New Braunfels stifles Corpus Christi Carroll's offense in 42-14 Class 5A Div. II regional semifinal win
SAN ANTONIO — The New Braunfels Unicorns (9-3) knew they would need a strong defensive effort against the Corpus Christi Carroll Tigers (11-1) Saturday if they were going to advance in the playoffs and that is exactly what they gave the fans at the Alamodome. They shut down a Carroll offense that was known for putting up big numbers as the Unicorn offense put up some nice stats of their in a 42-14 win.
The New Braunfels defense did not surrender a single point until the game was well out of reach in the fourth quarter.
New Braunfels was forced to punt early in the first quarter and it was a bad one that help give Carroll get good field position. The Tigers hurt their own cause on the play when they were hit with a personal foul that pushed them back to the Unicorn 40-yard line.
It took a fourth down conversion to keep the drive moving as they set up first-and-ten inside the Unicorn 20-yard line. But New Braunfels put an end to the scoring threat on the next play when they picked off a pass attempt in the end zone.
New Braunfels would get their chance to get on the board moments later when Jeremy Garcia got loose down the left sideline for a 59-yard gain. Moments later the Tigers looked to take an early lead as they attempted a field goal but the Carroll defense returned the favor by blocking it and keeping the Unicorns off the board.
That would all change on New Braunfels next possession. After a penalty on third down, Unicorn's quarterback John Simmons took it right up the middle on a 31-yard touchdown run giving them a 7-0 lead.
Koby Lange helped stretch the lead to 14-0 when he blocked a Tigers punt from deep inside their own territory on the first play of the second quarter. Karimu Osman scooped up the ball and took it the short distance into the end zone for a touchdown.
Carroll got a chance to get on the board late in the second quarter but John Nelson was wide left on a 38-yard field goal attempt.
New Braunfels tacked on yet another touchdown at the 8:45 mark of the third quarter when Simmons connected with Ross Johnson on a 28-yard touchdown strike for a 21-0 Unicorn lead.
Carroll's Devon Long was on the receiving end of a Jake Sims pass and had a chance to move well into Unicorn territory but lost his footing and fumbled the ball.
With the Carroll offense sputtering, the Unicorns took full advantage and scored on a Simmons 50-yard run with 1:19 left in the third quarter that had the Tigers facing a 28-0 deficit.
Sims, feeling the pressure to get the Tiger's offense moving, fumbled on the next two Carroll drives which resulted in Unicorn touchdowns.
The Tigers would not get on the board until the 6:28 mark of the fourth quarter when Simms connected with Jonathan Turner on a 66-yard pass play. They picked up their second score of the game with less than two minutes to play in the contest when junior Leonires Perez scored on a two-yard run resulting in a final score of 42-14.
Perez led Carroll with 87 yards on 10 carries, all of those coming in the fourth quarter. New Braunfels John Simmons passed for 149 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 119 yards.
The Unicorns will now face Pharr San-Juan Alamo North in the Class 5A-Division II regional semifinals.
