Albany to face Collinsville in quarterfinals
For the first time in more than two months, the Albany Lions found themselves in a battle but made key plays when necessary Friday, Nov. 24 to hold on for a 19-14 victory over Muentser in their Class 2A Division II regional playoff at Weatherford’s Kangaroo Stadium.
The win sends the Lions (13-0) to the state quarterfinals for the third year in a row to face No. 4 Collinsville. The game is scheduled for 7:00p.m.Thursday, Nov. 30 (tonight) at Hawk StadiuminIowa Park.
On a sunny afternoon in Weatherford, Albany’s continued participation in the playoffs wasn’t assured until Cason Fairchild’s end zone interception in thefinalminute.
“ We survived,” Lions head coach Denney Faith said. “Our kids fought hard against a really good football team that was well-prepared. It was one of those games you expect in the playoffs.”
Fairchild caught two touchdown passes from Chip Chambers andinterceptedtwopasses. The senior said Albany was fortunate not to see its season end.
“We’ve got to be more prepared next time,” he said. “If we come out like that again, we’ll be done with our season. We’ve got to come out stronger and be ready to make plays.”
Adam Hill rushed for 158 yards and a TD on a careerhigh 34 carries, while Wyatt Windham had an interception to set up a score as the Lions picked off three for the second week in a row.
“We got some really big turnovers in the second half that kept us alive,”Faith said. “The defense played really well.”
Muenster(8-5)heldtheLions to 253 total yards and a seasonlow point total, but Albany got the stops that mattered. The Hornets struck for a seasonhigh 303 passing yards against the Lions, but finished with 278 total yards after losing 25 yards on the ground. Albany recorded three early sacks for 26 yards in losses.
Luke Marshall and Jaxson Hoel each had eight tackles to lead the defense, while Windham and Hill were each in on seven stops, and Branson Beal and Fairchild each had six. Hill, Lanxton Viertel, and Parker Shelton each had a sack. Fairchild had three pass breakups, and Zane Waggoner had three quarterback pressures. The Lions trailed7-6atthe half, their first halftime deficit since the season opener against Lubbock Trinity, before scoring twice in less than two minutes to turn the game around. Fairchild started and ended Albany’sscoring with receptions of 31 and 13 yards. The latter came on the first play of the fourth quarter.
“It was definitely a test,” Faith said. “Muenster always plays us hard. They’re wellcoached, well-prepared and do a lot of good things offensively thatcanreallyputyouinabind.”
After forcing Muenster to punt on the game’s opening possession, Albany put together a brisk six-play, 85-yard drive. Chambers, who was 5 of 13 passing for 62 yards, hit Fairchild down the middle for the score with 7:28 to go in the first quarter.
Points were hard to come by after that, though. Albany had four punts and a turnover the restofthehalf,gainingjustthree first downs.
The Hornets, who punted on their first three possessions, drove 61 yards in eight plays to take a 7-6 lead on Casen Carney’s 2-yard keeper and Seth Stoffels’ conversion kick.
The last time Albany trailed an opponent was when Hawley took a 14-13 lead in the second quarter on Sept. 15. After the Lions regained the lead against the Bearcats, they played nearly eight full games before falling behind again.
Muenster was the only opponent to lead Albany during the 2022 playoffs, a deficit that took the Lions less than two minutes to overcome. This time, the Hornets stayed in front for more than 19 minutes.
Muenster failed to take advantage of an opportunity to extend the lead on its next possession, missing a field goal, but Albany continued to hurt itself. An 80-yardrunbyBealwasnegated by a holding penalty, and Chambers was picked off two plays later. The Lion defense held to maintain the one-point margin.
Penalties again hampered Albany’s opening drive of the third quarter beforetheLionsputtogether a14-play,77-yardscoring drivethatconsumed6:05of the third quarter.
“We challenged the kids at halftime that we needed to come out and have that kind of drive,” Faith said. “Wewereabletodoitonour second drive. The offensive line did a good job, and we really leaned on Adam.”
Hill carried nine of the first 10 plays as the Lions hammered away. After a brief break, he came back to put Albany in front on a 1-yardplungewith1:37left in the quarter.
“That’sCoachFaithfootball – we’re going to run it at you until you lay over,” Viertel said. “We’re going to try to be more physical, and I think we’ve got the size to do it.”
Windham’sinterception, which gave Albany the ball attheMuenster8-yardline, came two plays after the kickoffandledtoFairchild’s second TD.
The rest of the way saw Albany’s defense make the plays it needed. Fairchild’s first interception came on a fake punt. After the Muenster defense held, the Hornets moved 66 yards in 11playstoscoreonCarney’s 13-yard pass to Garrett Hess with 3:47 remaining.
AnotherstopgaveMuenster the ball at its 33 with 1:59 remaining. Carney, who was 20 of 40 passing, completed three attempts for 47 yards to move the Hornets to the Albany 19 before Fairchild picked off a pass in the end zone with 37 seconds left.
Facing Collinsville Thisisthesecondyearin a row the Lions and Pirates have met in the quarterfinals. Albany won 66-34 last year, surrendering a season-highopposingscore.
District 8 champion Collinsville (12-1) advanced through the regional round by defeating Roscoe 50-12. The Pirates and Lions have three other common opponents in Celeste, Muenster and Miles, which Collinsville defeated 40-17, 51-27 and 69-21, respectively.
The Pirates live by the pass, throwing more than 70 percent of the time.
“They’re just like they were last year, and they’ve got almost all their kids back,” Faith said. “The quarterback (Logan Jenkins) is better than we’ve seen all year. It’s going to be a challenge for us again, because they’re the best we’ve seen throwing the ball.”
Ticket Info
Tickets are $6 for adults and$4forstudents.Tickets must be purchased online at iphawks.ticketleap.com. THSCA, district and senior citizens passes will be honored.
Albany is the visiting team with fan seating on the south side.
Directions
HawkStadiumislocated at 1000-1298 Johnson Rd. in Iowa Park.
Take U.S. Highway 283 from Albany to Seymour, then U.S. Highway 277 to Holliday.TakeFM368from Holliday to Iowa Park.
In Iowa Park, turn left ontoHighwayStreet(Business 287) and turn left onto JohnsonRoad.Thestadium is on the west side.
PLAYOFF PAIRINGS 2A DII – REGION II REGIONAL Albany 19, Muenster 14 Collinsville 50, Roscoe 12 QUARTERFINAL
Albany (13-0) vs. Collinsville (12-1), 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Hawk Stadium, Iowa Park
