Sports
Tigers down Stony Point with late field goal
Monday, 24 September 2012 by David Tuma
Sophomore runningback Brandon Rhoads eludes a Round Rock Stony Point defender last Friday.Belton won Friday night in Round Rock with a defense that simply willed them to win. Belton's defensive line is big, physical and good. The linebackers and secondary are 5A good. But up front Belton dominated and no matter how many turnovers the offense coughed up the Tigers defense stepped up.
Carlos Mosnia missed the game winning field goal but got another chance and with no time left kicked a perfect 40-yard field goal to win it.
Belton works on everything and field goals are part of every practice. Belton's offense might burn the game film but there was so many positives. They moved the ball well and have a lot of different weapons. It was impressive how they still responded after so much went wrong in the game. If they had no speed or talent then it would be a long year. The offense's issues are very fixable.
Either way when you have five turnovers and kick the game winning field goal right after you just missed one to win 15-14 on the road against one of the states better football programs, you got some there.
Not many teams have a defense good enough to beat Stony Point when they turn it over five times.
The Tigers got the ball first after Stony Point deferred to the second half. Tigers quarterback Peter Shelburne faked to Brandon Rhoads and busted threw the line of scrimmage untouched. He kind of stutter stepped because there was literally nobody in front of him. Shelburne raced into the end zone untouched on 72-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion attempt was no good and the score was 6-0 after two plays.
Joe Guthrie sacked the quarterback on the first play of the year for the defense. Cameron David had a stop and Garrett Curry broke up the third down pass for a no-yards drive and a punt. Belton got excellent field position at the Stony Point 48-yard line and went no-where and punted. Shane Stafford pinned Stony Point at the eight-yard line.
Stony Point completed a pass for a first down but had to punt from their 31-yard line after Nate Mitchell broke up the pass.
Rhoads got eight yards on two runs but Belton couldn't convert a third and two and had to punt. Stony Point got the first of several breaks when on a sweep there was simply nobody there and they ran to the Tigers 37-yard line. Facing a third and two Belton's defense stepped up. Ryan Stinson stuffed the third down play for no-gain and Tyler Santellana rocked the running back for a one yard loss on a fourth down and two at the Tigers 30-yard line.
Belton got something going with Shelburne connecting with Derrick Bates who did a spin move and broke free for 17-yards. Andre Ewing was hit as the ball got there and made an incredible juggling catch for a first down moving Belton inside Stony Point territory. The Tigers dropped a for sure third down reception at the Stony Point 20-yard line. It was the second big drop of the half for the Tigers offense.
Stony Point moved the ball again with their biggest plays being quarterback keepers. Facing a third and nine at the Tigers 31-yard line the safety went for the ball and just missed it and Stony Point scored. The play before the Tigers dropped an interception.
Down 7-6 the Tigers got a drive going after a return by Rhoads to the 50-yard line. Belton facing a fourth and four at Stony Point's 44-yard ran a fake punt play. Shane Stafford completed a pass to Bates for the first down. Chase Thornal off a slant pass raced to the 15-yard line. Belton had a receiver wide open but the ball was fired instead of lobbed and a safety stepped in front and raced to the Tigers 24-yard line.
Belton's defense didn't respond and Stony Point scored in four plays to take a 14-7 lead with 7:02 left before half.
Belton again got the ball at midfield and drove to Stony Point's 43-yard line. The offensive line in one of the few break downs for the young unit didn't pick up a blitz in the middle and Shelburne was sacked and the Tigers had to punt.
Jonathan Quigley had a stop for no gain then teamed up with Battle for another stop. Quigley broke up the third down pass.
Belton fumbled the ball back to Stony Point giving them a chance to break the game wide open with great field position at the Tigers 34-yard line. Stony Point drove to the Tigers 10-yard line but Belton's defense stepped up and got the stop. Stony Point's field goal was wide right.
In the second half Stony Point got the ball first and Belton's defense put on a clinic in mental toughness. Quigley had a stop for no gain. Rodarius Burks had key stop on second down to set up a third and five passing attempt that Battle knocked down.
Bates picked up a quick 22-yards but the drive stalled at midfield. Guthrie had a tackle for a six yard loss. Battle broke up another pass and Burks and Guthrie stuffed Stony Point on third down. Stony Point went backwards then punted.
Rhoads was a different runner in the second half. The sophomore hit the hole much hard in the second half. His first carry went for 20-yards. Then his next carry went for 41-yards moving the Tigers to the Stony Point eight-yard line. The Tigers couldn't punch it in and the fourth and two quarterback keeper went for no-gain with the Tigers turning it over on downs.
Quigley made a great stop when the running back reversed field helping force another punt. On third and two the Tigers defense pushed the Stony Point offensive line into the running backs face forcing a punt.
Belton got great field position, again, at the 29-yard line. Shelburne connected with Smyth to move the Tigers to the 1-yard line. Shelburne ran it in and the two point conversion attempt was no good leaving the Tigers trailing 14-12.
Nate Mitchell broke up a pass and Guthrie sacked the quarterback for a huge 15-yard loss. Guthrie was in their backfield so much they should have given him a uniform.
Belton would have gotten the ball on Stony Point's 40-yard line but a double penalty for 25-yards pushed them way back. They fumbled giving Stony Point another chance to put the game away after getting the ball at Belton's 34-yard line. "We addressed dealing with issues at half time. If we turn it over we will bow up and get the stop," said Battle. "We were positive when things went bad. You can't be negative in a game like this," said Stinson. "With the staff we have everything gets fixed," said Battle.
Guthrie got, and you can see it coming, another sack. Burks got a coverage sack when none of the receivers were open and the quarterback had to hold the ball too long. The field goal was way short.
Belton got the ball back but had to punt and Battle recovered a fumble by a finger tip touch by the punt returner. It was close but Battle didn't hesitate. Belton missed the field goal with 2:25 left.
Guthrie, in just an amazing game got another sack. They fumbled and Guthrie almost got a safety but the Stony Point quarterback was ruled to have been tackled at the one-yard line.
Belton with 37 second left and the with the ball on Stony Point's 34-yard line Belton ran Shelburne on a keeper for 10-yards. Mosnia, one of the states best kickers, had to attempt a 40-yard field goal from the right hash. Mosnia converted and everybody went nuts. The Tigers won 15-14 and Guthrie didn't get a sack to end the game.
"We have to take care of the mistakes. We never doubted we wouldn't win. They weren't used to have all those defensive linemen running around in their backfield," said James Murphy a three year starter on the defensive line.
"We have a great defense," said Battle. "When you hit like we do on defense you set the tone and we did that in the second half," said Battle.
Rhoads and Stafford are 5A players and the offensive line performed well most of the time. Belton returned a host of players on defense. They are physical and big with speed and just a mentally tough group.
Belton moved the ball and as the season goes on the offense will be dominate like it has in the past. This years team can and will be one of the best this community has seen awhile.
The offensive line that was totally rebuilt had an impressive game to start the season. Belton's star players had both good and down moments but overall it was one of the best game films you can find about football being a mental game. Belton won because they refused to lose.
In the long run the way this game went it will probably be better for them than if they had scored every time they had great field position. Games like Friday nights game can build a team from the inside. Later in the season that will to win is so important.
