Nixon-Smiley falls to Karnes City on Senior Night, eliminated from playoff contention

NIXON — The Nixon-Smiley Mustangs battled hard in their final home game of the season Friday night but came up just short, falling 28–21 to Karnes City in a tight District 15-3A Division II matchup that officially ended their playoff hopes.

The Badgers struck quickly, taking a 14–7 lead in the first quarter and extending their advantage to 21–14 by halftime. Nixon-Smiley matched Karnes City drive for drive early, but both defenses locked in after the break. The Mustangs tied it once more in the third quarter before the Badgers sealed the win with a fourth-quarter score.

Junior quarterback Eric Rodriguez led the Mustang offense with 82 passing yards, 47 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns—one through the air and one on the ground. Garet Gonzales, also a junior, posted 176 all-purpose yards with a 58-yard reception and two total touchdowns. Senior Julian Amaya added 95 yards of offense, and sophomore Joe White tallied 165 all-purpose yards, rushing for 83 and hauling in a 43-yard catch.

In total, Nixon-Smiley finished with 376 offensive yards—226 rushing and 150 passing—while kicker Elian Mendoza went a perfect 2-for-2 on PATs and averaged 40 yards on his lone punt.

The Mustangs are now 2–4 in district play and 5–4 overall, sitting outside postseason qualification as they prepare to close their season on the road against Stockdale (7–2) this Friday at 7 p.m.

Although the playoff race is over, Nixon-Smiley will look to finish the season on a strong note and carry momentum into next year’s campaign, which will feature a solid returning core of underclassmen who gained valuable experience this fall.