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Saint Anthony Johnson’s 34-yard field goal in overtime was the deciding factor as the Judson Rockets beat the Jaguars 46-43 in Game 2 of the KSAT Pigskin Classic on Saturday afternoon.
The game-winning kick by senior quarterback Adrian Cortes put the final exclamation point as the Jaguars came back from a 27-7 halftime deficit.
Junior running back Nathaniel Stanley had a big game for the Rockets, rushing for 218 yards and two touchdowns. He was named the John Wayne Player of the Game.
A fumble on a 4th-and-2 by Judson with 43 seconds left gave the Jaguars enough time to complete their comeback, when sophomore quarterback Ty Hawkins found wide receiver Caden Rizzo in the end zone for the game-tying score.
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Two passes by Judson’s defenders in overtime stopped Johnson’s final drive and a missed field goal opened the door for the Rockets’ final drive.
“The kids played hard on both sides of the ball,” Judson head football coach Mark Soto said. “We’re upset and that’s what we like.”
Judson’s offense rushed for 323 yards and four touchdowns, but Hawkins and the Jaguars refused to back down.
The dynamic sophomore quarterback completed 22 of 38 passes for the Jaguars and had four passing touchdowns. He was also good on the ground, rushing for over 150 yards.
Judson’s Stanley blasted a 54-yarder on second-and-10 to give the Rockets an early two-touchdown lead.
The rebound changed the momentum and rolled upfield to Johnson, but a costly free-kick wiped a touch off the board. That didn’t stop the Jaguars’ offense, however, and they capped a five-play, 61-yard drive with their first TD of the season on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Hawkins to senior wide receiver Alejandro Tavarez.
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In the second quarter, Judson completed a 63-yard touchdown pass from senior Jayden Castillo to Jonathan Johnson, taking a 20-7 lead.
Defensive lineman Miles Davis’ interception of Hawkins’ errant throw gave the Rockets another chance before halftime. A long run by Stanley put Judson inside the 10-yard line and Castillo finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run, making it 27-7.
But that’s when things got interesting in the second half and Johnson returned with an injury. Wide receiver Caden Rizzo caught a pass from Hawkins to reverse the field and cut the lead to 27-14 on fourth-and-1 by Hawkins.
Judson’s offense failed to convert on their next possession and penalties initially set the Jaguars offense back, but Hawkins again led the team on another scoring drive, as Hawkins hit Lauren Johnson for a touchdown to further cut the lead to 27-21.
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Judson brought the tackle back to Johnson as Stanley opened another long run to the 3-yard line. Judson scored to make it nine points after three failed attempts to get into the end zone.
Hawkins then led the Jaguars on an 8-play, 90-yard drive in less than three minutes, culminating in a 47-yard Tavarez touchdown to cut the lead to 30-28.
Two pass plays and another big run set up Stanley Judson for a touchdown with 9:26 left in the game. Stanley found the carrier again and found the end zone, pushing the lead to 37-28.
Hawkins has shown poise over the years, leading the Jaguars in field goal scoring. On first and goal, Hawkins completed another touchdown pass to Lauren Johnson, cutting the deficit to 37-35 with 5:30 to play.
But like a tight end, Judson responded with a long gain of his own with a completed pass from Castillo to Jonathan Johnson, and then Castillo capped the run with a touchdown.
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A costly interception on first-and-10 gave the Rockets the ball and set up Judson’s botched punt attempt. Johnson ended the game with a field goal by Judson, sending the game into overtime.
Background
Both head coaches, Mark Soto and Tippy Miller, worked together at Johnson High School for the past two years, when Soto was the head coach and Miller was the defensive coordinator. That’s when they helped lead the Jaguars to an undefeated 10-0 regular season, falling 51-45 to New Braunfels in the first round of the playoffs.
Soto decided to return to his alma mater, Judson, to become the new head coach, elevating Miller from defensive coordinator to Johnson’s head coach. Soto’s job is to get the Rockets back into contention, after they went 4-6 last season. For Miller, it’s about continuing to build on what he brought to Johnson.
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“Coach Soto and I think, it’s all about the kids,” Miller said, as he turned his attention to Mark on the other side of the field. “Of course, when we get on the field, we always compete. It will be a friendly competition but it’s about the community and the student-athletes.
Next:
Judson: At home vs. Austin Westlake, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
Johnson: Away from O’Connor, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m
The KSAT Pigskin Classic is the first of its kind in the Alamo City and will kick off the 2022 high school football season. The event features six local high school football teams in three games in a one-day event at the Alamodome.
On August 27, the triple header will conclude with Steele and Brennan. You can find out more information by clicking here.
Download the Big Game Coverage mobile app or visit the Big Game Coverage section of KSAT 12 for high school sports coverage including game live broadcasts.
Copyright 2022 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
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