High school football: Late field goal propels Refugio back to state title game

CYPRESS — It was no surprise the state semifinal between Refugio and Timpson came down to a few key plays — and the Bobcats made them.

Ernest Campbell's 35-yard catch in the final minute followed by Alex Placencia's 20-yard field goal a few seconds later gave Refugio a grind-it-out 24-21 victory against the Bears in a Class 2A Division I state semifinal at the Berry Center.

The Bobcats (14-1) trailed much of the game but when their defense stopped Timpson star quarterback Terry Bussey with 3:44 remaining in the game, Refugio's offense responded.

The Bobcats used their running game to move into Bears territory and then Ernest Campbell, who rushed for 128 yards on the night, caught a 35-yard pass with Bussey defending to set up the Bobcats at 3-yard line.

After a running play went for no yards, Placencia kicked through the 20-yard field goal with :09 remaining in the game.

The Bobcats will advance to their first Class 2A Division I state title game since 2019 when they won. Refugio will play Hawley.

"It means a lot as a team," Campbell said of returning to the state title game. "I love them with all my heart, I couldn't do without them, so we are going to keep practicing until state."

Key moments

The Bears jumped out to a 14-0 lead thanks to an 85-yard run by Bussey and then a 51-yard TD pass from Bussey to Amare Bruton. The Bobcats, though, rallied back behind two touchdowns from speedy receiver Campbell. Campbell scored on a 13-yard TD pass with 7:16 remaining in the second quarter and then took a backwards pass 59 yards for a score late in the first half to tie the game.

Bussey broke free again on the first play of the third quarter for 75 yards. Refugio, though, battled back to the tie the game when Jordan King scored a TD run in the fourth quarter.

Key players

Campbell was used as a runner more in the game than normal and rushed for 128 yards on nine carries with a touchdown, and he also added 53 yards receiving on three catches with a touchdown.

The Bobcats rushed for 281 yards as a team and averaged just under 7 yards a carry, but outside of Campbell no Refugio rusher totaled more than 100 yards. King finished the night with 56 yards and a touchdown and Kaleb Brown had 51 yards.

Bussey finished the night with 297 yards rushing on 27 carries with two touchdowns that totaled 160 yards. He accounted for more than half of the Bears’ 422 total yards in the game.

What the coach said

Refugio coach Jason Herring on the win: “I’m stunned. I’m real happy for the kids, real happy for the community. I’m not sure how we just did that, this team has found a way to win all year long ever since the Hitchcock game. Our defense made a stop there on maybe the best football player (Bussey) I’ve ever had to defend. I don’t know I’ve even coached (against) anybody even close to 10. I’m super proud and our defense came through when they had to. We were able to grind out enough yards to win the game.”

What the players said

Ernest Campbell on the catch late in the game: “I just told my coach, trust me he was pressing me and I had an outside release to catch it and put my team in field goal position.”

Refugio kicker Alex Placencia on the kick: “It was just a hell of a kick and just put my head down and it went straight through. (Herring) just got to me and said I’m going to have to kick it and I just kicked it.”

Up next

Refugio will play Hawley in the Class 2A Division I state championship scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 15 at Arlington's AT&T Stadium.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: High school football: Refugio headed back to state championship game