Special: Flour Bluff's third unit keys Hornets to playoff romp

Flour Bluff's special teams unit was a star on Saturday, so perhaps it was fitting that the unit spurred the game-changing sequence at Hornet Stadium in the Class 5A Division II regional semifinals.

After Jayden Paluseo found Cameran Dickson for a 14-yard touchdown pass on fourth down early in the third quarter, the Hornets opportunistically pounced on the ensuing kickoff that was floundering on the turf after San Antonio Veterans Memorial failed to cover it.

The Hornets went for the throat on the next play and Dickson made a contested catch over a defender draped over him for a 23-yard touchdown. By scoring 14 points in 10 seconds, Flour Bluff took control on its way to a 66-42 win over the Patriots.

The win clinched the team's third consecutive appearance in the regional final round, where Flour Bluff will face state heavyweight Liberty Hill at a time, date and place to be determined.

Despite cool, blustery conditions in the first half Paluseo threw for seven touchdown passes and the Hornets special teams unit grabbed four turnovers, three on kicks that were muffed and another on a forced fumble on a return.

"Special teams was the difference," Flour Bluff coach Chris Steinbruck said. "Kyler is such a weapon and the crosswind today ... we won the flip and kicked one up into the wind and we knew it was going to be tough to field it. Fortunately we got on two more. We pooched another one and they were confused about who was going to get on it. Winning the turnover battle in a game like this was the difference."

Key moments

San Antonio Veterans Memorial did not cover the opening kickoff, recovered by Flour Bluff, which was a harbinger of things to come on Saturday.

The Patriots struggled in the third phase of the game and the Hornets, which has traditionally strong special teams, capitalized, grabbing four turnovers on kick or punt returns in the game.

The extra possessions helped Flour Bluff limit Veterans Memorial's talented running back James Peoples, who still finished with 17 carries for 140 yards and four touchdowns.

A late touchdown pass to Wyatt Elwood in the final seconds of the second quarter, coupled with 14 quick points due to a Patriots special teams miscue produced a 21-point swing that erased a four point deficit and gave Flour Bluff a 38-21 lead in the opening minutes of the second half.

Key players

Kyler Meschi's skill on kickoffs helped the Hornets use the strong crosswinds on Saturday to their advantage, recovering three muffed kicks.

Flour Bluff quarterback Jayden Paluseo and the Hornets passing attack was unfazed by the windy conditions as the sophomore was 21 of 31 for 315 yards and seven touchdowns in the air. Cameran Dickson was the recipient of three of his touchdown tosses and Jayden Johnson (two), Wyatt Elwood and Meschi also found the end zone.

Johnson had seven receptions for 131 yards, Meschi totaled 81 yards receiving and Dickson had 54 yards.

Senior running back JoJo Martinez finished with 101 yards rushing and one touchdown and Paluseo added 34 yards rushing on 14 carries.

What the coaches said

Flour Bluff coach Chris Steinbruck on returning to the regional finals for the third straight season: "It is so special for our program. I told the kids that program's dream about going to the regional final one time. Some have never even been there. For us to do it three years in a row speaks a lot about our coaching staff, the quality of coaches we have here at Flour Bluff and the kids because of how resilient they are. I'm most proud of this team because we were 1-3 and a lot of people counted us out and we just kept going to work every day. Nobody pointed fingers and we just got better every week.

What the players said

Flour Bluff quarterback Jayden Paluseo on finding success in the passing game despite the wind: "We work in practice throwing into the wind and with the wind, so were pretty comfortable and we knew we were going to be able to do it. Special teams was big. We were pumped and momentum was on our side. They did a great job and they work hard. It was great that they (forced turnovers) multiple times.

Flour Bluff receiver Jayden Johnson on how the passing game helped the offense: "Passing game is always good for us and it always helps to open up the run game. Getting it started in the passing game really opened it up for us and we were able to really pound the ball on them."

Next

Flour Bluff (10-3) will face Liberty Hill in the Class 5A Division II regional final, time, date and location TBA.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Special: Flour Bluff's special teams keys Hornets to playoff romp