By Tim Fleischer

Editor-in-Chief

In the first 66 seconds of play tonight, Salado and Robinson both put up touchdowns, combining for 28 points in less than six minutes of play in a raucous and turnover-ridden slugfest at Rocket Field where the Eagles held on for a 33-24 district win.

Adam Benavides scooped up a Cody Martinez fumbled on Robinson’s first play from scrimmage and returned it for a 31-yard touchdown. Daniel Chtay kicked the point-after for the Eagles to lead 7-0 at 11:28 in the first.

The Rockets received the ensuing kick-off and on the second play of the drive, Tristyn Blackburn burned his way through the middle of the Salado defense for a 69-yard TD. The PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 10:54 left in the first.

Less than a minute and a half later Salado’s Luke Law took the snap and ran it in from 5-yards to cap a 40-yard drive set up by Drew Bird’s 26-yard kick return. Chtay’s kick made it 14-7 with 9:30 left in the first.

Garrett Combs and Nolan Miller stopped Blackburn on a fourth-and-1 try at the Eagle 41, but on the next play, the Robinson defense held Law up in the backfield for a sack and fumble return for a touchdown. The PAT tied the score at 14-14 at 7:32 in the first.

Salado took a 20-17 lead into the lockers after Maedgen dove in from the Rocket 1-yard line to finish a 12-play drive that ate up 3:32 and covered 69 yards. The Rockets blocked the PAT and would settle for a 26-yard field goal by Blake Borrego with 4:49 left in the half.

Law hit Morgan Adams for an 88-yard touchdown with 10:21 in the third to take a nine-point lead after the PAT failed. 

The Rockets closed to within two after Jaxsen Ludlow hit Aleki Clark for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 11:49 left in the game.

The Eagles answered on their next possession as Law found Seth Reavis for a 14-yard touchdown pass. Chtay converted the PAT for the 33-24 winning score.

Robinson got across midfield in the closing minutes, but the Eagle defense stopped Ludlow short of the mark on a fourth-and-6 with 2:01 left to play.

The Rockets burned through their remaining timeouts but with under two minutes left, Maedgen ran through the middle of the Rockets defense for 43 yards, giving the Eagles a first down inside the Robinson 10. The Eagles ran out the clock instead of running up the score.