By Steve Thomas
Special to the Austin Sports Journal
Weiss senior quarterback Jax Brown revealed Thursday on X prior to the Wolves season opener with McNeil that he would be out for the season after suffering a knee injury in the Wolves’ scrimmage against Waco University last week.
That meant freshman Jaxson Schad would get the start for the Wolves (1-0), and he didn’t disappoint.
Schad willed Weiss to a 42-41 victory in overtime at Kelly Reeves Stadium, fighting off a resilient Mavericks team that was out to prove 2023 wasn’t a one-trick pony.
Trailing by seven points in the fourth quarter, the Mavericks rallied to tie the game at 35. McNeil had a pair of chances to win the game, but the Mavericks missed two field goal attempts.
In overtime, McNeil answered Weiss’ score, but elected to go for two instead of kicking the game-tying extra point. The Wolves’ defense stopped junior wide receiver Jarell Gary just short of the goal line and escaped with the win.
“I told my players they almost gave me a heart attack,” said Weiss head coach Vernon Hughes.
On the opening drive, Weiss moved the ball methodically and took a 7-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run my Nicholas Johnson. On their next two drives, however, penalties and mistakes killed the Wolves’ momentum.
Early in the second quarter, McNeil quarterback Jaden Sultz tossed a 38-yard touchdown to Joshua Williams to tie the game. Weiss responded with a one-yard touchdown run by Schad to retake the lead at 14-7.
On the ensuing McNeil drive, the Wolves forced the Mavericks into a third and 12, but Sultz tied the game with a 46-yard touchdown to Aden Taylor. Daniel Berry returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to retake. the lead for Weiss a 21-14 lead.
After trading punts to open the second half, Weiss intercepted Sultz and capitalized with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Schad to Adrian Wilson to put the Wolves up by 14.
In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks put together a methodical drive and took advantage of several Weiss penalties. Willams scored his third touchdown to trim the Wolve’s lead to 8 after a failed two-point conversion try. Sultz capped off a late drive with a one-yard touchdown keeper, and Aden Taylor converted a two-point conversion to tie the game.
With two seconds left in the game, McNeil kicker Cesar Baza missed a 39-yard field goal attempt, but Weiss was flagged for roughing the kicker. On the second try, kicker Jackson Edwards missed a 24-yard field goal.
On the opening drive of overtime, Nicholas Johnson punched in the ball from two yards for a touchdown to give Weiss the lead. Gary responded with a spectacular catch in the end zone on the first play of McNeil’s possession. Rather than extend the game to a second overtime, the Mavericks decided to go for the win.
Up next
Weiss at San Marcos, 7:30 p.m., Friday
McNeil at Belton, 7 p.m., Friday.
