Highlanders surge over Lufkin

SHENANDOAH - Junior quarterback Chris Andritsos had 125 yards rushing, 122 yards passing and four total touchdowns to lead The Woodlands Highlanders (5-2, 3-0) to a 31-13 district win over Lufkin (1-5, 0-2), while overcoming two separate lightning delays totaling 3 hours and 14 minutes.

“This is our third lightning or rain delay this football season, it was the longest one with multiple delays, the kids did a great job of staying focused, I was really pleased with the way we came out in the second half,” said Highlander Head Coach Mark Schmid.

Trailing 13-10 at the half, The Woodlands scored on their first three possessions of the second half, beginning with the second-half kickoff returned by Senior Jeremy Davis Harper 51 yards to the Panther 40-yard line. The Highlanders went to the ground game with Junior running back Patrick Carr and Andritsos, who capped off the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to give the Highlanders a 17-13 lead with 10:21 left in the third quarter. Lufkin punted on their next possession and The Woodlands started to take control on the ensuing possession as the Highlander offense went on a 14 play 80-yard drive in just over 5:00 that was capped off when Andritsos scored his third rushing touchdown of the afternoon, from 4 yards out to give The Woodlands a 24-13 lead with 3:39 left in the third quarter.

The Woodlands got the ball back at their own 6-yard line and continued to get a push off of their offensive line led by Senior Tyler Rapp, as the offense went on a 94-yard drive that was capped off on a 3rd down and 25, Chris Andritsos connected with Senior wide receiver Tyler Patrick on a 64-yard touchdown to give the Highlanders a 31-13 lead with 9:04 left in the fourth quarter.

“We went back to the plays that we run best and letting our big lineman run down people,” said Chris Andritsos.

The Panthers gained only 121 of their 345 total yards in the second half as the Highlanders defense was more aggressive in the third and fourth quarters. The Highlanders gained 279 of their 460 total yards in the second half. Chris Andritsos combined for 247 yards and four touchdowns to lead the way for the Highlander offense, along with Patrick Carr who had 20 carries for 108 yards rushing.

“It’s a team effort, we didn’t let the weather get it us, we came out and did our job,” said Junior defensive back TC Schneider, who had two interceptions and a fumble recovery to lead the Highlander defense.

Lufkin received the opening kickoff and drove to the Highlander 26 yard line, however the drive stalled and Panther kicker Timmy Martinez missed a 33-yard field goal. The Highlanders went three and out on their initial possession of the game, punting the ball back to Lufkin when the game was suspended only 12 plays into the first quarter and the delay lasted one hour and 31 minutes.

When play resumed Lufkin tried to quickly gain momentum when Panther quarterback Trey Cumbie threw deep for Key’vantanie Coutee in the end-zone, however the pass was intercepted by Highlander Junior TC Schneider.

The Highlanders took momentum from the turnover and drove 76 yards on 11 plays in 3:41 and got a 21-yard field goal from Senior kicker Rhett Pruitt to give The Woodlands a 3-0 lead with 58 seconds left in the first quarter. Play was quickly stopped again for a second lightning delay, lasting one hour and 43 minutes before play resumed again, totaling a first quarter that took three hours and 24 minutes to play.

Lufkin would drive to the Highlander 3-yard line once play resumed, but the Highlander defense stiffened and the Panthers settled for a 21-yard field goal from Timmy Martinez to tie the game 3-3 with 10:26 left in the second quarter. Lufkin and The Woodlands would trade there next possessions, when TC Schneider came up big again for the Highlander defense as he recovered a Lufkin fumble setting up the Highlander offense at the Panther 38 yard line. The Woodlands quickly scored when Andritsos scored on a 25-yard touchdown run up the middle to give the Highlanders a 10-3 lead with 4:12 left in the second quarter.

The Panthers would answer with a 75-yard drive in just under three minutes, when Trey Cumbie connected with Key’vantanie Coutee on a 36-yard touchdown pass to tie the game 10-10 with 1:23 left. Lufkin forced a Highlander turnover as Panther linebacker DJ Alexander intercepted Andritsos’ screen pass and returned it 48 yards to the Highlander 10 yard line, setting up a 27-yard Timmy Martinez field goal as the clock expired on the second quarter giving Lufkin a 13-10 halftime lead.

The Woodlands will enjoy a bye week next week, before hitting the road for the final time in the 2013 regular season, when they travel to Bryan on Friday, October 25th at 7:30pm.