The Hawks made the playoffs! The Hawks made the playoffs!
That is what coach Matt Monzingo and the rest of the Canyon Lake football team will hear late Friday night if they take care of business tonight against Fredericksburg.
“We like the fact that we control our own destiny in regards to the playoffs,” Monzingo said. “We’re not dependent on anyone else, and that’s the way we like it.”
The Hawks (5-3, 3-1) can clinch their first playoff spot in school history with a victory at home over the District 8-3A rival Billies (2-5, 1-3), who earned their first district win of the season last week against Ingram Moore.
But Monzingo doesn’t care what Frederickburg’s record is. The team remembers clearly what happened last season.
“They put a whooping on us,” said Monzingo when talking about the Billies’ 65-14 win over the Hawks in 2008. “That loss is fresh on the kids’ minds and it bugs you after you get beat like that.”
All the losses that pilled up last season seemed to have galvanized the Canyon Lake squad and they’ve played with a chip on their shoulder, as they’ve tried to avenge a few of those losses.
“You can talk about revenge (when it comes to last season’s losses),” Monzingo said. “But you have to back it up and I think we’ve done that this season.”
Canyon Lake put a virtual stranglehold on the third and final playoff spot after defeating Llano 48-27 last week, as the entire team stepped up and contributed to the win.
Senior quarterback Ross Wagliardo set a new passing record by throwing for 315 yards and four touchdowns, while earning the Hawks’ their first significant road win for the program.
Canyon Lake defeated Ingram Moore last season 21-14 for its first-ever road win.
Sophomore Zach Henshaw rushed 27 times for 136 yards and pair of touchdowns and the defense forced two fumbles that led to 14 points.
Fredericksburg has a dual threat in quarterback Dillon Reeh, who has passed for 569 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 272 yards and four scores to help power the Billies offense.
Running back J.C. Hickman has been a workhorse for Fredericksburg with 89 carries and 533 yards and three touchdowns this season.
The offense is similar to what Canyon Lake played against last week against Llano, when they were able to limit the speedy Llano backs from hurting them on the scoreboard.
With the home crowd on their side, Monzingo feels that it would go a long way for the program if they could clinch a playoff spot in front of the home fans.
“These fans have really supported us since we started and it would be an exciting moment for everyone,” Monzingo said. “I think it would have a long-lasting effect on the entire school.”
