CASEY GEORG Special to the Press
MARBLE FALLS — It was a tale of two halves Thursday night between the Thrall Tigers and Mason Punchers. The teams battled to a 7-7 tie in the first half under steady rain, but the Punchers’ ground game, along with missed scoring opportunities by the Tigers, gave Mason a 28-7 bi-district win.
“I’m very proud of our players and our coaches,” said Thrall Coach Aaron Vanecek. “They played their hearts out.”
In a quick first half, it was the Punchers who got on the board first. Mason called an onside kick to open the game, recovering at their own 45. Two plays later, quarterback Carlton Schmidt rolled left and raced untouched for a 52-yard score. The point after gave Mason a 7-0 lead just two minutes into the game.
Thrall answered on its first possession, utilizing short passes to move the ball 63 yards in 10 plays. Chance Parker bullied his way in from two yards out on fourth and goal. Alejandro Estrada’s point after knotted the score at seven with 7:39 to play in the first quarter.
Both teams had chances to put more points on the board in the second quarter. The Tigers recovered a Puncher fumble at the Thrall eight with 10:47 to play in the half to end a drive. Thrall reached the Mason two, but the Punchers’ Ryne Todd made a leaping interception in the end zone on fourth down with one minute on the clock.
As the second half got underway, the Punchers regained the lead on a 67-yard run by Sutton Silerio, who broke two tackles on his way to the end zone. The score gave Mason a 14-7 lead with 10:35 remaining in the third quarter.
Mason scored again with 2:25 to play in the quarter. The Punchers converted a fourth-and-six to keep the drive alive. Schmidt hit Cannon Jacoby on a 17-yard rollout to cap the 12-play, 84-yard drive.
The final score of the night came early in the fourth quart
er. Todd picked up 46 yards on four carries and scored from 14 yards out with 10:01 to play in the game.
Thrall moved inside the Mason five-yard line twice in the second half, and three times in the game, each time coming away with no points.
“That hurts when you don’t get points on the board when you’re that close,” Vanecek said. “When you stack that up with slipping on the wet turf and losing the grip on the ball, it makes it tough.”
The Tigers finish the season 6-5. They will return a strong nucleus of players next season.
