CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Under the bright lights of Buccaneer Stadium, the Calallen Wildcats pulled off a nail-biting 26-21 victory over the Corpus Christi Carroll Tigers in a matchup that kept fans on their feet from start to finish.
Calallen struck first when running back Ricardo Rodriguez powered through the middle for a touchdown. Carroll quickly answered, as quarterback Nate Bazan connected with wide receiver Steve McChester to even the score at 7-7, sending the Tigers’ fans into a frenzy.
Momentum swung Carroll’s way late in the first half when quarterback Seth Neatherlin found Ignacio Arrellano, who weaved past defenders for a long touchdown to give the Tigers a 14-7 lead.
However, the Wildcats answered back before halftime, as quarterback Connor Klostermann's deflected pass was snagged in the end zone by Drayson Gamez. A missed extra point left Calallen trailing 14-13 at the break.
The second half turned into a defensive battle, with both teams trading stops and big plays. Carroll carried a slim lead into the final minutes, but Calallen’s special teams delivered the game’s defining moment. Wide receiver Reese Rusher returned a kickoff all the way for a touchdown, securing the Wildcats’ 26-21 win.
Rusher said after the game that he trusted his blockers to create the opening he needed.
“There was probably a minute or so on the clock and I knew I was going to get the ball,” Rusher said. “We did a fake reverse… I had good blocking and it just split wide open. I took advantage and I scored.”With the victory, Calallen improved to 3-0, while Carroll fell just short despite a strong showing.
Both teams will look to build on the energy of Thursday's thriller as district play looms.
