In the span of 32 seconds, Salado Eagles and No. 8 Robinson Rockets put up 21 points in the middle of the fourth quarter Oct. 4 in what turned out to be a close contest with the Eagles winning 31-28.

But it didn’t look like it was going to be close at all in the first 25 minutes of the game as Salado took a 24-0 lead, taking advantage of turnovers by the Rockets.

Caleb Self intercepted a pass by Robinson’s Joseph McHenry at the Rocket 39-yard line to set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Wrook Brown with 5:37 in the first. Brown added the kick for a 7-0 lead. The turnover was the second in the early minutes of the game as Greg Washington recovered a fumble on the second play from scrimmage by Ethan Linder but the Eagles ended up turning the ball over on downs.

After swapping possessions the Rockets threatened to score early in the second, but a sack by Peyton Miller and an interception by Ethan Scott for a touchback put an end to the drive. Salado could get nowhere on the next series, but a muffed punt reception by Malik Ford was recovered by Miller at the Robinson 9-yard line.

Three plays later, Brown kicked a 26-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead with 5:14 left in the half.

On the next series, Robinson quarterback Rogers looked as if he was getting picked for the second time in the half. However the refs flagged Latrell Jenkins, who snatched the ball away from the receiver, for defensive pass interference to give the Rockets a first down instead of giving Salado the ball. However, three plays later, the defense caused the fourth turnover of the game when McHenry coughed up the ball at the Salado 14 yard line and Jenkins recovered it with 3:52 left in the half. 

Over the next two-and-a-half minutes, Salado drove the length of the field with Hunter Turk diving in from the 1-yard line with 1:16 on the clock. Brown booted the PAT for a 17-0 halftime lead, although Robinson got as far as the Eagles’ 30-yard line before the halftime clock ran out.

Salado took the ensuing kick at their 25 and on the second play from scrimmage Reid Vincent darted through the Rockets defense for a 73-yard touchdown. Brown’s kick extended the lead to 24-0 less than a minute into the second half.

From that point, though, Robinson seemed to recovered their wits (and a hold on the ball) and scored three straight touchdowns. 

Robinson returned the kick to their own 40 and then drove the rest of the field on eight plays. Brady Kay dove in from the 1. With 9:02 in the third, the Rockets trailed 24-7.

They forced Salado to a quick possession and punt and then drove 74-yards in seven plays, capped by a 2-yard dive through the middle by Linder. The kick made it 24-15 with 5:04 left in the third.

Salado was forced to punt after three plays and the Rockets took over at their own 24. Yet again they gave up the ball, this time a second-and-five run by Rogers. 

With just under a minute left in the third, Salado pushed the ball to the Robinson 40-yard line but were stopped just short on a fourth-and-six to turn the ball over on downs at the Rocket 38-yard line with 8:37 left in the game. Eleven plays later, Kay ran for a 3-yard touchdown. The kick closed the gap to 24-21 with 5:51 left to play.

Thirteen seconds later, Salado again had a 10-point lead. Hunter Turk went straight through the middle of the defense and was past the secondary before anyone  — except the Salado coaches and players and maybe five Salado fans — realized where the ball was. He dashed toward the end zone for a 68-yard touchdown with 5:38 left to play. Brown’s kick made it 31-21.

Nineteen seconds later, Robinson was in the end zone on a 55-yard pass-and-run from McHenry to Jordan Rogers for the touchdown with 5:14 left to play.

But then Salado did what it has done best throughout the season — control the clock with a methodical, punishing, clock-eating ground game. Salado ran 11 straight running plays and caught the defense offsides once as the Eagles chewed the artificial turf and the five minutes off the clock. It was 3 yards and a pile of rubber dust until Vincent broke loose with a minute left on the clock for a 16-yard run. He slid down at the Rocket 16-yard line to help run out the clock rather than risking injury or a turnover trying to get past the remaining two Robinson defenders. Hutton Haire took a knee for the final play to give the Eagles a 31-28 win over the Rockets in the third “game for the ages” in a row.

Defensive statistics for the game are these:

Greg Washington, 9 tackles, 4 assists, 1 interception, caused fumble. 

Travis Carter, 9 tackles, 2 assists.

Lucas Morvant, 7 tackles, 4 assists, caused fumble. 

Peyton Miller, 5 tackles, 2 assists, 2 QB sacks, 2 interceptions, pass block.

Kofi Stoglin, 4 tackles, 9 assists, QB sack.

Caleb Self, 4 tackles, 1 interception, 1 cause fumble, 2 passes broken up. 

Noah Mescher, 4 tackles, 3 assists.

Latrell Jenkins, 3 tackles, 2 assists, 1 int,.

Ethan Scott, 3 tackles, 1 int.

Kory Walker, 1 tackle, 3 assists. 

Blake Volk, tackle, assist.