With 58 seconds and no timeouts remaining, Johnson needed to go 69 yards to beat New Bruanfels.
After four plays, the Jaguars were on the opponent’s 45-yard line. Johnson quarterback Ty Hawkins climbed the pocket while avoiding a New Braunfels defender to throw an ensuing game-winning 45-yard touchdown to Jaguars running back Lorenn Johnson to give the team a 36-31 victory over the Unicorns.
BOX SCORE: Johnson 36, New Braunfels 31
“At first, when I did the route, I knew that I had to win with speed,” Johnson said. “I created a little space, and I saw the ball and I had to look it in.”
Jaguars coach T.P. Miller, whose team is now 10-1, said this win was a culmination of everything they’ve worked on throughout the season.
“You default back to your training,” he said. “You default back to your two-minute drills in practice. The offense was talking about the situation right before that took place. Play-calling was there, and the athletes made a play. That’s what it’s all about.”
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“It was a team win,” Miller said. “I’m proud of the coaching side of the athletes. We talk about lessons, life lessons, and they learned a valuable life lesson about never giving up fighting all the way to the end.”
The game-winning drive’s first play was a drop by wide receiver Josh Littleton. Then, in the next play, Jaguars wide receiver King Johnson seemed to haul in a deep pass, but the referees ruled the pass incomplete.
“I know I dropped that first one, but then I didn’t think nothing bad about it,” King Johnson said.
But King Johnson said he never doubted they would win the game.
“The last drive, we knew we were going to go down there and get it done,” King Johnson said. “We never doubt our offense. We got Ty Hawkins and (Lorenn) Johnson.”
After fumbling on his first carry, Lorenn Johnson bounced back to have 182 total yards and three touchdowns. He had 16 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns while hauling in four passes for 56 yards with one score.
“I did change the mood of the game, but I got to give the credit to the offensive line because they’re the ones that helped me,” Lorenn Johnson said.
He injured his knee toward the end of the first quarter but returned to score on touchdown runs of 15 and 33 yards to help Johnson tie the game at 14-14.
“This is a big game,” Lorenn said. “So, I had to shake that off. It was nothing to get back out there. The team needed me.”
Hawkins completed 13-of-21 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 81 yards and two scores.
“The district MVP is at Ty’s house sitting down,” King Johnson said.
The Jaguars play Lake Travis in the area round of the playoffs.
“We are ready,” King said. “Names don’t scare us. We are ready.”
