KATY — La Vernia punter Vincent Capparelli didn’t panic when the ball hit the turf.
He scooped up the ball and started running left, and with a defender closing in, he flipped the ball ahead to teammate Kolby Gates, who rumbled for 12 yards on a fourth-and-12 at midfield.
The botched-punt-turned-fourth-down-conversion catapulted the Bears to a touchdown late in the third quarter and proved to be the difference as they defeated Port Lavaca Calhoun 24-21 in the third round of the Class 4A Division I playoffs Friday at Legacy Stadium.
"That was not planned at all," Capparelli said. "I picked it up and I turned, and there was open space to the left to run. I just saw Kolby leak out, and I just threw it. I don't even know, I just threw it. I just told him to take off."
BOX SCORE: La Vernia 24, Port Lavaca Calhoun 21
La Vernia advances to the state quarterfinals and will play the winner between Corpus Christi Calallen and Bay City, which play Friday night at Rutledge Stadium.
Junior Sean Garza capped that crucial 12-play drive with a 10-yard touchdown run around the right end to give La Vernia a 24-14 lead with 2:02 left in the third quarter.
A failed surprise onside kick attempt gave Calhoun a short field on its ensuing drive, and quarterback Alex Parker ran for a 7-yard touchdown with 8:09 left in the game to pull the Sandcrabs within 24-21.
Another failed onside kick gave the Bears the ball at midfield, but junior defensive lineman Holston Deckard recovered a fumble at the Calhoun 36-yard line to give the Sandcrabs a chance to take their first lead.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by San Antonio High School Sports (@sanantoniohss)
The La Vernia defense stood up from there as senior Aden Hajek stepped in front of a Parker pass for an interception four plays later with under six minutes left in the game. After the drive stalled with a punt, the Bears’ defense put the game away as they pressured Parker into an incomplete pass on fourth down.
La Vernia sophomore running back Ty Carter had a game-high 197 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries as the Bears had 319 yards on the ground. Garza rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
"We've got two running backs that are running really well, and they don't run well without our offensive line," La Vernia first-year head coach Brian Null said. "We've got a great offensive line, and we've got great coaches coaching those guys."
Calhoun senior Darrik Salinas led the Sandcrabs with 12 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown. Parker added 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 22 carries as Calhoun rushed for 238 yards.
SIGN UP: Your free all-access pass to the best high school sports coverage in San Antonio
The teams previously met in their District 15-4A-I opener on Oct. 11 with Calhoun winning 22-20 on a late field goal.
"We had some bumps in the road (after that loss)," Null said. "I really believe the kids and the coaches fought back and rallied around each other. When you can play December football, it's something special, and it has a lot to do with the leadership on this team and the culture we're trying to create."
La Vernia started fast, winning the coin toss and electing to receive. Carter took the first handoff, cut to the left and raced down the sideline for a 72-yard touchdown to give the Bears a 7-0 lead.
Calhoun responded with a five-play, 73-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown run from Salinas to tie the game with 9:36 left in the first quarter. Salinas had three carries for 57 yards on the drive.
La Vernia took five minutes off the clock on its next drive but stalled after a holding penalty in the red zone. Luke Green connected on a 30-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead with 4:37 left in the first.
Following a Calhoun punt — the only one of the first half — the Bears put together another methodical drive, taking six minutes off the clock. On the 13th play, Carter dragged several Calhoun defenders and broke through for an 8-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 17-7 with seven minutes left in the first half.
Carter finished the first half with 140 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
The Sandcrabs pulled within 17-14 with 2:36 remaining in the second quarter as quarterback Alex Parker kept the ball for a 1-yard touchdown plunge.
A 20-yard run from Carter jumpstarted La Vernia’s final drive of the half, Green’s 26-yard field goal was tipped to end the first half.
The teams combined for two pass attempts in the first half, both by La Vernia.