The Connally Cadets had all the answers University didn’t want to hear Saturday afternoon at Waco ISD Stadium.

Connally quarterback Chris Cobb rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns, and threw for 98 and two more scores to guide the Cadets past the Trojans, 42-28, in both teams’ final contestsbefore district play begins.

The hot afternoon sun took its toll on the game by late in the second half. By the end, there had been 16 penalties and five turnovers between the two teams.

But earlier, the they traded scores in an impressive offensive display that took up the entire second quarter.

University (1-4) erased a 14-0 deficit and tied the game, 14-14, with 13 seconds remaining in the first half.

The Trojans, however, couldn’t hold the momentum.

Cobb completed three passes to move the Cadets 50 yards at lightning speed. The final connection went from Cobb, on a Hail Mary, to Jerry Johnson on the final play of the half. Johnson went up for a jump ball between four University defenders, and came down with it in the end zone to put Connally back ahead, 21-14.

“The Hail Mary at the end of the half was the big play,” University coach LeRoy Coleman said. “We had the momentum, then they throw it right down the field and score. It was an uphill battle from there.”

Connally (3-2) started its final drive of the first half at the 50-yard line after University’s kickoff hit one of the Cadets’ front-line return-team blockers. The Cadets fell on the ball, but it appeared to be a benign play as only 12 seconds remained in the half.

Cobb felt otherwise.

With University spreading the field almost to its own goal line in a prevent defense, Cobb threw to Reginale Barrett on two straight plays. Barrett got out of bounds each time, picking up a total of 20 yards and leaving two ticks on the clock.

That was enough time for Cobb to notch his second touchdown pass of the half to Johnson.

“Chris Cobb is a heady football player,” Connally coach Kevin Johnson said. “He knows the situations and he makes plays.”

Cobb had a 24-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to put Connally ahead, 14-0. He added a 37-yard scoring run in the second half, leaving the Trojan defense in his wake and trailing on the scoreboard, 35-21.

After University failed to keep momentum going into the halftime locker room, Connally running back Dexter Fulbright made matters worse as soon as the second half began.

Fulbright broke free on a 52-yard scoring run to boost Connally’s lead to 13 points.

Kevin Johnson called Fulbright’s run a key play. Indeed, University didn’t get within a touchdown after that.

Fulbright added a five-yard interception return of a University quarterback Randy Price pass for the Cadets final score of the day.

Price had an uneven day directing the Trojan offense. He finished with 174 passing yards and touchdown tosses to Demarcus Hicks and Vencent Finley. But he also threw two costly interceptions and was stripped of the football while under pressure.

Price’s final heave of the afternoon went to Hicks, who caught the 35-yard pass but landed down at the Cadets’ 1-yard line on the game’s final play.

cconine@wacotrib.com

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