Llano — It was the longest four minutes ever for coach Matt Monzingo and his Canyon Lake football team on Friday night, but it was well worth the wait.
Senior quarterback Ross Wagliardo set new records by throwing for 315 yards and four touchdowns to lift the Hawks to a 48-27 win over District 8-3A rival Llano to move one step closer to their first ever playoff berth.
Canyon Lake (5-3, 3-1) takes a one-game lead over Llano (3-4, 2-2) for the third and final playoff spot. Results are still pending if they will take sole possession heading into next week’s home game against Fredericksburg.
Wagliado went 21 for 32 with one interception on the night, while hooking up with his favorite target — 6-foot-5 receiver Eric Nelson — 11 times for 146 yards and three touchdowns to bring the Hawks to victory.
“Those were the longest (four) minutes of my life,” Monzingo said. “ The team was unbelievable tonight and they made big plays at big times to get us this win against a very tough team during their homecoming.”
The 48 points is the most in Canyon Lake’s short history, breaking the old record of 28, which they had in the victory against Gonzales in September.
Llano’s Justin Saverance scored on a 4-yard run to cut the Canyon Lake lead to seven midway through the third quarter and put the pressure on the young Hawks, who responded like champions.
Wagliardo converted a 4th-and7 with a 10-yard pass to Nelson that set up Henshaw’s first touchdown of the game — a 2-yard dive – that wound up being the clincher for the Hawks.
“It never gets old saying it,” Monzingo said. “This is the biggest win for this program. It is just going to keep building for us.
“I guarantee you that teams will think twice about scheduling us for homecoming.”
The Hawks offense took over where the defense finished in last week’s win over Liberty Hill.
Nelson scored all three of his touchdowns in the second quarter to put Canyon Lake up 27-13 at the half. The belief that they could win was in the air.
“We knew we could win all along,” Wagliardo said. “Everyone has counted us out all season and I think we’re proving a lot of people wrong with our play this season.”
Leading 7-6 heading into the second quarter, Wagliardo started to get comfortable in the pocket when he hit Nelson for an 18-yard strike on the second play of the quarter. Minutes later, Nelson and Wagliardo hooked up again on a 25-yard touchdown.
Both scores were set up by the Hawks defense, which forced a pair of fumbles to give the ball to Wagliardo with good field position.
“The offensive line came up huge tonight,” said Wagliardo. “I wasn’t pressured at all tonight and that gave me the time to find the open guy.”
Llano’s rushing attack didn’t disappoint and kept the Yellow Jackets in the game.
Clayton Maples, who carried the ball 26 times for 128 yards, gained 43 of the Jackets’ 56 yards and dove in for a 1-yard touchdown to cut the Hawk lead to just seven points with three minutes left in the second.
But Wagliardo hit Nelson again for a 6-yard strike to give Canyon Lake a 27-13 lead at the half.
“Scoring that touchdown (before the half) was huge for us,” Wagliardo said. “That gave us a cushion to work with and the confidence to know that we could stay with them.”
Wagliardo scored on a 1-yard keeper and Henshaw added his second touchdown of the night just before the whistle to give the Hawks this huge win.
