Sports
Tigers lose heartbreaker to Roos
Monday, 12 November 2012 by David Tuma
The Belton Tigers couldn’t hold off the Killeen Kangroos last Friday in a 45-39 loss.As Harker Heights proved Friday night in destroying Temple, it is a very tough district. You have to bring you're A game every week. Belton didn't in a loss on the road to Killeen 45-39. Belton has lost three games by a total of 19 points.
They aren't out of the playoffs but they put themselves in a hole again. It would be one thing if they were getting crushed each week but they aren't playing good enough to win some weeks.
When you get down you look inside yourself and see who you really are. This team is special, the kids are special and in life almost every one will be a winner.
To many they only remember the mistakes but football tells you what is inside the young man. In life that is what really matters. A man that fights and don't give up is what football really teaches and Belton has a ton of those on the field.
The defense gave up a big run right before half that helped Killeen get back in the game after the Tigers had fell behind 12-0 and came back and took at 22-12 lead. The offense was off the mark for about half the game and gave up two touchdowns. At times they were dazzling but during the first and third quarters they had too many three and outs and couldn't run the football. Even taking all that they still scored 39 points. They fumbled once and it bounced wrong and ended up a touchdown for Killeen.
Both teams played with class and it was a great football game. Killeen High is well coached and plays with character their program is a class act.
The Tigers got the fall first and into a hard wind went three and out. Killeen got great field position and scored to go up 6-0.
Belton facing third and one threw out into the flat and the cornerback read the play and stepped in front of the receiver and scored to make it 12-0 to start the game.
The Tigers went three and out.
Tyler Santellana had a stop for no gain. Cameron David got pressure on the quarterback and Ben Munoz stopped the pass play.
Belton got a drive going with a good run by Peter Shelburne for 13-yards. Camron Meyers picked up a first down. Derick Bates picked up a key third and eight with a 10-yard reception. Brandon Rhoads ran for 18-yards. Shelburne connected with Durham Smythe for 24-yards moving the Tigers to the six-yard line. Rhoads scored to make it 12-7 to start the second.
Garrett Curry intercepted the pass and raced to the 20-yard line. On third and eight Shelburne rolled right and threw back across the field to Smythe for the first down moving the Tigers to the eight. Shelburne ran it in from the five and Bates caught the two-point conversion to make it 15-12.
Carlo Mosnia recovered his own on-side kick. On fourth and inches Rhoads picked up eight-yards. On third and ten from the 21-yard line Shelburne connected with Andre Ewing who dove over the endzone to make it 22-12 with 1:32 left in the half.
Killeen broke a long run and ended up scoring to make it 22-18. Belton got the ball back couldn't do much with it.
Killeen got a drive going in the second half and moved to the Tigers 22-yard line. Santellana had a stop. Rodarius Burks, Colby Priest combined for a stop and on fourth and one Ryan Stinson stuffed the play.
The Tigers drove to mid-field but a missed block allowed a Killeen player to hit Meyers way in the backfield on second and five. Belton tried a fake punt that didn't work.
Killeen scored to go up 25-22. On the drive the Tigers forced a fumble and recoved it. The secondary refs marked to with a bean bag because he saw fumble. The sideline judge that saw the play from five yards also signaled fumble. The head ref from 20-yards behind the play ruled the runner down and game film shows a clear fumble. Overall it was a well called game but over ruling the another man's job when it is not your call, and your wrong....just one of those years for the Tigers.
Belton missed some passes on receivers that were open and went three and out.
Killeen got the ball back and moved to midfield. Munoz made a great stop on third and ten to stop Killeen. Belton fumbled and it bounced right into a Killeen players hands and he scored. It was a freak bounce that just worked against Belton. They fumble one time and it ends up being just the worst luck.
Down 31-22 the Tigers offense got things back on track with :32 seconds left in the third quarter. Shelburne connected with Smythe twice for 32-yards. Rhoads ran for 14-yards. A blitz gave Shelburne no chance and the Tigers lost 10-yards and were forced to attempt a 42-yard field goal that Mosnia converted to cut the lead to 32-25.
Brandon Julian recovered a fumble on the kickoff and ran it back to the 10-yard line. Shelburne ran it in to give the Tigers a 32-31 lead.
Killeen found a hole in the zone defense and turned a short pass into a touchdown to make it 39-32.
Belton couldn't get a first down and punted it right back to Killeen. Daniel McCants got one more chance and ended up busting a long run and scored to make it 45-32.
Shelburne ended up throwing a touchdown pass to Smythe to make it 45-39 with 1:46 left in the game. The grass was real thick at the Fort Hood stadium and it didn't bounce on the onside kick and the game was over when Killeen recovered it.
It was a tough loss but in the end Belton almost overcame some very bad luck. It was a strange game with the stands way off the field because of the track. Bad weather and the Tigers fans staying away from going on Fort Hood made it almost a game with out fans. Tiger fans outnumbered Killeen's but it was the first time in recent memory that Belton fans weren't a factor.
The field was in great shape with outstanding traffic control. The fans sit on the same side but Military Police are polite and out in force. It is a good place to play a football game.
Entering Fort Hood wasn't a time factor or an issue. When the Tigers play at the stadium again hopefully more will attend.
Belton needs to get a faster start on offense and simply keep doing what they are doing. Against a back like McCants the best way to keep him off the field is first downs in every quarter, Belton didn't' do that.
