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By Michael V. Hannigan/HCN
CORSICANA — Give the Cardinals credit. At the crucial moment, they weren’t the ones who blinked.
“Part of the plan to win is don’t flinch,” said Coach Brad Smiley.
TVCC didn’t flinch and they are now 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in SWJCFC play after an improbable 25-19 win over Navarro at Tiger Stadium Saturday night.
After struggling offensively for nearly three quarters, the Cardinals were down 19-17 with just 3 minutes left in the game. Navarro had the ball on their own 20 with a first down and were ready to bleed the clock. Things looked bleak.
But that all changed in an instant when defensive tackle O’Shea Jackson stripped the ball away from the Bulldog running back and gave the offense another chance. The offense held up its side of the bargain and Khalil Banks scored on a three-yard run and Jaylon Henderson ran for the two-point conversion to put TVCC up for good.
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This may have been one of the ugliest wins I’ve seen while covering TVCC, but it was also one of the most impressive. There’s no doubt the Cardinals have one of the most talented rosters in the country, but Saturday night they proved they also have one of the toughest.
“It just wasn’t a great night for us on the road,” said Smiley. “I couldn’t be more proud of this team. We were in some tough spots.”
In honor of the gritty win, here’s seven awards doled out from the sidelines.
– The I’ve Got A Hot Date Award — The press box announcer at Tiger Stadium, who called on the Navarro band to play the National Anthem before either team was on the field. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that before.
– The Fast Start Award — Tristen Wallace has three TD receptions and a punt block in the first two games of the season, all in the first quarter.
– The Jesse James Award — The TVCC defense, which has eight takeaways over the first eight quarters of the season. Jesse James took whatever he wanted, wherever he was; terrified citizens knew nothing was safe when he was around. Opposing offenses should feel the same about the Cardinal defense.
– The Noah’s Ark Award — These players stacked big plays in pairs Saturday night. Pat Peek had an interception and a huge effort on special teams to pin the Bulldog offense inside their 10 yard line. O’Shea Jackson blocked an extra point and came up with the fumble recovery that swung the game. And the above mentioned Tristen Wallace, who had a punt block and another TD reception.
– The John Madden ‘Boom!’ Award — Tevan McAdams, who leveled Navarro quarterback Harry Woodberry in the fourth quarter with a hit that made the crowd go crazy. It also helped the defense force a field goal attempt that missed.
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– The Head Cheerleader Award — Coach Brad Smiley, who fired up the fans between the third and fourth quarters. That was key as the team seemed to feed off the invigorated crowd throughout the final possessions.
– The Next Man Up Award — The entire Cardinal team, which has been hit with a rash of early season injuries and is still 2-0, 1-0. Smiley always preaches about the benefits of using so many players in game situations and we’ve seen him proven right as this season begins.