For the second straight realignment cycle, the Rockets found themselves in a new District with new opponents. This time the newly-constituted 25-5A would feature a slate of teams roughly representing the I-35/lower Austin-San Antonio corridor. San Marcos and Seguin---both of whom had spent the better part of the past 15 years or so moving in and out of 4A---would be joined by Judson and Wagner. The two (2) most intriguing teams, perhaps, to join would be New Braunfels---which had also shuttled between 4A and 5A over the past 20 years or so---and Steele, now in its 5^th year of varsity competition after spending four (4) seasons in 27-4A---arguably one of the more competitive 4A Districts in the state. New Braunfels---after two (2) seasons in 26-5A----arrived in 25-5A fresh off an appearance in the Division II Semi-finals in which the Unicorns took Katy to the limit before disappearing into the fog at Rice Stadium on the short end of a 14-6 score. The Steele Knights were of greatest intrigue. Of course there was the difference-maker RB Malcolm Brown. More interesting for Judson, perhaps, was the Knights’ Head Coach: Mike Jinks, who was in the process of installing a system the likes of which reminded people of another team located on the other side of Randolph AFB from Cibolo----the home of the Steele Knights. Hence, the Battle of the Hammer with Wagner, set for October 8, promised to be a sight to behold, but, a showdown at Lehnhoff Stadium on October 22 also promised intrigue if not drama. Time---and possibly overtime---would literally tell.

The Rockets’ launch was scrubbed by a stout Brahma defense and a 3-headed offensive monster consisting of QB Clinton Killough and RB’s Troy Brown and Darik Dillard. The Defensive Thermal Protection System held up and withstood the initial Brahma assault---but then again, it’s worth noting that the Space Shuttle Columbia didn’t actually burn up until it was halfway through its re-entry sequence in 2003. In other words, what was about to happen was seemingly only a matter of time. The Offensive Propulsion System failed to get ignition on its first series, and soon Mac was back. The Brahmas moved effectively and efficiently downfield, and Killough kept and raced in from 13 yards out to put Mac on the board. Nate Ralph’s PAT was good and Mac was up 7-0 with 150 seconds remaining in the opening period. The Rockets were able to get going on their ensuing possession, and Quaylon Jones got his first TD of the year on a 10-yard run at the 10:04 mark of the 2^nd period. The PAT, however, was blocked, and Mac remained in control at 7-6. A little later Mac extended its lead with Jose Ocampo’s 20-yard FG with 5:37 remaining in the 1^st Half. Judson, however, was unable to accomplish anything of substance on its next series, and this gave the Brahmas just enough time to go down and score again before intermission. In this case David Eberwine caught the 5-yard TD pass with 67 seconds remaining, Nate Ralph made good once more on the PAT, and the bulls took a 17-6 advantage into the locker room.

The Rockets’ Offensive Propulsion System was unable to get going coming out of the break. Meanwhile, Mac picked up where it left off in the 1^st Half. Troy Brown took off on a 57-yard dash to the 2-yard line, and soon thereafter Darik Dillard burst through for the score. The PAT was good, and now the Rockets were prospectively looking at one of the more undistinguished opening-day performances in more than 30 years. They redeemed themselves somewhat in the final period when Tristan Hernandez hooked up with Dennis Parks on a 69-yard pass play that went for 6, thus giving promise that the Rockets did actually have something in their fuel tanks that could propel them to much greater heights. Indeed, Hernandez connected with Derek Lockhart on a successful 2-point play, and the Rockets had pulled to within 24-14 with 9:34 remaining. For a brief time it appeared that perhaps the tide was turning, but the bulls weren’t in the mood for comebacks, and to emphasize this Darik Dillard provided the final TD of the day with a 7-yard run with 190 seconds left. The PAT brought the final tally to 31-14, thus giving the distinct impression that the Rockets were not quite ready for prime time.

Dillard was the main ground producer for Mac with 151 yards, while Quaylon Jones contributed 91 hard-earned yards for the Rockets.

On the first play from scrimmage a very bad snap from Center went straight into (and out of) the endzone for a Safety, giving Judson a 2-0 lead with only eight (8) seconds gone in the game. After the Free Kick the Rockets moved deliberately downfield, and Quaylon Jones finished the drive off with a 2-yard run. Donato San Filippo booted the PAT, and with only 96 seconds gone Judson now had a 9-0 advantage. Leander’s 2^nd possession had another similar---and similarly bad---ending when, once again, a bad snap from Center went toward the endzone. The Lions tried to kick it through the endzone for what they hoped would only be another Safety, but the zebras instead gave Judson possession at the 1. Quaylon Jones made easy work of this opportunity, San Filippo’s kick was good, and with 7:52 still remaining in the 1^st Quarter Judson already had a 16-0 lead. Things settled down somewhat for a few minutes, but with 21 seconds gone in the 2nd period Eric Coleman got loose for a 33-yard run to paydirt. The PAT was good and the Rocket tally was now up to 23-0. The Lions, in spite of conducting a very good drive on the next possession, continued to have trouble handling the pigskin, and Jarveon Williams was more than happy to take advantage of this fact. Hence, he scooped up a Lion fumble and returned it 85 yards for the score. The PAT was good and with 9:22 remaining in the 1^st Half the Rockets now had a 30-0 lead. Judson’s next drive ended with a 73-yard scoring dash by Quaylon Jones. Once more, San Filippo made good on the PAT, and with 230 seconds left before the break Judson now led 37-0. The Lions were finally able to get untracked, and with 25 seconds remaining Chase Keltgen took a short 5-yard aerial from Nico Brown into the endzone to get the Lions on the board. Danny Alvarado drilled the PAT, soon time expired in the 1^st Half with Judson on top at 37-7.

The Rockets had this thing under control for the most part; nevertheless, they increased the count with 4:49 left in the penultimate period with an 18-yard pass from Tristan Hernandez to Joshua Weible. San Filippo’s kick was good and the count was up to 44-7. The Lions started to narrow the gap somewhat with 90 seconds left in the 3^rd period with Ricky Harper’s 1-yard run and Alvarado’s PAT. The Rockets nevertheless responded on the ensuing drive with San Filippo’s 33-yard FG with 49 seconds gone in the final period. Leander would have the last word in this one, though, when Chase Keltgen darted in from four (4) yards out with 63 seconds left, and Danny Alvarado booted the PAT.

The Rockets amassed 437 yards on the ground. Quaylon Jones led the way with 211 yards on 18 carries, and this effort was supplemented by the contributions of six (6) other ball carriers. Tristan Hernandez was good on 2-of-7 passes for 21 yards.

The renewal of this neighborhood rivalry got underway when TR’s Devante Jackson returned the opening kickoff to the 30, and on First Down QB Sean Alonzo took off up to the 45. On 4th-and-11 from the Judson 30 Alonzo scrambled down to the 15. From there he kept down to the 5 to bring up 1^st-and-Goal. The Riders then advanced down to the ½-yard line, where they were stopped short by Stephon Moody. Two (2) false starts, however, pushed TR back. This stalled out the 15-play drive, so Deric Eldridge came in and nailed a 26-yard FG at the 6:02 mark of the opening period. Although the Defensive Thermal Protection System had been burned pretty good on this drive and the Offensive Propulsion System had been on ice for slightly more than half of the 1^st Quarter, the Rockets were nevertheless raring to go. Tyrone Dotcie took the kickoff on a fair catch at the 23, from where Tristan Hernandez unloaded a play action pass that was caught by Keith Barnett and advanced down to the TR 37. Quaylon Jones took a pitch-out for five (5) yards, and Kenyon Clack got a similarly modest pickup. This set the stage for Hernandez’ aerial play to Dennis Parks which went all the way to complete the 5-play drive. San Filippo was good on the PAT and Judson now had a 7-3 lead with 4:12 left in the 1^st Quarter. The Rockets stepped up their game on Defense and forced the Riders to go 3-and-out, and after the TR punt they had very good field position. Dennis Parks hauled in a 12-yard toss from Hernandez at the Roosevelt 1-yard line, and Hernandez punched in from there to complete an 11-play drive. San Filippo’s kick was good, and Judson now had a 14-3 advantage at the 9:53 mark of the 2^nd Quarter. On the ensuing kickoff Kevin Clanton gave new meaning to the terms "impact" player, putting the hurt on the Roosevelt return man at the 17. The Riders did get a 1^st-Down pickup at their 37, but soon it was time to punt once more. This time, the Rockets took possession at their own 37. On the very first play Kenyon Clack got loose up the middle for the 63-yard score. San Filippo booted the PAT, and the Rockets had a seemingly impressive 21-3 advantage with 7:19 still remaining in the 1^st Half. Kevin Clanton made his "impact" felt once more on the TR kickoff return, and Devante Jackson had to momentarily leave the contest to regain his senses. Once more, the Riders went 3-and-out, and this time Judson took possession at its own 30. This time, though, the Rockets were unable to produce any points on the drive, and soon the 1^st Half expired with Judson still in front with the comfortable lead.

The Rockets started the 2^nd Half the way Roosevelt began the 1^st Half, in this case traversing 50 yards on 14 plays. San Filippo made good on a 41-yard FG, and the Judson lead was now up to 24-3. The Riders were stone cold on their first drive of the 2^nd Half, going 3-and-out, but the Rockets likewise were left cooling their engines as well, and soon TR was back to do some damage---but only after Kevin Clanton did some more of his own on the Roosevelt punt, this time on return man Dominique Davis at the TR 17. The Riders advanced effectively and efficiently down to the Judson 43. From there, Sean Alonzo launched a play action pass that was caught by Delvin McIntyre at the Judson 3. Alonzo finished off the 10-play, 83-yard drive with a QB sneak from the 1. Deric Eldridge drilled the PAT, and with one (1) second elapsed in the final period the Riders had narrowed the gap to 24-10. The Rockets fielded the kickoff at the 12 and burned 8:25 off the clock with a 16-play, 75-yard drive that was summarily terminated when the Riders made the stand and came up with the recovery on a Judson fumble. From there, Roosevelt moved quickly downfield, aided by Personal Foul and Pass Interference calls on the Rockets that advanced the Riders to the 10. Soon thereafter Quintin Sheffield got in from the 1, Eldridge’s PAT was good, and TR had drawn to within 24-17 with 2:05 left. The Riders, of course, attempted an onside kick, but Jarveon Williams recovered for the Rockets at the Judson 45. Kenyon Clack advanced to the 49 on 1^st Down, and after a TR timeout Quaylon Jones got a yard, followed by still another TR timeout. When play resumed, Tristan Hernandez dumped a short pass off to Clack at the Roosevelt 45, and Clack took it to the house for the score. Brian Eddington booted the PAT, and the Rockets had some breathing room at 31-17 with 103 seconds to go. Soon there were NO seconds to go, and the Rockets had the ‘W" over a long-time neighbor and nemesis.

Some isolated thunderstorms interrupted what had been a typically hot late-summer afternoon, harassing the surrounding areas about three (3) hours before kickoff. Much of the activity had settled into a very slow mist or drizzle as the sun started to get low and game time approached, creating some very warm, humid conditions overall. The Rockets’ Offensive Propulsion System, meanwhile, had trouble getting ignition, and the Chargers burned through the Defensive Thermal Protection System for two (2) scores in the opening period, using a ball-control strategy in which one (1) drive used 18 plays and ate up a lot of time. The Rockets were finally able to get something going as the 2^nd Quarter progressed, finally getting on the board with 4:38 remaining in the 1^st Half. The Chargers, though, with QB Warren Truesdale creating a threat on the ground as well as through the air, picked up where they left off following the Judson score and threatened again with time running down. With the aid(?) of some rather creative clock management that was kind of hard to determine who or what was correct, Truesdale punched in from the 1 with a second remaining, and this enabled Churchill to take a rather distressing 21-7 lead and a 168 to 95 yard offensive advantage into the locker room.

The Chargers resumed their ball-control strategy as the 3^rd Quarter got underway, conducting another impressive time-killer drive, this time consisting of 17 plays. The drive, however, ran into trouble when Truesdale bobbled a snap on 3^rd-and-5, and this enabled Ethan Newsome-Jackson to sequester him for a 6-yard loss. Truesdale’s 4^th-and-11 pass went INC, and finally the Rockets were able to get going on Offense. The Rockets approached midfield and were facing 3^rd-and-15 when Tristan Hernandez connected with Quaylon Jones for a 17-yard pickup and a First Down. On the next play Jones lifted off and threaded his way for a 42-yard run for points. San Filippo pushed through the PAT, and the Rockets had drawn to within 21-14 with no time remaining in the 3^rd Quarter. This seemed to turn the momentum in Judson’s favor for the moment at least, and the Chargers were forced to go 3-and-out. Quaylon Jones got a 16-yard pickup, and Kenyon Clack carried up the middle to advance the Rockets down to the Churchill 14. Two (2) plays later Tristan Hernandez punched in on a QB sneak, Filippo’s PAT was good, and the score was knotted at 21-each at the 9:17 mark of the 4^th Quarter. The Chargers answered back with another long drive, getting inside the Judson 10-yard line. The ball, however, was knocked loose and Jarveon Williams recovered to end the threat. Soon the time in the 4^th Quarter expired, and the drama would be extended for at least a bit longer.

The Rockets went first in Overtime and needed a sideline catch by Tyrone Dotcie on 3^rd-and-9 to keep the drive alive. The Chargers stiffened up at that point, but on 4^th-and-Goal Quaylon Jones got in from the 2, San Filippo booted the PAT, and Judson had its first lead of the day at 28-21. On the Chargers’ turn on offense they too were soon facing a 4^th-or-never situation, but Warren Truesdale hit Trevor Andrews for seven (7) yards and the score. The Chargers, unwilling to continue with any kind of war of attrition or risk messing up on a PAT kick, decided instead to end this thing right here and now by going for two (2) points. Truesdale took off and headed for the right pylon, but Trent Matthews and Ryan Villarreal cut him off at the 1-foot line, and the Rockets got payback for the OT loss to the Chargers in Converse in 2006.

Quaylon Jones picked up 175 yards in 30 plays, and Clack got 89 on ten (10) totes. Warren Truesdale, meanwhile, hit his receivers for 112 yards, while on the ground picking up 106 yards on 28 touches.

In a supremely bizarre twist, the very next week Warren Truesdale was stopped at about the same point on basically the same 2-point play in a double overtime contest with Reagan.

Both teams entered the Battle of the Hammer feeling somewhat chastened by their pre-district runs, and going in it was anyone’s guess as to what would transpire and who would emerge with The Hammer.

There was some confusion on the receiving end of the T-Birds’ short kickoff, and it was dropped and recovered by the Birds at midfield. A Face Mask penalty on Judson advanced Wagner to the Judson 30, and Jacquoi Beauregard thereafter got loose and down to a First-and-Goal at the 4. On 3^rd Down Beauregard got in from the 2 to finish off the 6-play drive. Jaime Hernandez was good on the PAT, and Wagner had the early lead at 7-0 with 131 seconds elapsed. The Rockets took the concomitant kickoff on a fair catch at their own 30. From there they moved quickly and effectively downfield, and Quaylon Jones completed the 5-play drive by getting away off a wildcat formation for a 39-yard score. Max Lehnig’s PAT was good, and the score was knotted at 7-each at the 7:52 mark of the opening period. The Rockets’ Defensive Thermal Protection System, chagrined by its performance on the previous series, forced Wagner into a 3-and-out, and the punt put Judson in business at its 36. Kenyon Clack got a 17-yard pickup that carried to the Wagner 25, but the drive ran into trouble as a result of an Illegal Motion penalty and a sack. Quaylon Jones picked up 12 yards on a wrap-around draw play before being brought down by Derrick Kindred, but soon Max Lehnig came on and booted a 31-yard FG to end the 11-play drive and give Judson the lead at 10-7 with 53 seconds left in the 1^st Quarter. The ensuing Wagner drive appeared to have lasted only three (3) plays, but Judson was offside on the punt and this gave Wagner a 1^st Down. The next three (3) plays were just as unproductive as on the previous series, and this time Dennis Parks took the punt for the Rockets at the 40 and returned it up to the 48. Quaylon Jones took off up the middle to the 41. Soon thereafter Dennis Parks hauled in Tristan Hernandez’ pass over his shoulder and into the endzone to complete a 46-yard play. Lehnig’s point after was good, and the Rockets now led 17-7 with 8:14 remaining in the 1^st Half. Stephon Moody put the emphatic stop on the Wagner return man at the 8-yard line on the kickoff, but undeterred, Manny Ley took off on an 84-yard dash to paydirt.. The PAT was NG, but the T-Birds had closed the gap to 17-13. Dennis Parks fielded Wagner’s pooch kick at the 25 and got away up to the 46. The Rockets advanced down to the Wagner 31, and thereafter appeared to have kept the drive going on a QB sneak on 4^th-and-inches, but the drive was killed when Devonte Cunningham recovered a Rocket fumble at the 27. Following this momentum-changer, on 1^st Down the T-Birds attempted to take it to the Rockets by throwing deep, but the long-range pass was broken up by Trevon Gamboa. A little later, however, Jared Fields-Cooper pulled in a 14-yard aerial from Seth Pierce at the Judson 33, and thereafter Beauregard got a pickup down to the 23. The drive soon stalled, though, and it was time to try a FG. Trevon Gamboa almost blocked it, but Jaime Hernandez’ kick still managed to clear the cross-bars to finish off the 11-play drive and bring Wagner to within 17-16 with 90 seconds left before the break. The T-Birds still seemed to have grabbed the lion’s share of the momentum, but things soon took a fortuitous bounce when Jarveon Williams briefly bobbled the kickoff before grabbing it and getting away to the Wagner 45. The Rockets then went to the air with the hopes of scorching the Birds with long passes, but the passes were either overthrown, or the receivers could not hold on. The ensuing punt rolled dead at the Wagner 3-yard line, and time soon expired in the 1^st Half.

The T-Birds still seemed to be in relatively good position to get away from the Rockets, and this prospective process got underway when the 2^nd-Half kickoff was taken at the 3 and returned to the 16. Jacquoi Beauregard carried up to the 30 on 1^st Down, Seth Pierce hit Jared Fields-Cooper for a 12-yard pickup, and Beauregard carried to the 46. Beauregard’s carry was quashed for no gain on the next play, and then disaster (for Wagner) struck when Donovan Whitson stole the T-Birds’ aerial and was tackled at the Wagner 40 following an 18-yard return. On 3^rd-and-6 from the 36 Keith Barnett took an over-the-shoulder grab of Hernandez’ pass at the 15, advancing down to the 8. Jabre Jefferson advanced down to the 2-yard line, and Quaylon Jones followed the lead of his blockers in for the score. Lehnig made good on the PAT, and at the 8:22 mark of the 3^rd Quarter the Rockets had raised the advantage to 24-16. After Lehnig sent the impending kickoff out of the endzone, on 3^rd-and-inches Ryan Villarreal stuffed Beauregard for no gain. The punt was nearly blocked, but it got airborne and was taken by Zachary Jimenez at the 32 and returned up to the 38.. After some modest pickups by Jones and Jabre Jefferson to midfield, Jones carried down to the 20, Jefferson carried to the 16, and Jones picked up a 1^st-and-Goal at the 10. Tristan Hernandez hooked up with Tyron Dotcie for the score to dust off the 9-play drive, once more Lehnig’s PAT was good, and Judson now led 31-16 with 216 seconds remaining in the penultimate period. A pattern was definitely being established here: Lehnig sent the kickoff out of the endzone and, although the T-Birds did pick up a First Down, Jacquoi Beauregard was stopped on 3^rd-and-2 soon thereafter. A very short punt went out of bounds at the Wagner 42. In fairly short order Dennis Parks took off on an end-around play and got away down to the 18. On the 1^st play of the final period Derek Lockhart took Tristan Hernandez’ play action pass in from the 3, Lehnig’s kick was good, and Judson now had a relatively comfortable advantage of 38-16 with five (5) seconds gone. A low-riding kickoff was taken at the 11 and returned all the way to the Judson 43. On 1^st Down Andrew Sullivan took a reverse and advanced down to the 25. The drive advanced even closer down to the 10, but Jacoby Clay---alternating at QB with Pierce---was hammered for no gain, and a 4^th-and-10 pass from Pierce intended for Jared Fields-Cooper was broken up by Trent Matthews to end the threat. The Rockets advanced to midfield before stalling out, and the ensuing punt was taken at the 11 and returned to the 16. A quick aerial from Jacoby Clay advanced the Birds to the Judson 45, and this spurred Wagner on toward a final score. Beauregard got in from the 3 with 26 seconds left, and Jaime Hernandez’ PAT finished the scoring for the day and reduced the final Judson advantage to 38-23. The onside kick was thereafter recovered by Dennis Parks, and the Rockets ran out the clock from there to renew possession of The Hammer for at least one (1) more year.

Quaylon Jones picked up 156 yards on 26 carries, and the balance of the Judson ground yardage was turned in by six (6) other ball carriers. For Wagner, Jacquoi Beauregard picked up 116 yards on 27 totes, and Manny Ley turned in 100 yards on only four (4) trips. Tristan Hernandez threw for all of the Rockets’ air yards, while for Wagner Seth Pierce had tosses totaling 34 yards, and Jacoby Clay threw for 45 yards.

The Matadors continued to try and keep the Rockets off balance by attempting an onside kickoff to start the 2^nd Half, but the Rockets were able to recover it and set up shop at the Seguin 47. Hopes that the Rockets would lift off on some kind of classic "second-Half surge" were quickly dashed when Seguin forced a 3-and-out. On Judson’s next possession and with the Rockets at the Matador 29, Kenyon Clack encountered a crowded "maul" on 4^th-and-5, thus terminating the drive. The Mats had some new-found momentum, and they rode it on a 5-play, 75-yard drive. Khari Miller hauled in Gerlich’s 12-yard pass for the score, and Gerlich bulled his way past two (2) Judson defenders to close the gap to 19-16 with 4:36 remaining in the 3^rd Quarter. The momentum seemed to be turning even more virulently in Seguin’s favor when Daniel Campos recovered the onside kick to put the Mats in business once more, but on the very next play Donovan Whitson stole Gerlich’s pass. This put the Rockets back in business, and they undertook an 8-play, 49-yard play that Kenyon Clack completed by plunging over from the 3 The PAT failed, but Judson had some breathing space at 25-16 with 78 seconds left in the 3^rd period. The Rockets and the Matadors took turns making mistakes from there on out, but finally Judson was able to claim the W in this rather sloppy, awkwardly played contest.

The Matadors picked up 112 yards on the ground and 132 yards through the air. They lost one (1) fumble and experienced two (2) INT’s. Judson, meanwhile, lost three (3) fumbles. Tristan Hernandez, however, experienced no INT’s whatever during his 6-of-14 passing effort that gained 93 yards. For some reason it sure didn’t feel like it at the time, but the Rockets actually moved the ball pretty well on the ground, picking up 345 yards. Quaylon Jones contributed 181 of those on 26 carries, with five (5) other ball carriers turning in the balance. Nevertheless, if this was a tune-up game leading up to the showdown with Steele, it left a lot of unanswered questions---or at least questions that had some potentially unacceptable or downright disturbing answers.

This meeting between Mike Jinks’ Steele Knights and his alma mater beckoned like a showdown at high noon. It would, of course, take place under the lights of an autumn evening, and the promise of a variegated assortment of dramas was enough to draw 7500 into Lehnhoff Stadium. The Rockets, after already experiencing numerous changes of fortune in this odyssey, felt they had much to prove, especially coming off a rather inconsistent performance with Seguin the week before. Steele, meanwhile, was fresh from a last-second 14-10 win over New Braunfels just the week before. Hence, both teams felt they had something to prove.

The Knights took the kickoff and proceeded to ram the ball down the Rockets’ collective throats with a machine-like 9-play, 72-yard drive. A pivotal pickup was a 21-yard contribution by Malcolm Brown. In spite of that, the Rockets’ Defensive Thermal Protection System came through to prevent the TD, and instead Steele settled for a 25-yard FG by Michael Stohlmann that put Steele in front at 3-0 at the 7:15 mark of the 1^st period. On Judson’s ensuing drive Kenyon Clack got an 8-yard pickup on 1^st Down, but a Holding call and an INC pass put the damper on the effort, and the Rockets soon punted. Jordan Sterns took the punt for Steele at the 28 and returned it up to the 34. QB Tommy Armstrong faked out of the shotgun but instead kept and got away down to the Judson 15, where Jarveon Williams made a shoestring tackle to prevent a TD. Once more, the Rocket Defense stiffened. Malcolm Brown was stopped for no gain, and a pass intended for Brown was tipped away by Ethan Newsome-Jackson. The FG unit came on to stretch the lead, but the kick was partially blocked and the Rockets took over at the 20. Clack got a modest pickup to the 23, but was swarmed under for no gain. An end-around run by Dennis Parks up to the 35, however, kept the drive going. The drive continued up to midfield by virtue of some carries by Quaylon Jones, but on 3^rd-and-6 Tristan Hernandez’ pass went in and out of the hands of Dennis Parks and the Rockets punted. The ball rolled dead at the Steele 13. Malcolm Brown took the handoff and carried up to the 30, and thereafter Justin Stockton advanced up to the 38. The drive nevertheless stalled when a pass was tipped by Trent Matthews. The impending punt landed at the Judson 30 and rolled dead at the 12. Quaylon Jones was stopped cold by Marquis Anderson, but Dennis Parks took a reverse and got the distance to move the chains, and a Face Mask call on the Knights advanced the Rockets up to the 39. Judson advanced down to the Steele 32, but on 4^th Down Quaylon Jones was stopped a yard short. The subsequent Steele possession was a 3-and-out, and Dennis Parks took the punt and returned it 56 yards to the Steele 28. After Quaylon Jones carried to the 26, Tristan Hernandez’ play action aerial was tipped and intercepted, immediately fumbled and then recovered by Jones back at the 34 to give Judson a new possession and a new set of Downs. Jones was stopped for no gain by Marquis Anderson, but he made up for this by taking a pass at the 15 and continuing down to the 5. On the next play Kenyon Clack carried in for the score, Max Lehnig booted the PAT, and Judson had a 7-3 lead with 100 seconds left in the 1^st Half. The Knights of Steele were unable to get anything of substance done with the remaining time, and the teams retreated to their respective locker rooms to refresh and regroup.

The Knights sent the 2^nd-Half kickoff into the wind, enabling Rene Rivera to take it and return it up to the 37. Clack was stopped for no gain, but he thereafter got a pickup to the 48 to move the chains. Quaylon carried down to the Steele 44, but a gainer by Clack was called back for Holding, a pass to Joshua Weible went INC, and Q was stopped for no gain. The concomitant punt was downed at the Steele 2-yard line. Malcolm Brown got a 4-yard pickup, but subsequently was dropped for no gain by Trent Matthews and Ethan Newsome-Jackson, and it was time to punt. The Rockets, however, bit on Steele’s hard count, and the resultant Offside call gave the Knights a fresh set of Downs. The Rockets held once more, and this time the punt got away without incident and was returned to the Steele 13. The promising scenario soon ended when the Rockets fumbled and Steele recovered at the 4 to end the threat. Once more, though, the Rockets held and forced a punt into the wind, and this time Eric Coleman advanced the punt down to the Steele 45.

The ensuing drive straddled the end of the 3^rd and the start of the 4^th period, it ran into a certain amount of difficulty, and it was Judson’s turn to punt into the wind. Malcolm Brown carried up to the 26 and thereafter up to the 36, dragging tacklers enroute. The drive nevertheless stalled out after Brown’s pickup to the 40. Justin Stockton got a yard, where he was stopped by Trent Matthews, Tommy Armstrong’s deep pass---well-covered by Trevon Gamboa----went INC, and it was punt time. Dennis Parks took the kick at the 3-yard line, and was met by a swarm at the 8. On 3^rd Down after Quaylon Jones got only four (4) yards on two (2) plays, Dennis Parks took a reverse but was thrown for a loss and Judson thus punted. The kick was dropped, but Justin Stockton recovered to maintain possession for the Knights at the Judson 44. On the very first play Malcolm Brown took off and went all the way to put Steele back in front. Stohlmann’s PAT was good and the Knights now had a 10-7 lead with 6:37 left in the 4^th Quarter. The ensuing kickoff only went to the Judson 41, and thus the Rockets had a decent shot at getting back in the game. Kenyon Clack picked up a yard, and thereafter took a screen pass that advanced things to midfield. Q picked up a 1^st Down by carrying to the Steele 45, but on the next play Clack was dropped for a loss. Tristan Hernandez tossed a slant pass to Dennis Parks that carried down to the Steele 27, but the subsequent pass into coverage went INC. Jones carried to the 21, but was subsequently dropped for a loss to bring up 4^th Down. Max Lehnig came in and drilled the 39-yard FG, though, and the score was knotted at 10-each with 2:56 remaining in regulation. After the kickoff the Knights started from their 23, and Malcolm Brown carried up to the 28. Tommy Armstrong faked to Brown and kept instead for two (2) yards, but a 3^rd-Down play was stuffed for no gain. The Knights attempted a hard count on the 3^rd-Down play to try and draw Judson offside, but the Rockets weren’t buying any of it this time, and after a Steele timeout the Knights did a Quick Kick that rolled dead at the Judson 1-yard line. This put Judson in a very precarious situation that threatened to cause Steele to possibly win on a Safety with the slightest false move or blown up play. The Rockets, however, moved out to the 2-yard line by virtue two (2) QB sneaks, and soon the time expired in regulation.

The Knights went first in OT, and on two (2) successive plays Malcolm Brown advanced Steele down to the 16. An Offside, though, set them back to the 21, and on the next play Brown was stopped just short of a First Down. On 4^th-and-inches, though, Tommy Armstrong got the necessary yardage on a sneak down to the 14, and thereafter carried for another yard. Malcolm Brown was stopped for no gain by Stephon Moody, but Tommy Armstrong made amends with a bootleg pass to Blake Gordon that advanced the Knights down to the 1. Brown punched in from there, and Stohlmann’s PAT put the Knights back in front at 17-10. On Judson’s first play Clack advanced to the 17, and after Q was stopped for no gain he carried for a 1^st-Down pickup at the 14. The Rockets advanced to the 9, and from there Jones was in for the score. Lehnig’s kick was good and this knotted things once more, thus precipitating a 2^nd OT.

On 1^st Down Jones carried down to the 19, Clack advanced to the 17, and Jones advanced to the 16 to bring up 4^th-and-never. From there Jones went all the way, Lehnig nailed the PAT, and Judson was in front at 24-17. The Knights responded by reaching the 3-yard line, and on 4^th Down Malcolm Brown penetrated into the corner of the endzone for the score. Similar to Churchill, the Knights chose to try and finish the job now rather than risk a 3^rd OT, so they gave the ball to Armstrong. He rolled out as if to pass, but potential receiver Tyler Glasz was well-covered so he took off and went airborne just as he met two (2) Rocket defenders at the goal line. The zebras signaled in the affirmative---for Steele, that is----and thus endeth this stirring drama.

For the game Malcolm Brown picked up 189 yards on 34 carries, and Quaylon Jones netted 138 yards on 32 totes.

• Tristan Hernandez’ 16-yard pass to Kenyon Clack with 4:30 to go
• Quaylon Jones’ 55-yard dash on the final play of the Quarter; and,
• Lehnig’s two (2) PAT’s

The onslaught was at full throttle in the 2^nd Quarter, what with:

• Dennis Parks’ 47-yard pass reception from Tristan Hernandez at the 8:52 mark
• Hernandez’ keeper for two (2) yards with 6:25 to go
• Rene Rivera’s 25-yard run with 2:03 remaining
• Dionte Thomas’ 60-yard INT return with three (3) seconds left; and,
• Lehnig’s successful PAT’s on two (2) of four (4) attempts

All told, this staked Judson to a 47-0 lead at Halftime.

The final score of the day for the Rockets came with only 2:48 gone in the 3^rd Quarter, when Isaac Gilmer raced in for a 48-yard score. Aaron Garcia was successful with the PAT, and this increased the count to 54-0. With 8:22 left in the game, the Rattlers got on the board when Anthony Ramirez punched in from a yard out, and Jordy Martinez nailed the PAT to bring the final tally to 54-7. The Rattlers moved the chains 12 times by virtue of 216 yards on the ground and 12 through the air. The air yardage came at a very steep price, what with a 2-of-13 completion percentage that was marred by four (4) INT’s----two (2) of which went for Judson scores. San Marcos also lost one (1) fumble. The Rockets, meanwhile, were able to make an easy job of this given the number of Rattler miscues, and had to travel only 201 yards on the ground in order to help move the chains 14 times. Tristan Hernandez completed two (2) of five (5) passes for 64 yards and no INT’s whatever. The Rockets overall played turnover-free ball in this, the Rockets’ first meeting with the Rattlers since 1995..

The Rockets were Dead On Arrival for this Week 10 contest, and in view of various internal team "issues" that were in the process of being dealt with in the week leading up to this affair, in some ways---save for the extra experience and "data" that could prove valuable in preparing for the post-season and a 1^st-Round re-match with Madison----they may have been better off not even showing up for this particularly poor performance. Mix that with a very good passing attack led by Unicorn QB Micajah Poole, and you pretty much have a toxic stew of failure for the Red and Grey that uncovered many TEAM breakdowns and weaknesses that did not bode well for at least the immediate future. In spite of a few shafts of defensive brilliance by the Rockets in the very early moments, the Unicorns moved inexorably if not impressively down the field, and the first NB score came at the 7:43 mark of the opening period. Micajah Poole hooked up with Kyle Robertson for a 34-yard scoring play, Robert Aguilar made good on the PAT, and NB had the lead at 7-0. The Rockets’ Offensive Propulsion System also had some brief moments that gave hope on the ensuing drive, but it all proved illusory at best, and it was soon time to punt. Some brief moments of Special Teams brilliance gave some reason for hope that perhaps the tide could be turned by a momentum changer of some kind, such as when the Unicorns dropped the punt and an alert Kevin Clanton recovered in the endzone for the score. Max Lehnig nailed the PAT, and the score was knotted at 7-each with 4:25 left in the 1^st Quarter. This bright but extremely brief moment, however, was merely a false dawn that would soon herald the Death of Hope for the Rockets on this particular evening, as evidenced by the following:

• Matt Schmid’s 61-yard pass reception from Poole with 114 seconds remaining in the 1^st Quarter
• Robert Aguilar’s 28-yard FG with 192 seconds left in the 1^st Half
• Kevin Monreal’s 20-yard pass reception for points with 34 seconds remaining before Halftime; and
• Aguilar’s two (2) PAT’s

This staked the Unicorns to a 24-7 advantage at Halftime

Ross Johnson caught a 15-yard scoring toss from Poole at the 8:05 mark, and Aguilar booted the PAT to increase the count to 31-7. With 4:04 remaining in the penultimate period Tristan Hernandez found Dennis Parks for what amounted to an 80-yard pass play that narrowed the gap to 31-13. Max Lehnig’s PAT was good, and this actually ended the scoring for the day. The Unicorns basically had the Rockets right where they wanted them, and the Rockets apparently were more than willing to "comply" in what amounted to one of the more embarrassingly uninspiring all-around contributions by both Offense and Defense---especially in Converse----since the "bad old days" of 1975.

To NB’s credit, the Unicorns exploited the Rockets’ numerous weaknesses to near-perfection. They only picked up 94 yards on the ground, but the 328 yards through the air more than made up for that output. They also limited the Rockets to 59 yards on the ground and 106 through the air. Take away Parks’ 80-yard play and the output for Judson---at best----was blood-curdlingly pathetic.

Over in Seguin, Wagner turned back a late threat to edge the Matadors and grab the 2^nd seed in the Division I playoffs. Judson had already sewn up the 1^st seed in Division I the week before, so in the Rockets’ defense it is worth mentioning that their undistinguished performance on this evening came in a game that could perhaps be considered a "throwaway" of sorts. Nevertheless, the toxic stew served up on this evening gave the Rocket Nation a supremely bad case of indigestion entering the post-season.

Semifinals
Trinity 28 Stony Point 24
Pearland 51 Stevens 21

Final
Pearland 28 Trinity 24

For the first time since 1991, the Rockets had a "do-over" game against a team encountered in a non-District loss. This time, though, all of the Rockets’ starters---save for that small fraction that had been dismissed from the team in recent days----would be participating, and hence this contest promised to be much more competitive than the meeting held at this same location on September 25.

Dennis Parks took the opening kickoff for Judson at the 10 and returned it up to the 42. From there the Rockets advanced down to the Mavericks’ 7-yard line, but the drive was summarily terminated when a high snap from Center was bobbled and Madison recovered and returned it back to its own 13. Three (3) successive carries by Aaron Green only picked up nine (9) yards, and the Mavericks punted. On the ensuing Judson drive Quaylon Jones carried up to the 33, Kenyon Clack carried to the 41, and Jones---operating out of a Wildcat formation----carried down to the Maverick 33. Rene Rivera was stopped for no gain, but on the next play Tristan Hernandez hit Tyron Dotcie with an aerial that went all the way for the score. Max Lehnig booted the PAT, and Judson was in front at 7-0 with 5:11 left in the 1^st period. The Mavs used the impending drive to bleed a lot of time off the clock. Madison converted on 4^th-and-1 at the Judson 39 to keep the drive alive, and QB AJ Meyers also bobbled a snap but recovered to save the drive. A Holding penalty set the 17-play drive back somewhat, ultimately precipitating Garrett Carlson’s 31-yard FG that narrowed the Judson lead to 7-3 at the 8:21 mark of the 2^nd Quarter. Dennis Parks took the concomitant kickoff up to the 23. From there he got away for a pickup to the Madison 42. Soon Tristan Hernandez kept from two (2) yards out to complete a 9-play drive and up the count to 14-3 with precisely five (5) minutes remaining in the 1^st Half. The ensuing kickoff went out of the endzone. A reverse to Aaron Green lost four (4) yards, and a QB draw by AJ Meyers was snuffed out by Ryan Villarreal and Stephon Moody. The subsequent punt was nearly blocked, but it was fielded at the Judson 47. Hernandez’ play action pass went INC, Clack carried to the Madison 49, and Jones took off around left end and down the sidelines to the Madison 31. Clack carried to the 26, but the drive ran into some difficulties when the ball was fumbled but recovered by the Rockets back at the 31. Max Lehnig---albeit kicking into the wind and following a low snap----nevertheless pushed through a 48-yard FG with 42 seconds left before intermission to give Judson a 17-3 advantage. A reverse on the kickoff was busted at the 16 by Kevin Clanton, and two (2) totes by Green only advanced things up to the 32 before time expired in the 1^st Half.

The Mavericks opened the 2^nd Half with an 11-play, 80-yard drive. AJ Meyers lofted what amounted to a jump ball, 33 yards downfield, that was caught by Daulton Dugger for the score. Carlson’s PAT was good and Madison had drawn back to within 17-10 at the 8:50 mark of the 3^rd Quarter. Rene Rivera returned the kickoff up to the 37, but three (3) straight carries by Quaylon Jones only picked up eight (8) yards. On 4^th-and-2 from the 45 from a "punt" formation, Hernandez took the snap but instead launched it to Dennis Parks, who took it at the Madison 35 and advanced down to the 1. Hernandez kept for the score, and the advantage for Judson had been re-extended, this time to 24-10 with 6:33 left in the 3^rd Quarter. The kickoff went out of the endzone for a touchback. Once more, the Mavericks chose the deliberate approach, engineering a 14-play drive. Aaron Green got in from the 5-yard line for the score, but only after the Rocket defenders had him arm tackled back at the 9 before he got loose and into the endzone. Carlson’s kick was good, and Madison was back within reach at 24-17 with 78 seconds remaining in the 3^rd Quarter. There was some miscommunication on the kickoff----never a good thing----and this resulted in a bobble that Madison recovered at the Judson 29. From there Meyers scrambled down to the 23, but an Offside call on Madison moved things back to the 28. Green carried back to the 22, where Stephon Moody and Trent Matthews made the stop for the Rockets. Green carried to the 20, but on 4^th Down Daulton Dugger was stopped cold, thus ending the threat.

Q carried up to the 29, but a Holding call wiped the play out and set the Rockets back to the 10. On 1^st-and-20 he got loose up to the 40. Clack carried up to the 44, but the drive lost a yard when Rene Rivera had to recover a fumble. The subsequent 3^rd-Down pass went INC, Judson was forced to punt into the wind, and the Mavericks took possession at the 31. The drive went nowhere by virtue of INC passes and an Offside call, and the subsequent punt rolled into the endzone for a touchback. Clack picked up three (3) yards, Jones got five (5) and Clack thereafter got enough to move the chains. Additionally, a Face Mask call against the Mavs advanced Judson up to the 46. From there Jones got away down to the Madison 45. The pace of the drive slowed when Hernandez had to come out for a few plays due to a bloody nose, followed by an Illegal Procedure call against the Rockets. Hernandez came back in, though, and his toss to Tyrone Dotcie picked up the First Down. A Clipping call set things back, and on 3rd-and-17 at midfield Q was only able to get to the 40. The punt into the wind landed at the 8, and this put the Mavericks in a hole somewhat as they initiated what they hoped would be the beginning of a comeback. Two (2) runs by Green carried up to the 23, Meyers scrambled up to the 30, and Green thereafter advanced things to the 37. Troy Williams put the Mavs at the 48, Green lost a yard, and then Meyers launched a poorly thrown pass that Ryan Villarreal stole for the Rockets and returned down to the Madison 14. Three (3) straight carries by Jones brought up 4^th-and-inches, and Hernandez thereafter picked up the 1^st Down to pretty much clinch this one. The game was prolonged by two (2) consecutive some Unsportsmanlike calls on Madison that resulted in some player ejections, but soon the time expired and the Rockets had atoned for their earlier performance with the Mavericks.

Next up: A meeting with Stevens, led by 3^rd-year starter and QB Mykkele Thompson in Converse, where the Falcon issued a 1^st-Round Notice of Termination to the Rockets in 2008.

This time, Aaron Green contributed 127 yards, to the Mavericks’ rushing coffers, on 30 carries, while Quaylon Jones picked up 179 yards on the ground for Judson.

Although the area around the Blossom Athletic Center had encountered some brief drizzle about 45 minutes before kickoff and seemed at times to be surrounded on at least three (3) sides by distant lightning throughout the game, the contest itself was only marred by wind. Not so for other games in the San Antonio area. Over in Converse, there was a 75-minute thunder and lightning delay in the 1^st-Round contest between Churchill and Wagner. Churchill scored late in the 1^st Quarter and led 6-0 at Halftime, but Wagner scored 20 unanswered points in the 3^rd Quarter and built a 27-6 lead before the Chargers narrowed the gap with a late score. JacQuoi Beauregard picked up 203 yards rushing on 25 totes for the T-Birds. The Birds took a 13-6 lead by virtue of a blocked punt that was recovered in the endzone by Desmond Moore for the score, thus launching them to their 1^st post-season victory in their five (5) seasons of varsity play.

The Falcons issued a 2^nd-Round Notice of Termination to the Rockets in this contest by scoring relatively early and thereafter often. Mykkele Thompson proved every bit as elusive as he had been all season, and he would put Stevens on the board with 4:18 left in the 1^st Quarter with a 2-yard run. D’Vaunte Pete also scored from two (2) yards out with 107 seconds gone in the 2^nd period, and Thompson’s 15-yard dash at the 6:12 mark would, along with Manuel Ramos having been successful on two (2) of three (3) PAT attempts, stake the Falcons to a 20-0 lead at Halftime. As you can pretty much figure out, the Rocket Offense was also pretty much non-existent thus far. Meanwhile in the 1^st Half, Thompson left the Rocket Defense flat-footed in ripping off 164 of his 174 total ground yards. The Falcons immediately picked up where they left off in the 1^st Half by increasing the count to 27-0 with only 74 seconds gone in the 2^nd Half. Derek Mann---who would finish with 113 yards rushing---sprung loose for a 49-yard run for points, and Ramos’ PAT supplemented things. Early in the final period Ramos tacked on a FG, and Stevens now had a 30-0 advantage with 96 seconds gone. The Rockets finally scored with 9:30 left in the 4^th Quarter, Max Lehnig drilled the PAT, and the Stevens lead was reduced to 30-7. The Rockets recovered the onside kick, soon thereafter Jones got in for a 1-yard score, and the PAT was good. Mykkele Thompson, meanwhile, was held out for precautionary observation for the remainder of the game due to a head injury, and this enabled the Judson Defense to "stop" the Falcons and return the ball back to the Rocket Offense. Soon thereafter Quaylon Jones raced in for a 22-yard touchdown, the PAT was good, and Judson had made the deficit a bit more respectable at 30-20. The 2-point play, however, was stopped, and the Falcons rode this "momentum" to an insurance FG by Ramos from 35 yards out that increased the count to 33-20 with 193 seconds remaining. The Rockets answered back with a 3-yard run by Q with five (5) seconds left, and they shaved it a tad bit closer with Lehnig’s PAT. The onside kick attempt was nevertheless recovered by the Falcons, thus closing out this 2010 odyssey (for Judson). The Falcons, meanwhile, beat a very good Harlingen team in Overtime the following week, thus setting up a meeting with Wagner for the Region IV Final in Division I.

By virtue of the somewhat frenzied scoring onslaught by the Rockets in the final period, Quaylon Jones picked up 207 yards rushing on 28 carries.