Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
link Longhorns wide receiver Jared Lubera changes direction and changes the hand he carries the football in as the Melrose defenders close in during the 8-man state football semifinal game Saturday in Logan.
Staff Report
The Logan Longhorns’ 8-man state tournament run ended Saturday night with a 68-13 semifinals loss to the Melrose Buffaloes at Logan.
The first four minutes of the semifinals game was a far different picture than the final score reflects, said Kene Terry, Longhorns head coach.
The Longhorns opened up the game with a 81-yard touchdown kickoff return by senior quarterback/cornerback Michael Estrada, who ended up scoring both touchdowns for the Longhorns in the losing effort.
The teams exchanged the first four scores of the game, but after a punt by the Longhorns it was all Melrose.
The Melrose offense scored nine touchdowns, four of them following Longhorn turnovers. The Buffaloes scored one defensive touchdown with a 40-yard interception return.
Terry said his team’s offense struggled to complete passes and getting it running game going. He said the offensive struggle couldn’t have come at a worse time especially against a team like Melrose who is not about to give you any breaks.
Terry said Melrose proved to be as tough as they Buffaloes had been in their previous matchup. He said Melrose is a very well coached team that has a real shot at taking the state title. He said having made it to the semifinals to contend with a team such as Melrose is something a lot of people did not expect this season.
“I am really proud of how the guys kept playing, even when we were down,” Terry said.
Terry said after being out scored 28-0 in the second quarter -- and being down 43 points at the half -- the team could have come out and folded in the second half. But it didn’t, he said.
“They fought to the very end and I am so proud of them for that,” Terry said.
