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Snyder’s Leeroy Tavarez (13), Talon Lee (44) and Luis Vasquez (62) celebrated the Tigers’ 35-34 win over Sweetwater at Tiger Stadium Friday. Tavarez threw for 165 yards and Lee recovered a fumble in the win, while Vasquez and the running game racked up 222 rushing yards. -
Snyder receiver Jayden Samaniego (left) leaped for a pass while Sweetwater’s Reese Palafox defended. Samaniego ran for two touchdowns in the win.
A few inches were the difference in the Snyder Tigers win over the Sweetwater Mustangs in overtime, 35-34, on Friday
The Tigers (2-6, 1-2 District 1-4A Division 2) stopped Sweetwater (2-6, 1-2) at the goal line on a 2-point conversion to secure the win, sending Snyder one game closer to the playoffs. Head coach Wes Wood said his team is starting to learn how to win football games.
“I told them all week, I think we are going to beat Sweetwater and we are going to do it the right way,” he said. “You fight as hard as you can all game long and things went our way today. I am just so proud of their effort and their fight. They are going to cherish this game the rest of their lives and I am glad one of these finally went their way.”
The Mustangs scored on the game’s opening drive when sophomore quarterback Leo Holsey found senior receiver Tyler Warner open for a 20-yard touchdown pass.
Snyder was forced to punt and then held the Mustangs on the following drive. The Tigers put together a long drive that lasted into the second quarter when senior Jayden Samaniego scored on a 4-yard run.
The Tigers then attempted an onside kick and recovered the football. Snyder failed to score and the two teams exchanged blows for the rest of the half.
Snyder sophomore Maverick Hernandez recorded an interception for the first of Snyder’s two takeaways in the quarter.
The defensive battle continued for the first few minutes of the second half before the Tigers took the lead when Hernandez turned a screen pass into a 51-yard score.
Sweetwater responded with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Holsey to junior receiver Darian Carr to tie the game at 14-14.
On the following drive, Snyder senior running back Greg Williams found running room and used his speed to outrun the Mustang defense for a 59-yard touchdown run as the third quarter ended.
The back-and-forth continued in the final quarter as Sweetwater scored on another Holsey to Carr connection, this time from 15 yards out. The Mustangs missed the extra point and trailed 21-20.
The Tigers responded with a long scoring drive of their own, capped by a 6-yard touchdown run by Williams, extending the lead to 28-20.
Sweetwater cut the deficit to 28-26 on a 16-yard run by Holsey. A 15-yard penalty was added on to the 2-point conversion attempt, but a leaping grab from Carr tied the game at 28-28.
Snyder took over in hopes of attempting a game-wining field goal. Sweetwater sophomore Harrison Foster had other plans as he intercepted a Snyder pass to give the Mustangs the ball inside Snyder territory with 45 seconds left in regulation.
The Tiger defense held and the game went to overtime.
Snyder got the ball first and quickly scored thanks to solid running from Samaniego and Williams. Samaniego capped the drive with a 1-yard run.
Sweetwater responded with the run game as well, as sophomore Cedrick Brown scored from seven yards out to cut the Snyder lead to 35-34.
Sweetwater’s coaching staff elected to go for the win and lined up for the 2-point conversion. The Tigers made the stop with just inches to spare to claim the win.
For the Snyder seniors, the win was special as it was their last time facing Sweetwater. Samaniego said this win made all the work his team has put in worth it.
“Not only was it Sweetwater, but we have put a lot of hard work in this season and it hasn’t always gone our way,” he said. “To get this win against a rival and just the way it came out, it is a big win for us and our coaches. Coach always tells us (seniors) we have to be leaders, so we all came together and gave it everything we had. These seniors fight every day and I am super proud of them. I couldn’t be any happier.”
The Tigers have two games remaining — at Lamesa on Friday and a home game with Pecos on Nov. 8. Wood said his team is ready to do what they need to do to reach the playoffs.
“Obviously a win and that momentum, we feel good about it, but nothing is given to you,” he said. “We have to prepare and give them all the respect in the world because every team in this district has an opportunity on any given night. Right now, the only thing that matters is beating Lamesa. I am excited to get after it and game plan and I think that we will get after it this week.”