Published: October 31, 2009 08:53 am      

Tigers fall at No. 4 Waxahachie, 21-14

Corsicana still needs a win to make playoffs

WAXAHACHIE — It would have been a neat feather in their cap if the Tigers had done it again, had they defeated another Top 5 team in the state.

They didn’t duplicate their win last month at then No. 3 Waco Midway as the Tigers lost a halftime lead to No. 4 Waxahachie on Friday night, failing in their upset bid, 21-14, on a chilly night at Lumpkins Stadium.

The weird thing is it really didn’t matter. Yes, it hurt to lose the rival Indians for the sixth straight time. But the Tigers’ defense came of age in holding the Indians’ explosive offense, and in the Tigers current situation, that’s all that really matters.

Corsicana (4-5, 3-3 in 16-4A) came out of Friday’s game still controlling its playoff destiny, needing to defeat Cleburne next Friday at Tiger Stadium to make the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

So while it hurt to lose to the Indians Friday night, especially considering the Tigers played well enough to win, at the end of the day, winning or losing to Waxahachie really didn’t matter as for the playoff chase is consider. A win would not have clinched a postseason spot in the muddled 16-4A race.

“We just need to finish strong,” said defensive tackle Christian White, who has become an inspirational leader for the Tigers’ defense. “We still have it all out in front of us.”

The Tigers are in a four-way tie for third place with Cleburne, Ennis and Waco University after Ennis beat Midlothian 31-14 and Cleburne blanked University, 21-0, on Friday night.

With the four third-place teams playing head-to-head next Friday, the two winners will make the playoffs. Ennis is at Waco University.

“This is exactly what we wanted,” Tigers coach Phil Castles said. “To have a chance to get in the playoffs.”

Not that the Tigers didn’t want Friday’s game. They played with determination all night as the offensive line dominated up front and the defense did something no one else has done to the Indians, hold them to two offensive touchdowns and under 29 points.

“We came to play,” White said.

The Tigers had a chance to tie the game late. They drove to the Waxahachie 20 and had a second-and-four when Cameron Cutrer rolled to his right and was intercepted by the Indians’ Ladarius Brown at the 12 with 3:42 left in the game.

The Tigers were able to get the ball back with just over a minute left in the game, and they drove to their own 41 before one last interception with seven seconds left ended the game.

Corsicana led 8-3 at halftime as the defense played a spectacular first half holding the Indians to a 22-yard field goal by Taylor Brown.

Waxahachie finally scored its first touchdown late in the third quarter at LaJordan Easley scampered in from 10 yards out. A two-point conversion gave the Indians an 11-8 lead.

The Tigers roared right back, driving to the goal line on the running of Cody Evans and Johnathan Anderson, both of whom almost went over 100 yards for the game — Evans had 114 yards and Anderson had 94 yards.

“We played really good up front,” tackle Ben Caton said. “We almost had two 100-yard rushers. That’s of offense. The offensive line has come together.”

Cutrer scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak for a 14-11 lead. The Tigers should have had the momentum after retaking the lead, but a botched extra point not only kept Corsicana from taking a four-point lead, but Oshae Cofer scooped up the loose ball and went 95 yards for two points and a 14-13 Tigers lead.

“That was a huge momentum swing,” Castles said.

Indeed it was. The Tigers kicked the ball to the dangerous Sam Gagliano and that turned into a disaster as the Indians’ speedster gave his team great field position at the Waxahachie 46. On the next play Easley, who was bottled up all night, broke into the open and scored on a 54-yard touchdown run for the game-winning score. His two-point run gave the Indians a 21-14 lead.

The Tigers owned the first half, taking a 8-0 lead on Cody Evans’ 25-yard touchdown run and Javonti Hines’ two-point run.

Defensively, the Tigers destroyed any rhythm Waxahachie tried to muster.

Corsicana had other scoring chances in the first half. The momentum killer in the second quarter proved to be the Wildcat Offense, which produced back-to-back illegal procedure penalties to stall a drive deep in Indians territory.

“We missed some chances tonight,” Castles said.

Still, the defense has come alive the last two weeks and the offense has shown to be capable of moving the football.

The Tigers have one more chance to make their statement for the season.

A playoff statement.

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Waxahachie 21, Corsicana 14

Corsicana 8 0 0 6 — 14

Waxahachie 3 0 8 10 — 21



First Quarter

C — Cody Evans 25 run (Javonti Hines run), 5:20

W — Taylor Brown 22 FG, 1:03

Third Quarter

W — LaJordan Easley 10 run (Sam Gagliano pass from Venique Benton), 5:19

Fourth Quarter

C — Cameron Cutrer 1 run (kick blocked), 7:33

W — Oshae Cofer conversion run return, 7:33

W — Easley 54 run (Easley run), 7:17



C W

First downs 21 15

Rush-yards 41-244 36-201

Passing yards 80 72

C-A-I 9-21-3 7-15-0

Fumbles-lost 1-0 4-1

Punts-avg. 4-33.8 6-32.8

Penalties-yards 5-40 5-45



Individual

Rushing — C: Johnathan Anderson 13-114, Cody Evans 22-94, Javonti Hines 2-30, Cameron Cutrer 4-6. W: LaJordan Easley 12-94, Venique Benton 9-52, Sam Gagliano 3-23, Steven Borden 2-12, Abram Reyes 3-10, Andrew Kindred 2-10, Dequavious Robinson 2-1, Jamison Sterns 2-0, Oshae Cofer 1- (-1).

Passing — C: Cutrer 9-21-3-80. W: Benton 7-14-0-72. Gagliano 0-1-0-0.

Receiving — C: Evans 4-46, Dominic Kelly 1-17, J. Hines 3-13, C. Hines 1-4. W: Ladarius Brown 2-34, Gagliano 2-20, Oshae Cofer 1-17, Robinson 2-1.