Cardinals to play in sixth state title game in nine years
(State Championship Game Preview)
Thursday, December 6, 2018
by Mark Lube, Sports Editor
St. Paul Cardinal Football | St. Paul Cardinal Sports
Shiner St. Paul Cardinals vs. Ft. Worth Lake Country Christian Eagles
Noah Boedeker blocks for Kai Giese. St. Paul will play in its sixth state championship game in nine seasons at noon Saturday ( December 8, 2018) at Panther Stadium in Hewitt.
[ NOTE: click photo to enlarge ]photo by Lori Raabe
TAPPS Division IV State Final Game
Saturday, December 8, 2018 @ 12:00n ... Panther Stadium, Hewitt
When St. Paul Cardinals hit the field at Hewitt’s Panther Stadium for the TAPPS IV state final, it will be their sixth appearance in the last nine seasons.
“It is a great thing. The kids have improved and worked very hard for this,” Cardinals head coach Jake Wachsmuth said.
The season started bumpy for the Cardinals as they lost their first seven games (non- district) but continued working to win two of three in district to place second1 and have continued improving as they won against The Woodlands Legacy Prep and Beaumont Legacy Prep.
St. Paul then got a rematch with Sacred Heart who had won the regular-season district game. In the second half, St. Paul trailed 17-3 before scoring three unanswered touchdowns, with the game-winning score with just 18 seconds left.
“We have gotten better at everything we do,” Wachsmuth said. “We have improved little by little. The improvements did not happen overnight; it has been a gradual process. We have still have a little ways to go.”
St. Paul (5-8) will meet Fort Worth Lake Country Christian at noon this Saturday.
“Lake Country Christian is a team that usually makes the playoffs each season,” Wachsmuth said.
The Eagles have an offensive system that is similar but not completely identical to St. Paul.
“They like to run the ball out of the I formation like us but will get into the spread,” Wachsmuth said.
Lake Country Christian’s offense leans a lot on tailback Hayden Whites. “He is not a particularly big player but he is fast. Stopping him will be the key for our defense,” he said.
The Eagles will line up in an eight-man front on the defense and will be paced by linebacker Trip Banta.
The Cardinals’ offensive execution has improved and penalties have been reduced. Wachsmuth said ball security must be a focal point as St. Paul did have a turnover last week against Sacred Heart.
St. Paul’s last appearance in the state championship game was two years ago when they routed Arlington Grace Prep 49-34, which was the Cardinal’s second straight state title. That game was also played at Panther Stadium in Hewitt.
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Mark Lube is the sports editor for the Shiner Gazette. Contact him at 361-594-3346 or shinersports@sbcglobal.net |
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