The Whiteface Antelopes’ football season ended last Friday with a 70-24 loss to the no. 1 ranked Rankin Red Devils in the area round of the UIL Class 1A-1 high school playoffs at Borden County High school in Gail.
The Antelopes finished their season at 9-3 overall with a 3-0 district record, having won both district and bi-district championships.
Coach Clint Linman, in his first year at Whiteface, praised the team.
“They have a good work ethic,” he said, adding, “There is no sense of entitlement.”
Rankin led 46-24 at half-time, but a big third quarter put them over the top at the 5:49 mark.
In six man football, the game is called whenever one team is ahead by 45 points or more at half-time or after.
Whiteface started with the ball on their own 20-yard-line after Rankin’s opening kick went into the end-zone.
They moved the ball down to the Rankin 10-yard-line before Jeremiah Rendon’s pass to Brighton Scoggins fell short on fourth down and four yards to go.
Rankin took over on their own 10-yard-line and benefitted from a Whiteface penalty that gave them a first down and 15 from their 35-yard-line.
Baret Jackson got the call and rambled 45 yards for the first score of the game.
Dash Davis made the twopoint kick for an 8-0 Rankin lead with 5:31 left in the first quarter.
Whiteface recovered Rankin’s kick on their own 16yard-line and marched down to the 40-yard-line where Jeremiah Rendon found Jeremias Chavez open for 39 yards and a first down and goal at the Rankin one-yardline.
Rankin stiffened, but the third time was a charm as Ethan Kauffman fought his way across the goal-line. Damien Castaneda’s kick missed, so Whiteface trailed 8-6 with 1:19 left in the first quarter.
Whiteface struggled with two-point kicks all night, either missing or having the kick blocked.
Rankin took over on their own 34-yard-line, engineering a 46-yard drive that culminated in a four-yard run by Jackson on the first play of the second quarter for a 16-6 Red Devil lead.
Whiteface’s next drive started on their own 31-yard-line and worked down to the Rankin 12-yard-line when, on second down and 12, Jeremiah Rendon hit Brighton Scoggins open for the touchdown to trail 16-12 with 7:28 left in the half.
Rankin wasted no time jumping ahead by another touchdown. After Richie Escajeda returned the Antelope kick to the 40, Jackson took the first play from scrimmage to the Whiteface 23-yard-line.
Then Deacan Armendarez scrambled in for the touchdown and a 22-12 lead after the kick.
Whiteface got the ball on their own 32-yard-line with 6:58 left in the half.
They made it to the Rankin 26-yard-line when, on second down and 12 yards, Kauffman got the call and rambled into the endzone.
Whiteface trailed 22-18 with 5:03 left in the first half.
Rankin took over on their own 24-yard-line, but a pass interference call against Whiteface gave them a first down and 15 on the Whiteface 39-yard-line. Jackson rambled down to the Whiteface 24 for another first down.
An incomplete pass made it second down and 15.
Jackson got the call again, this time for 24 yards and a touchdown that was called back for holding.
The Red Devils went to Armendarez on second down and 34 yards and he scampered through defenders into the end zone for a 30-18 Rankin lead with 4:15 left in the half.
Rankin got a big stop on the next Whiteface drive, forcing the Antelopes to turn over on downs at the Rankin 32-yard-line with 2:58 remaining in the half. About a minute later, Jackson again crossed the goal line for a 38-18 lead Rankin lead.
Rankin tried to pin the Antelopes back with a big kick, but Gavin Baker got the ball on the four yard line and ran back to the Whiteface 30-yard-line.
A 28-yard run followed by a 19-yard run by Rendon set the Antelopes up with first down and goal at the Rankin three-yardline.
After a timeout, Rendon hit Chavez open for three yards and another Whiteface touchdown, making the score 38-24 with just 59 seconds left in the half.
The Red Devils weren’t done, though.
Taking over on their own 29yard-line, they hammered down to the Whiteface 17-yard-line where Blake Wise took the ball in for a 46-24 lead with just six seconds remaining in the half.
Another good return from Baker set the Antelopes up on their own 29-yard-line with just one second left.
Whiteface went for broke, with Rendon pitching to Chavez who unloaded to Scoggins.
The pass fell short, though and the Antelopes went into the locker room trailing 46-24 Rankin started the second half with the ball on their own 35yard-line, getting only seven yards in the first three plays.
Then, Wise found David Bunger open for a 38-yard touchdown and a 54-24 lead.
Chavez fumbled the kick return and Rankin recovered on the Whiteface 32.
Two plays later, Jackson scored for a 62-24 lead.
The final touchdown came as a result of another fumble recovery. This time it was Kauffman, who bobbled the ball in traffic at midfield.
Rankin took over on their own 39 yard line with 7:04 left in the third and moved steadily downfield until Wise found Bunger open again for a 15 yard touchdown.
Rendon went 8–for-17 for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He also had four carries for 60 yards.
Kauffman had 12 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. Julio Borunda had four carries for 24 yards.
Chavez had four catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. Scoggins had two catches for 19 yards and a touchdown.