By Jose Arredondo
Roosevelt football has made a substantial turnaround, a huge adjustment in the school’s history going from being 2-8 to being 8-2 within a school year is an accomplishment for the program but to top it off for the Rough Riders they made the playoffs as a number one seed for the district in their division.
Roosevelt beat the Reagan Rattlers in a thriller game 24-21 Nov. 9. The Riders trailed most of the game. The game featured both defenses just digging down deep getting big stops, but the play that translated the momentum of the whole game was the 70 yard pass to senior receiver Carl Whitley. Whitley, Roosevelt’s top receiver, caught two important touchdowns.
It was the last district game for both schools but the game decided who was going to play New Braunfels and Smithson Valley.
“They didn’t panic they all pulled together and moved the ball down the field and we got the game winning touchdown,” Coach Neal Lahue said. “It was a team effort. I’m proud of these boys.”
Both teams were trying to avoid a Smithson Valley team in the playoffs, a team that has taken down San Antonio’s top two teams Brandeis and Judson, and beat them in admirable fashion. Both wins were convincing double digit wins.
Now the brackets are set for the first round. Roosevelt will go up against New Braunfels on Friday at Clemens High School, while Reagan will face off with an unbeaten Smithson Valley team at the Alamodome.
Reagan is a team who went far in the playoffs last year, but fell short to the Steele Knights. Now the Rattlers are looking for redemption. Roosevelt, on the other hand, is looking to make a statement in the playoffs. Roosevelt offense used to operate in the running game but adjusted due to injuries in their backfield. Roosevelt had a weakness; an Achilles heel for the rough riders remained at the quarterback position but Rough Rider receivers picked up the slack for the quarterback and put up eye-popping stats.
“Our receivers make big plays and they continue to every game,” Coach Anthony Boykins said.
Playoffs will begin Friday night. Some teams will be satisfied making the playoffs, while other schools have high expectations with a “state championship or bust” mentality. Some schools will display that they were overlooked whole season and underestimated, so playoffs will be their time to shine. Regardless, the state of Texas will have exciting football games.
