Game story
WACO-Waxahachie backup quarterback Nolan Barnard scored on a quarterback sneak in the first overtime as Waxahachie defeated Houston Cypress Ranch, 38-31, in a Class 6A Division I Region II semifinal thriller at Waco ISD Stadium. It was a miracle finish for Waxahachie—who scored 10 points in the final 1:24 of regulation to force the extra period.
Cypress Ranch won the toss in overtime and deferred. Junior quarterback Jerry Meyer III completed a 15-yard pass to Jordan Thompson-Woods on the first play to make it first and goal at the 10. Taylen Strange then rushed for nine yards to make it second and goal at the Cypress Ranch one.
Waxahachie sacked Cypress Ranch quarter Braden Baker on 3rd and seven. Baker’s pass on 4th and 12 went incomplete in the right corner of the end zone to end the game.
Waxahachie scored touchdowns at the end of the first half and on its first drive of the second half to take a 21-7 lead. Cypress Ranch then scored 24 consecutive points. Senior tailback Peyton Thomas scored on runs of 51 and 74 yards on consecutive drives with the latter occurring on the final play of the third quarter.
Dorian Rogers intercepted a Waxahachie pass on the ensuing series to set up Cypress Ranch in Waxahachie territory. Baker threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Konner Dandridge to give Cypress Ranch its first lead with 7:42 remaining in the game. Calvin Thomas intercepted a Waxahachie pass just over a minute later to set up Cypress Ranch at the Waxahachie 39. The Cypress Ranch drive on the ensuing series ended with Nathaniel Carrier kicking a 34-yard field goal with 3:12 remaining.
An eight-play drive on the ensuing series ended with Ethan Guillen kicking a 26-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 31-24. JayQuan Snell recovered the onside kick on the ensuing kickoff at the Cypress Ranch 44. The Cypress Ranch players made no attempt to recover the kick, and it easily bounced right back up to Snell in stride.
Meyer threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Strange on 3rd and five with 10 seconds remaining to tie the game. Meyer merely dumped it to Strange around the 10 and Strange was untouched until he was near the goal line and it was too late to stop his momentum.
The game was tied on three separate occasions. Meyer passed for 353 yards and two touchdowns. Waxahachie amassed 405 total yards.
Thomas rushed 23 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns to lead Cypress Ranch (10-3).
Waxahachie (11-1) will face the winner between Duncanville and Klein Collins next week in the region final.
Longest scoring play
Peyton Thomas scored the longest touchdown of the game, a 74-yard run in the third quarter.
Key moments
In the first quarter, Taylen Furlough-Strange ran five yards for a touchdown.
In the second quarter, Braden Baker threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Manny Leyja, and Nolan Barnard threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Reid Mace.
In the third quarter, Jerry Meyer III threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Kohen Brown, Peyton Thomas ran 51 yards for a touchdown, and Peyton Thomas ran 74 yards for a touchdown.
In the final quarter, Braden Baker threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Konner Dandridge, Nathaniel Carrier kicked a 34-yard field goal, Ethan Guillen kicked a 26-yard field goal, and Jerry Meyer III threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Taylen Furlough-Strange.
In the first overtime, Nolan Barnard ran one yard for a touchdown.
Top performers
Jerry Meyer III completed 25 of 37 passes for 353 yards and two touchdowns for Waxahachie.
Peyton Thomas rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns for Houston Cypress Ranch.
Kohen Brown had 137 receiving yards and one touchdown for Waxahachie.
Braden Baker completed 8 of 18 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns for Houston Cypress Ranch.
High School Sports