Gonzales gives up 21 straight in home loss

GONZALES — Up 14-0 and starting with the ball the second half, the Gonzales Apaches were 24 minutes of game clock away from all but clinching a playoff spot. But after Caldwell ran off 21 unanswered points to win the game, the Apaches are now in need of some help in order to get to the postseason.

The Caldwell Hornets (5-4, 3-1) took down the home Apaches (4-5, 1-3) 21-14, dropping Gonzales to fifth in district behind Giddings, the Hornets, Columbus and La Grange.

“We played really well in the first half,” Apaches’ head coach Kodi Crane said. “The second half, [Caldwell] started running ‘iso’ and started getting some success.”

The Apaches defense was able to shut out Caldwell in the first half, a team that before this game led the district in offensive yards. The Hornets only had four first downs in the first half. But in the second half, they were able to eat up the clock and on all three offensive possessions, scored touchdowns including a late fourth-quarter drive that lasted 6:18 of game clock and 16 plays for 80 yards.

The Apaches’ offense was able to move the ball but could not punch it in after getting into the red zone. Late in the third quarter, the Apaches had a fourth and second conversion come up short. Later in the game, the Apaches attempted about a 35-yard field goal that was wide right after a bad snap threw off the timing of the kick.

“We continued to move the ball well,” Crane said, “we just didn’t get it in the end zone. That’s the key in close games. We had it down there, fourth and one, we didn’t get it, [Caldwell] got theirs. It is what it is. We got to be able to get it in the end zone whenever we get to the red zone.”

With 40 seconds left, the Apaches were able to get to as close as the Caldwell 32-yard line before an incomplete pass while time ran out ended the game.

Gonzales’ last game of the district season is against Smithville, a team that Crane has said is “a good football team.”

“We got to prepare,” he admitted, “and go execute. Now it’s obvious we need a little help [making it to the playoffs], things got to fall right, but if it does then we’ll be in.”

The Apaches are on the road this Friday at Smithville.

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District 10-4A2                                   

as of Week 9   W        L          %

Giddings          4          0          1.000

Caldwell          3          1          0.750

Columbus        2          2          0.500

La Grange       2          2          0.500

Gonzales         1          3          0.250

Smithville        0          4          0.000