Daniel Elizondo, Editor
Posted: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 9:50 am

Silsbee sr. DB Montana Garcia picks off Huffman-Hargrave QB Preston Townley to end the Falcon's first productive drive in the first quarter.

BEAUMONT – Silsbee pulled out all its weapons and played seamlessly on both sides of the ball to notch a first round win for the Tigers.

Silsbee (9-2) rebounded from an emotional loss to West Orange-Stark to close out regular season play and took it all out on the hapless Huffman-Hargrave Falcons 54-21 at Provost Umphrey Stadium at Lamar University on Friday.

Silsbee will advance to UIL class 3A Div. I regional round to face Stafford on Friday at Turner Stadium in Humble with a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Stafford is coming off of a 42-20 win over Houston Yates to advance to the second round to face Silsbee.

The Tigers got a strong offensive effort from junior quarterback Patrick Reed, who worked the zone read offense soundly against Huffman on Friday.

Reed accounted for 339 yards of offense including 150 yards rushing on 20 carries with two touchdowns, and also completed 10 passes for 189 yards and two TDs.

“We just came in here and did what we had to do,” said Reed after his stellar performance. “I couldn’t do it without all my guys up-front. They make the plays happen for me.”

Silsbee’s offensive line was powerful in the win, paving the way to the Tiger’s 425 yards of offense against the Huffman defense.

But defense did its part in the win, making it difficult for the high-powered pass attack of the Falcons to get into a rhythm.

Highly touted Huffman QB Preston Townley managed his 254 yards passing but was sacked four times by the Silsbee defense and picked off four times, three by senior DB Montana Garcia.

“We knew that all they were going to do was pass,” said Garcia. “We had to put him (Townley) under pressure to get a chance at making a play. We came together as a team and had a lot of fun.”

After Silsbee had taken a 7-0 lead on its second possession of the game, Huffman looked to work the field as anticipated and drove downfield to the Silsbee 9-yard line in six plays. On a first and goal pass, Townley looked for his no. 1 receiver Chase Harrell in the corner of the end zone but Garcia read the play perfectly and picked off the pass.

After a Silsbee punt, Huffman once again looked to tie the game but fell short once again, this time with Karl Elers coming up with the Tigers’ second INT of the game at the Huffman 47-yard line.

After two Falcon penalties moving Silsbee into scoring position, Reed found Jordan Holmes on a swing pass for the 27-yard TD with 49 seconds in the first quarter and a Tiger 13-0 lead.

Silsbee’s defense stepped up and put the pressure on Townley, who was sacked for the third time of the game, this time by Johnathan Rodgers to open the second quarter.

Silsbee took over on downs at their own 2-yard line. Four plays later, Reed made a miraculous pass to receiver Chris Elam all alone downfield after avoiding a sack and the two connected on a 79-yard strike. Floyd Spearman added a 2-point run to help increase the Silsbee lead 21-0 with 7:35 in the second quarter.

Silsbee defense forced Huffman to punt on the ensuing possession and Holmes did his work on special teams with a 49-yard punt return for a TD with 6:29 remaining to the half and leading 27-0.

In the third quarter, Huffman drove down on its first possession and quickly scored on a 2-yard run by Darion Gray to cut into Silsbee’s lead 27-7.

The Tigers answered back with a 19-yard run by Reed. Lazaro Vasquez kick gave Silsbee a 34-7 lead with 8:42 in the third quarter.

Huffman wouldn’t lay down and scored in less than a minute on a 20-yard pass from Townley to Gray to cut into Silsbee’s lead once again 34-14.

Silsbee used a 9-play drive that was capped with a 2-yard buck by Spearman to answer Huffman’s score, and increase the lead 41-14 with 2:29 in the third quarter.

In the drive, Reed was injured momentarily with a stinger where Kendrick Scott took over for four plays.

On the Falcon’s first play from scrimmage on the ensuing drive, Garcia picked off Townley for the second time, this one at the Silsbee 32-yard line and returning it to the Silsbee 45-yard line.

Eight plays later, Spearman scored his second TD of the game on a 3-yard jaunt for a 47-14 lead to begin the fourth quarter.

With the score 47-21, Silsbee scored its final touchdown on a 7-yard run by Yancy Brydson, who finished with 42 yards on nine carries.

Huffman was slowed on the ensuing possession after Townley suffered a fourth sack by Silsbee in the game, this one by Roderick Harper, his second sack of the evening. Johnathan Rodgers and Seth Adams provided the other sacks for the Tigers.

Silsbee ran down the clock before Huffman’s final possession ended in Garcia picking off Townley at the Silsbee 36-yard line to end the game.

Silsbee held Huffman’s rush game to four total yards.

Friday will be a change of pace for Silsbee defense, now looking to stop a bull-rushing Stafford offense led by

Adrian Seales, who has accumulated 1,818 yards with 21 TDs in 11 games. The Spartans finished in third place in Dist. 24-3A behind La Marque and West Columbia.