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Conroe, Friday at 7:30 p.m., in the area round of the playoffs. Last season the Rattlers defeated the Falcons, 43-26.

“They are a disciplined team and they are not going to fall apart,” Fedora said of the 2011 Falcons. “They are going to keep competing. They are going to throw the ball around like crazy and if you don’t cover well they are going to find those spots and hit it.”

The Rattlers are coming off a 40-13 victory over the Sealy Tigers. In that victory the Rattlers got off to a fast start, scoring on the second play of the game then used a 14-point fourth quarter to extend a 10-point halftime lead and take control.

“I was proud of our kids,” Fedora said. “It was an outstanding game against a good opponent and I was very proud to get the win. Our kids really stood up to the occasion.”

When the Rattlers and the Falcons faced off last season, Navasota carried a one-point lead into the half thanks to an 89-yard kickoff return by Tevin Creeks just before intermission. The return sparked the Rattlers as they outscored the Falcons 22-6 over the final 24 minutes of the game.

Huffman stayed in the game last season thanks in large part to quarterback Cole DeBerry, who completed 24 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns. He also added a team-high 73 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Berry has graduated, but the Falcons possess another strong-armed quarterback in junior Preston Townley who has thrown for 2,670 yards and 29 touchdowns so far this season.

Townley’s favorite target is senior Kade Hardy, who has 53 receptions and a team-high 11 touchdown receptions.

“He is a great quarterback and you can tell he makes great reads and their receivers do a great job,” Fedora said. “It is going to be a test for our defense. We are going to have great pass rush and wrap up and we have to have great play in our linebacker and secondary.”

Navasota counters with a strong quarterback of its own in junior Kadarius Baker who has completed 154 passes for 2,497 yards and 35 touchdowns. In 233 passing attempts, Baker has been intercepted just twice.

“What impresses me the most about Kadarius is he has thrown 35 touchdowns and only two interceptions,” Fedora said.

Junior receivers Solomon McGinty and Austin Collins have combined for 111 receptions for 1,846 yards and 25 touchdowns.

The winner of Friday’s game advances to face the winner of the Chapel Hill vs. La Vega game in the Division I quarterfinals. Last season Chapel Hill defeated Navasota, 42-13 in the quarterfinals.

Friday’s Navasota game can be heard live on Navasota News 1550 KWBC with the pregame slated to start at 7:05.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

- WALLER - Last season when the Navasota Rattlers and the Sealy Tigers met in the first round of the playoffs, the Rattlers took a 10-point lead into the half, then failed to score in the third quarter before pulling away with a solid fourth quarter.

This year the Rattlers again led by 10 at the half. This time, however, they wasted no time pulling away. Navasota used a 14-point third quarter to increase its lead Friday night, on its way to handing the Tigers a 40-13 defeat in the Class 3A Division I bidistrict round of the playoffs at Waller ISD Stadium.

The victory moves the Rattlers (10-1) into the area round of the playoffs where they will face the either Silsbee or Hufman-Hargrave, who meet Saturday night. Sealy, meanwhile, ends its season at 8-3

“I am very proud of our kids,” Rattler head coach Lee Fedora said. “I thought our kids fought hard. That was a great team we played tonight and our kids came out on top.”

In the deciding third quarter, the Rattlers scored on both of their possessions, marching 53 yards in just five plays for one score and 75 yards in just three plays for their other.

They also shored up the defense in the second half, holding Sealy quarterback Ricky Seals-Jones to just 14 rushing yards, after allowing him to gain 117 in the first half.

“The Seals-Jones kid is phenomenal,” Fedora said. “You saw several times where it looked like we had him down and he broke free. He is a great athlete. We prepared all week for a guy like that.”

The Rattlers jumped on top early in the game, needing just two plays to do so. After gaining nothing on the first play of the game, Kadarius Baker went up top, finding Solomon McGinty behind the defense.

McGinty hauled in the pass at the Sealy 25 and the outraced everyone to the end zone for the first score of the night. Cesar Baron’s extra point made it 7-0 Rattlers less than a minute into the game.

It was the first of two touchdown passes on the night for Baker who finished the night 6-for-8 passing for 148 yards. He also rushed for 23 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with a stinger in the third quarter.

Navasota added to its lead at the 3-minute mark of the first quarter when Baron connected on a 20-yard field goal after the Rattlers stalled at the Sealy 3-yard line.

Sealy put together back-to-back solid drives deep into Navasota territory the next two times it had the ball, but came away with points on just one of the drives.

The lone score of the half for the Tigers came on a 1-yard run by Jowan Davis, capping a 12-play 65-yard drive.

Seals-Jones led the Tigers on another drive into Rattler territory, but it stalled at the Rattler 6-yard line. A 23-yard-field goal attempt by Erik Hernandez was short, but the Rattlers were flagged for offsides, giving the Tigers another shot.

They came up empty again, however, when they ran in Austin Pratt to try a 20-yard field goal, which was wide right.

Sparked by the stop, the Rattler offense drove 80 yards in just six plays for a touchdown, the score coming when Baker hooked up with Austin Collins from 44 yards out.

After hauling in the pass at the 25, Collins made a move that left Seals-Jones in his wake, then got a crushing block from Jared Sauls as he waltzed into the end zone, giving Navasota a 17-7 lead at the half.

Sealy got the ball to start the second half, but was forced to punt. A short punt into the wind gave the Rattlers the ball at their own 47, and five plays later Baker went in from 2-yards out.

The next time the Rattlers got the ball, they went 75 yards to increase their lead. Jacob Malek, who took over at quarterback, hit McGinty for a 70-yard gain to the Sealy 5, when he rolled left and then lofted a perfect pass to the wide-open receiver.

Two plays later, Malek crossed the goal line, putting the Rattlers ahead by 24, and in the process, deflating the hopes of the Tigers.

The Rattlers added a safety in the fourth quarter when Josh Thomas forced Seals-Jones out of the back of the end zone when he lost the handle on the snap from center.

Malek capped the scoring for the Rattlers with a 9-yard run that came after a Jerbrell Lipscomb interception that gave the ball to the Rattlers at the Sealy 19.

Sealy added a late touchdown on Davis’ second scoring run of the night, but by then, the victory was well in hand for the Rattlers.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

-NAVASOTA- There are things in life that just seem to go great together: peanut butter and jelly, cheese and crackers and baseball and hotdogs.

The Navasota Rattlers and the high school football playoffs are another pairing that just seems to go great together, and Friday night the pairing will once again take place.

The Rattlers (9-1), fresh off their second consecutive outright District 23-3A title, will open the Class 3A Division I playoffs when they take on the Sealy Tigers (8-2) at Waller ISD Stadium in a 7:30 p.m. clash.

The two programs, which have become very familiar with each other through the years, will meet for the second straight season, in the same place where the Rattlers posted a 33-17 victory last year. The Rattlers hold a 12-4 lead in the all-time series between the schools.

“Last year is over,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “They’ve got a new team and we’ve got a new team.”

While the majority of each team is new, there are some familiar faces, especially on the Sealy side of the ledger, where standout Ricky Seals-Jones returns to lead the Tigers’ offense.

Last season Seals-Jones was featured as a receiver, but this time around, he has done most of his damage from the backfield. Seals-Jones has thrown for 761 yards and eight touchdowns, while rushing for another 1,245 and 15 touchdowns.

Jowan Davis, who finished the regular season with 1,167 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, joins him in the backfield.

“Sealy is a good football team and they are well coached,” Fedora said. They’ve got athletes on the offensive side of the ball. The scary thing about Seals-Jones when he is back there is he can hurt you throwing the football but if you cover the pass he can take off and run. He is big and physical and he is a playmaker.”

The Rattlers counter with an offensive attack that is led by junior quarterback Kadarius Baker who has thrown for 33 touchdowns, with only two interceptions. He has a host of receivers to throw to, led by Solomon McGinty, Austin Collins and Austin Baumert.

Navasota’s lone loss this season came in Week 2, when they dropped a 35-28 decision at Class 4A Willis. In that game the Rattlers played a horrible first half, but battled back and found themselves with a chance to go in for the potential tying, or game-winning score on the final play of the game.

A sneak by Baker came up a half-yard short, but that loss seemed to serve as a springboard for the Rattlers who have one eight straight games since.

“There is something about this group, the team chemistry,” Fedora said. There is not one guy that wants to stand out. They just want to be part of a team and a family and they have great team chemistry.

“That is nothing that a coach can do. I can’t get my coaching staff to go in and make them have chemistry. That is something the kids do on their own.”

The winner of Friday’s game will advance to the regional round to face the winner between Silsbee and Huffman Hargrave. Those two teams meet on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Humble’s Turner Stadium.

The Navasota-Sealy game can be heard live on Navasota News 1550 KWBC beginning with the pregame at 7:05.

Navasota-Sealy All-Time Series

Navasota leads 12-4

1970 Sealy 7, Navasota 0

1971 Navasota 27, Sealy 0

1980 Navasota 33, Sealy 0

1981 Navasota 23, Sealy 3

1982 Navasota 28, Sealy 6

1983 Navasota 39, Sealy 0

1984 Navasota 47, Sealy 0

1985 Navasota 27, Sealy 17

1988 Navasota 28, Sealy 7

1989 Sealy 10, Navasota 7

2002 Navasota 19, Sealy 0

2003 Sealy 16, Navasota 13

2004 Navasota 27, Sealy 21

2005 Sealy 55, Navasota 0

2008 Navasota 35, Sealy 0

2010 Navasota 33, Sealy 17

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

- GIDDINGS - It is often said that in games between two solid teams special teams can make the difference. Friday night in the Navasota Rattlers’ regular-season finale, the saying rang true.

The Rattlers used a 70-yard return by Solomon McGinty of a bad snap on a field goal attempt to put a charge into their sideline following a lackluster first half, propelling them to a 27-16 victory over the Giddings Buffaloes at Buffalo Stadium.

The victory capped an undefeated 5-0 District 23-3A season for the Rattlers, giving them their second consecutive outright district championship. The Rattlers finished the regular season with a 9-1 overall mark, their only loss coming in the second week of the season to Class 4A Willis.

“We got concerned coming over here because Giddings is a good football team,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “We told them [the players] it is a hostile environment and we didn’t play the first half like we needed too.

“We went in at halftime and all we told our kids was we know what type of team we are, and it is going to show in the second half. Special teams got a big play for us and that got our energy going. I am proud of our kids and their effort tonight.”

The victory propels the Rattlers into the Class 3A Division I playoffs where they will open against the Sealy Tigers, next Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Waller ISD Stadium.

Before McGinty’s return the Rattlers were on the ropes and Giddings was driving to try and deliver the knockout punch. But the Rattler defense, which struggled in the first half, came up big stopping the Buffaloes and forcing a 28-yard field goal attempt.

The snap to holder, and Giddings quarterback Jackie Wade, sailed over his head and was rolling on the turf. McGinty scooped it up and with a convoy of Rattler players returned it 70 yards for a touchdown, pulling the Rattlers within three points.

It also breathed life into the Rattlers, who forced the Buffaloes to punt the next time they had the ball. Navasota’s offense, which struggled through the first, responded with an 83-yard drive following the punt, with Austin Collins turning a bubble screen into a 40-yard touchdown, giving the Rattlers the lead.

The Rattlers added another big special teams play midway through the fourth quarter when Giddings’ punt returner Jamil Jackson muffed the kick and Austin Baumert picked it up at the Giddings’ 9-yard line.

On the next play Baker lofted a perfect pass into the end zone to McGinty putting the Rattlers up by 11, and dashing the Buffaloes’ thoughts of a co-district championship.

McGinty, who had a touchdown reception in the first half, accounted for three of the Rattlers’ scores, finishing the night with six catches for 80 yards. Collins added seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.

Baker, who is the leading candidate for the player of the year in the district, finished the night 16-of-20 for 183 yards and three touchdowns, throwing for 104 yards in the second half.

Navasota’s defense, which was gashed for 225 yards in the first half, allowed just 89 in the second. After allowing tailback Joseph Glenn, the district’s leading rusher, to rumble for 90 yards and a touchdown in the first half, the Navasota defense held him to 63 in the second.

Additionally, Wade, who was 7-of-10 passing for 104 yards in the first half, went 0-for-9 in the second half.

The Rattlers’ playoff game with Sealy can be heard beginning with the pregame at 7:05 on Navasota News 1550 KWBC.

Additionally, the first Rattler Tailgate Party and Radio Show will take place on Tuesday night beginning at 7 p.m. at Mallett Brothers Barbeque. It will also be broadcast live on Navasota News.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

- NAVASOTA - The battle for the District 23-3A lead Friday night was expected to be physical and it lived up to that expectation. It was also expected to be close, but the Navasota Rattlers made sure it was anything but.

The battle for the District 23-3A lead Friday night was expected to be physical and it lived up to that expectation. It was also expected to be close, but the Navasota Rattlers made sure it was anything but.

The Rattlers built a 26-point halftime lead, en route to a 47-18 victory, clinching at least a district co-championship and securing their position in the upcoming high-school playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.

The victory also sent the 21 seniors on the squad out on a high note in their final home game of the regular season.

“This was probably a day where I felt as good as any going into a game because our week of practice was outstanding,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “The kids prepared hard and did a great job and you saw that tonight.”

The Rattlers (8-1 overall, 4-0 in 23-3A) built their lead by forcing three first-half Smithville (7-1, 3-1) turnovers, two of which they turned into points.

The game started with a bang as Austin Collins returned the opening kick for an apparent 95-yard touchdown. The score was wiped out however because of a block in the back penalty, but the Rattlers started their first possession in Smithville territory.

It didn’t take long for the Rattlers to cash in as Kadarius Baker threw the first of his three touchdown passes on the night, when he hit Austin Baumert in the corner of the end zone for a 20-yard score. The extra point was missed, but the Rattlers had a 6-0 lead.

Baker added to the Rattler lead later in the quarter when he went in from 1-yard out to close a five-play 82-yard drive. Trying to make up for the missed extra point after the previous touchdown, the Rattlers went for two, but were stopped, leaving the score at 12-0.

After the Rattlers recovered a fumble at the Smithville 31, they turned it into points when Howard Horn ended a six-play drive with a 6-yard run. Another two-point conversion came up empty, however, putting the Rattlers up by 18.

The defense got into the scoring act just before the end of the half when Jacob Malek picked off a Coltyn Brown pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown.

The three first-half turnovers the Rattler defense forced were part of another solid night. Smithville came in averaging 310 yards per game and the Navasota defense limited the Tigers to just 262 total yards.

The defense also held the Tigers more than 50 yards under the per-game rushing average, limiting them to 173 yards on the ground and kept them out of the end zone until the game was well in hand.

“Our defense played outstanding,” Fedora said. “We knew we had to get stops and three-and-outs, and if we didn’t do that we needed to get some turnovers.”

The Rattlers forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the second half, and then Malek, who finished the night with 127 yards on just eight carries, extended the Rattler lead with a 68-yard jaunt after taking a pitch from Baker, who held on to the ball until the last possible second before pitching it.

Baker, who threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns, sandwiched two touchdown passes to Solomon McGinty around Smithville’s first score, pushing the lead to 47-8.

The first McGinty touchdown came on a 44-yard bubble screen and the second came on a 55-yard downfield strike. McGinty finished the game with four catches for 121 yards.

The Rattlers will close out the regular season next Friday when they travel to Giddings to take on the Buffaloes in a 7:30 p.m. contest. The game can be heard on Navasota News 1550 with the pregame starting at 7:05.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

 - CALDWELL - Last week the Navasota Rattlers found themselves locked in a thriller against a team they were expected to dominate. This week, the Rattlers did what was expected of them, dominating a struggling Caldwell Hornet football team.

Navasota scored on its first offensive play of the game and never looked back as the Rattlers rolled to a 52-14 District 23-3A victory at Hornet Stadium. The victory improved Navasota’s record to 7-1 overall and 3-0 in district.

It also sets up a showdown next week with Smithville (7-0, 3-0) for sole possession of the district lead after Smithville beat Giddings, 24-21 on Friday night.

“You always want to play the best teams,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “The good thing for us is we get them at home. It is senior night and it is going to be an emotional night, but an exciting night.

“This is going to be a big game. Smithville, give them credit. I would hate to go to Smithville to play them.’

Before the Rattlers could turn their attention to Smithville, however, they had to deal with a Caldwell team that had just one victory on the season and had not one a district game.

It was a situation similar to last week when Navasota faced La Grange and needed a pass knock down by Xavier Creeks on a 2-point conversion attempt in overtime to pull out the victory.

This time, however, there were no late-game heroics needed the Rattlers dominated from start to finish.

“Our kids didn’t take anyone lightly and they went in knowing it was about Navasota,” Fedora said.

Navasota finished the night with 554 total yards of offense. Kadarius Baker threw for 293 yards and five touchdowns and Austin Collins had his best night of the season, catching nine passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns.

Jacob Malek led the rushing attack, picking up 110 yards on just eight carries and he opened the game with a 68-yard scoring run on the first offensive play of the game.

On the defensive side of the ball the Rattlers had a solid night as well, holding the Hornets to 197 total yards, and allowing only a late offensive touchdown on Caldwell’s final possession of the game. Caldwell’s only other score came on a 90-yard kickoff return.

The defense also got into the scoring act when Jaylyin Minor grabbed a pitch out of the air and returned it 56-yard for the Rattlers’ final score of the game.

“I thought our defense played outstanding,” Fedora said.

The Rattlers return to action next Friday against Smithville in the final regular season home game. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. and the broadcast can be heard on Navasota News 1550 AM.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

NAVASOTA — The Harris Ratings had the Navasota Rattlers as a 31-point pick over the La Grange Leopards in Friday night’s 23-3A-football tilt at Rattler Stadium. As Maxwell Smart used to quip, “Missed it by that much.”

Actually, Harris missed it by a bunch, as the Rattler fans had to hold their breath until a 2-point conversion in overtime by La Grange came up empty, preserving a nail-biting 27-26 overtime victory for Navasota.

The victory improved the Rattlers’ record to 6-1 overall, and more importantly 2-0 in district play. La Grange dropped to 1-6 and 0-2 with the loss.

“The good thing is there is no ugly win,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “It is a win and we are still perfect in district.”

After the Leopards connected on a 23-yard field goal to tie the game with just three seconds remaining, the teams headed to overtime. It seemed that all the momentum was on the Leopards’ sideline, but the Rattlers quickly took it back on the first play of overtime.

Quarterback Kadarius Baker lofted a perfect pass to Jacob Malek in the corner of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown. Cesar Barron added the extra point to put the Rattlers up 27-20.

La Grange had the answer, however when quarterback Logan Vinlarek, despite tripping over his own lineman, managed to keep his balance and find paydirt from 2-yards out.

Riding the wave of positive emotion on their sideline, the La Grange coaching staff elected to go for the victory, keeping its offense on the field for the 2-point conversion try.

Vinlarek rolled to his left, and tried to hit Chance Supak with a pass, but Xavier Creeks managed to get a hand in and knock the ball to the turf, allowing the home crowd to exhale and celebrate a victory.

The Rattlers had their chances to avoid being in overtime, despite not playing one of their sharper games on the season. Twice in the fourth quarter Navasota had touchdowns taken off the board because of penalties, one on a holding call and the other on offensive pass interference.

“We made a lot of mistakes tonight,” Fedora said. “We had chances to put it away, but we had some penalties [that hurt us].”

For its part, La Grange kept the potent Navasota offense on the sidelines, using a ball control offense to keep the ball out of the Rattlers’ hands. Navasota ran just three plays in the first quarter, and early in the fourth quarter had run just three in the entire second half.

“La Grange did a good job of controlling the football,” Fedora said. “It is hard to get it together and get going [when you only run three plays].”

The Rattlers trailed 3-0 at the end of the first quarter after La Grange took advantage of a muffed kickoff and drove 31 yards before settling for a 31-yard field goal from Marco Cerda.

The Rattlers finally got going offensively early in the second quarter when Baker, who finished the night 12-of-22 for 227 yards, threw the first of his four touchdowns on the night when he hit Jamison Coles on a receiver screen. Coles made a nifty move to the inside and raced 32 yards for the first score of the night for the Rattlers.

Less than three minutes later the Rattlers added to their lead, again going to the air. This time Baker hit Austin Collins for a 24-yard score. On the play, La Grange defensive back Justin Neiser gambled, trying to get the interception, but he came up empty and the Rattlers took a 14-3 lead.

La Grange cut into the deficit as it turned Baker’s second interception of the night into points. Chris Read picked off the pass and returned it to the La Grange 48. Six plays later Chance Supak bulled his way in from the 6-yard line. Jake Bauer blocked the extra point attempt, leaving the score at 14-9 heading into the half.

Navasota upped its lead midway through the third when Baker hit Solomon McGinty in stride on an 88-yard score. The extra point failed, leaving the score at 20-9.

The Leopards scored twice in the fourth quarter and converted a 2-point attempt to force the teams to play overtime.

The Rattlers will be on the road next week as they travel to Caldwell to take on the Hornets on Friday night.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

NAVASOTA — For the second straight game the Navasota Rattlers got off to a quick start, scoring the first time they touched the ball. And for the second straight week the Rattlers broke the 50-point mark, cruising to a 53-14 victory over the Rockdale Tigers in the District 23-3A opener for both teams.

Navasota (5-1 overall, 1-0 in 23-3A), much like it had in last week’s shutout of Wharton, took control in the first half and never looked back. The Rattlers scored on their first possession, then added another score on their second after forcing a three-and-out the first time the Tigers (3-3, 0-1) touched the ball.

“I was pleased,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “When they [Rockdale] get off the bus they scare you because they are huge and they compete hard. I was very pleased with the effort our kids came out with.”

Kadarius Baker, who has been stellar in his first season as the Rattlers’ starting quarterback, continued to shine, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for two more. Baker, finished the night with 143 yards passing, completing 14 of 19 passes. He also added 95 yards rushing on just eight carries.

As a team, the Rattlers compiled 416 total yards, rushing for 318, as Howard Horn finished with 95 yards on 10 carries to go with Baker’s 95. Derek Byrd and Xavier Creeks each had a rushing touchdown for the Rattlers, with Byrd carrying the ball nine straight times on the drive that ended in his score.

The Rattler defense had its second consecutive solid performance, holding a Rockdale offense that came in averaging 327 yards per game to just 119 total.

The Rockdale passing game, which had been flying high averaging 266 yards per game, was grounded, as the Rattlers limited them to just 22 yards on 3-of-19 passing. At the half the Tigers had just one completion for three yards.

“Our defense played great,” Fedora said. “We worked all week long getting our kids ready for the passing game. I thought our kids played well in the running game too. I was very pleased with our defensive play.”

Jacob Malek got the scoring started for the Rattlers with a 29-yard scoring run, and then Baker hooked up with Solomon McGinty on a 9-yard scoring pass. McGinty finished the night with seven catches for 92 yards.

Creeks added his score from 2-yards out before Baker closed out the first half scoring with a 19-yard run. Baker scored on a 1-yard run with 8:00 left in the third quarter before hooking up with Austin Collins on an 8-yard pass that made it 40-0.

Rockdale avoided the shutout when Dailynn Ramey returned the ensuing kick 94 yards for a touchdown after breaking out of a pileup and outracing everyone to the end zone.

The Rattlers suffered another special teams miscue on the kickoff following Ramey’s score, when the ball went off a Rattler and was recovered by the Tigers at the Navasota 37.

Eight plays later, James David went in form a yard out to make it 40-14, but the Rattlers added two more scores, a 59-yard run by Baker and Byrd’s 5-yard run to close things out.

The Rattlers return to district play next Friday when they play host to the La Grange Leopards.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

NAVASOTA — The Navasota Rattlers wasted no time putting a charge into the Homecoming crowd at Rattler Stadium on Friday, scoring on their first play from scrimmage en route to a 54-0 non-district victory over the Wharton Tigers.

Quarterback Kadarius Baker, who threw seven touchdown passes — six in the first half — connected with Jacob Malek on a 78-yard scoring pass on the Rattlers’ first play of the game, touching off a first-half offensive explosion.

Baker was near perfect in the completing 13 of 17 passes for 299 yards with six touchdowns to five different receivers. He finished the night 17-for-22 for 328 yards, leading the Rattler offense to eight scores on 10 offensive possessions.

The only time the Rattlers did not score when they had the ball was on their final two drives of the game, one ending on a missed field goal, the other when the clock hit all zeros to end the game.

“I was very proud of all our guys,” head coach Lee Fedora said. “Anytime you get a shutout, I don’t care who you are playing, it is important. That builds momentum. I am very proud of our kids, offensively, defensively, everything.”

After connecting with Malek, Baker hooked up with Xavier Creeks (16 yards), Solomon McGinty (28 and 20 yards), Austin Collins (64 yards) and Austin Baumert (26 yards) as the Rattlers built a 40-0 halftime lead.

Navasota (4-1) was never threatened by a Wharton (1-5), a team that is under the guidance of a new coach and was playing without its starting quarterback who was injured early in the season.

While the Rattler offense was busy putting up big numbers in the first half, the defense was keeping the Tigers in check, forcing them into five punts, one fumble and one interception on seven of their first-half drives. The Tigers’ eighth drive of the first half ended when time expired in the half.

Navasota’s defense held the Tigers to just 71 total yards in the first half, 34 rushing and 37 passing, forced two turnovers, a fumble recovery by Preston Neumann and an interception by Xavier Creeks.

The Tigers did not venture into Navasota’s side of the field until late in the first half, and needed a facemask penalty against the Rattlers to do so.

The second half looked similar to the first, with the Rattlers dominating on both sides of the ball. Baker threw one more touchdown pass, connecting with McGinty from 6-yards out, and Derek Byrd, seeing his first action of the season after returning from an injury, scoring the final points on a 5-yard run.

The final stats bore out the Rattlers domination with Navasota finishing with 570 total yards, 328 passing and 242 rushing, while holding Wharton to 175 total yards, 128 rushing and 47 passing.

Navasota will open 23-3A play next Friday when they host the Rockdale Tigers in a 7:30 p.m. contest.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

CAMERON — The Navasota Rattlers got a bit of a scare Friday night in Cameron, but a pair of late touchdowns helped propel Navasota to a 42-21 non-district victory over the Cameron Yoemen at Yoe Field.

After going up by three scores early in the third quarter, the Rattlers saw the Yoe chip away at the lead, eventually getting within seven points with 6 minutes and 30 seconds left in the game.

But a 51-yard scoring run by Jacob Malek and a 16-yard touchdown run by Xavier Creeks following a fumble recovery by Jake Bauer helped the Rattlers improve to 3-1 on the season heading into next week’s open date.

“I told our kids it was going to be a tough battle,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said. “We had a great week of practice and I thought it showed tonight when the game got tight.”

Navasota’s defense provided much of the storyline for the Rattlers, forcing five turnovers — three interceptions and two fumble recoveries — while also taking Cameron’s big play threat Decrick Westbrook out of the game.

Linebacker Will Imhoff had a great night, collecting two interceptions, one late in the first half that helped turn back a Cameron venture into Navasota territory, and one late in the game that helped close out the victory.

“I am very proud of the defense,” Fedora said. “Anytime your defense gets turnovers you’ve got to be proud. What a great night by will Imhoff getting two picks. The biggest one was right before the half when they were going down to score.”

Navasota’s offense put up 372 yards of total offense — 222 passing and 150 rushing — while the defense limited the Yoe to 286.

Quarterback Kadarius Baker had another solid outing, completing 15-of-21 with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added a 1-yard scoring run. Jamison Coles was on the receiving end of two of the touchdown passes and finished the night with three receptions for 99 yards.

After only 13 points were put up in the first half, the offensive fireworks were touched off in the second half, with the teams combining for 50 points.

Navasota scored first after recovering a fumble by Westbrook at the Cameron 41-yard line. It took nine plays to cover the distance, with Baker scoring from the 1. A two-point pass from Jacob Malek to Solomon McGinty made it 21-0.

The teams traded scores — Cameron getting a 1-yard run from Keaton Denio and Navasota a 57-yard pass from Baker to Coles — before Cameron scored two straight to pull within a touchdown, pumping life into its crowd.

But almost as quickly as they got their fans into the game, the Rattlers took them out, when Malek took a handoff and outraced the defense for his 51-yard score to make it 35-21.

On the ensuing possession, Bauer knocked the ball out of the hands of Cameron quarterback Jason Kopriva, then recovered it at the Cameron 22 to set up Creeks’ run. Imhoff added his second interception of the night on the Yoe’s next possession to seal the victory.

In addition to Imhoff’s two picks, Coles added one and Trevor Savensky added a fumble recovery.

Navasota will be off next week, then return to the field on Sept. 30 when it plays host to the Wharton Tigers for Homecoming.

STORY BY: TIM SCHNETTLER

NAVASOTA — It was an inconsistent offensive night for theNavasota Rattlers on Friday. Fortunately their inconsistency did not cost themas the rode a 24-point first half to a 31-7 non-district victory over theRudder Rangers at Rattler Stadium.

After coming up empty on their first possession of the game,the Rattlers scored on their next four as Navasota (2-1) shook off last week’s heartbreaking loss to Willis, and also avenged one of its two regular-seasonlosses from last season.

“I felt going in 24-0 at halftime was great,” said Navasota head coach Lee Fedora. “The second half, I wasn’t very pleased with our third quarter coming out, but overall I was pleased. Anytime you hold a team like that to seven points, that is great.”

The offensive attack was led by quarterback Kadarius Bakeras he threw for two touchdowns and ran for one as well, while accounting for 228 of the Rattlers’ 380 total yards of offense.

Navasota outgained the Rangers 258 to 8 in the first half, but the Rattlers didn’t fare as well in the second half, gaining 122 while yielding 122 and Rudders’ only score of the night.

The big first half from the Rattlers featured three touchdowns, with Baker having a hand in all of them.

The Rattlers drove into Rudder territory on the opening possession of the game, but after stalling, a 42-yard field goal attempt by Cesar Barron came up short. Barron atoned for the miss the next time Navasota got the ball, connecting from 26 yards out for the first points of the game.

The next three times the Rattlers’ offense touched the ball, Baker led them on scoring drives. First he connected with Solomon McGinty, who had six receptions for 114 yards on the night, from 20 yards out to make it 10-0.

Baker then called his own number, scoring from 7-yards out.The touchdown came two plays after Trevor Savensky recovered a Rudder fumble at the Rudder 15-yard line.

After the Navasota defense forced a three-and-out, Baker and McGinty again teamed up, this time of a 35-yard score, ending a three-play 64-yard scoring drive that put Navasota ahead 24-0 heading into the half.

Rudder posted its only points of the night when quarterback Jamarcus Davenport faked a handoff and then weaved his way 59 yards to the endzone. The extra point from Colton Bayer made it 24-7 with 5:12 left in the third quarter.

Navasota finally found the end zone in the second half with 1:47 left in the game when Jacob Malek rushed in from 15-yards out, capping a 10-play 80-yard drive that featured several big run by Xavier Creeks, who finished the night with eight carries for 79 yards.

The Rattlers will be on the road next weekend, traveling to Cameron to take on the Yoemen, one of two teams to beat the Rattlers during the regular season last year. The Yoemem dropped an 11-10 decision to Rockdale on Friday in the annual Battle of the Bell.

STORY BY TIM SCHNETTLER

WILLIS — One half yard. That is all that stood between the Navasota Rattlers and the tying touchdown Friday night. With the Rattlers trailing the Willis Wildkats and a mere 4 seconds left on the clock, Navasota faced a first-and-goal from the Willis’ 2-yard line.

The Rattlers, who moved to the 2 with a pair of passes to Solomon McGinty and a pass interference call, turned to tailback Howard Horn to try and push it in from there.

Horn took the pitch from Kadarius Baker, went to the left,and despite his best efforts, was dragged down just short of the end zone, as the Rattlers dropped a 35-28 non-district contest Friday night.

“We came up a yard short, but the effort out of our kids was outstanding,” said Navasota head coach Lee Fedora. “The second half, I felt our defense gave us a lot of opportunities. We played a dang good Willis team and we showed a lot of fight.”

The exciting finish was only fitting for a game that saw the teams combine for 56 points in the first half. After the teams went up and down the field in the first half, both defense rose to the challenge and barred their teeth.

The only score in the second half came when the Rattlers(1-1) marched 63 yards in eight plays to pull within seven. The score came when Howard Horn, who finished the night with 103 yards and two touchdowns on 12carries, took a pitch and raced in from 12-yards out with 1:00 left in the third quarter.

Neither team came close to scoring again until Willis moved deep into Navasota territory, late in the fourth quarter, only to turn the ball over on downs with less than a minute left on the clock.

With only 48 seconds on the clock and no timeouts, the Rattlers were 80 yards away from the Willis’ end zone. It didn’t seem the phase them as Baker hit McGinty on a fly pattern for a big gainer into Willis territory.

A pass interference play tacked on another 15 yards and the Baker threaded the needle to McGinty who was double covered, with McGinty hauling in the pass and going out of bounce at the Willis 2-yard line with four seconds left, only to come up just short on the ensuing play.

Things started with a bang for the Rattlers as they recovered a fumble at the Willis 7-yard line on the second play of the game. It didn’t take them long to cash in as Jacob Malek caught a swing pass for 6 yards and then plunged in from the 1-yard line for the first score of the game.

As quickly as Navasota went on top, Willis answered, needing just two plays and 29 seconds to knot the score. Willis quarterback Fred Nixon threw the first of his three touchdown passes on the night, hooking up with Robert Johnson, who got behind the defense for a 70-yard score.

Willis (2-0) would tack on two more scores over the next seven minutes, capitalizing on a short field both times before the Rattlers found the end zone again.

Navasota’s score came when Horn took a handoff, broke to the outside and outraced the defense for a 75-yard romp. Cesar Baron’s second extra point of the night made it a 21-14 game heading into the second quarter.

Willis upped the lead with two more scores, both on passes, making it 35-14. Nixon hit Kevin Markham for a 21-yard score then connected with Demarcus Kizzie for a 20-yard strike.

Navasota scored the final points of the half when Baker hit McGinty on a slant pattern for a 32-yard score on fourth down. On the play, the Willis defense was cheating up and the Rattlers had the perfect play called, with Baker and McGinty executing it to perfection.

By TIM SCHNETTLER

MADISONVILLE — The Navasota Rattlers opened the 2011 season with a bang, dominating the Madisonville Mustangs from start to finish on their way to a 40-7 non-district victory Friday night.

Kadarius Baker passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns and also added another rushing as the Rattlers’ offense amassed 537 yards. Junior Howard Horn, making his varsity debut, rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries.

“I think he was very poised and I was very pleased with him,” Navasota head coach Lee Fedora said of Baker. “Kadarius really put his foot on the pedal and I thought he had an outstanding night and I was very pleased with the way Howard ran the football.”

Navasota’s defense was just as stout as its offense, holding the Mustangs to just 268 yards, forcing six fumbles, five of which the Rattlers recovered.

“When you score 40 and you only give up 7 that is awesome,” Fedora said. “I thought our defense played outstanding tonight.”

The first half set the tone as the Rattlers rolled up 322 yards — 199 passing and 123 rushing — while holding Madisonville to just 87 on their way to a 19-0 halftime lead.

After going three-and-out on its first possession, Navasota found the end zone the next two times it touched the ball. Both scoring drives needed just seven plays, the first covering 99 yards and the second 74.

On the first scoring drive of the night, the Rattlers started in the shadows of their own goalpost after a punt by Madisonville’s Eduardo Martinez pinned them at their own 1-yard line.

It didn’t take them long to escape the hole as Horn broke loose for a big gainer taking the ball across midfield and into Mustang territory. Horn capped the drive when he went in from 1-yard out for the first touchdown of the 2011 season. Cesar Barron added the extra point putting the Rattlers up 7-0.

Navasota upped the lead, this time taking to the air for the score, when Baker hit Austin Collins for an 18-yard score to cap a seven-play, 74-yard drive. The extra point kick missed wide left, leaving the score at 13-0.

Navasota added too its lead just before the end of the second half, covering 71 yards in just 3 plays, all in the air. Baker started the drive with a completion to Jared Sauls, and then hit Demarcus Lee who was hauled down at the Madisonville 24-yard line. Baker went back to Sauls, who broke free for the score. The two-point run failed, putting the Rattlers up 19-0 at the half.

Navasota tacked on another score in the third quarter marching 95 yards in just eight plays. Baker capped the drive when he eased in from 1-yard out. Barron’s extra point made it 26-0.

Madisonville scored its only points of the game as it cashed in on the only turnover of the night by the Rattlers. After recovering a fumble, the Mustangs completed a pass down to the Rattlers’ 5-yard line.

From there, Keelan Jones needed just one play to cover the rest of the yardage and the extra point from Eduardo Palacios made it 26-7.

Navasota tacked on two more scores before the final seconds ticked off as Jacob Malek hauled in a 55-yard pass form Baker and Xavier Creeks took on option pitch and raced 25 yards to cap the scoring.

Navasota will be on the road again next week as the Rattlers travel to Willis to take on the Wildkats.