Saginaw scores twice in final minutes to shock Azle, win first playoff game in school history

Saginaw entered the UIL high school football bi-district round after an undefeated regular season.

The accomplishment came after four losing seasons, during which Saginaw’s record was 3-36. With a bit of magic and the stars aligning with the senior class, the Rough Riders broke the program record for wins in a season.

And they weren’t satisfied.

Saginaw’s odds seemed bleak as they trailed 39-28 with three minutes to go, but they scored two touchdowns to stun Azle for a 41-39 victory on Friday, Nov. 15 at Rough Rider Stadium. The bi-district win was the Rough Rider’s first in program history.

“I’ve said it all year long – there’s 29 seniors on this team that refused to quit,” Saginaw head coach Mike Peters said. “They went through all that hard stuff, and now it’s paying off, and they’re getting the benefits, the dividends on the back end. Their heart, their toughness -- that’s unquestioned. We may run into somebody better at some point, but they’re not going to out-tough us.”

Now, the Rough Riders (11-0) will face Tascosa in the area round, with a time and location to be determined.

“This feels amazing,” said wide receiver Isaiah Verdun, who scored the game-winning touchdown. “But we’re not done yet. We’ve got round two next week.”

Peters was an assistant when the program started in 2005 and was head coach from 2010-2015. After six seasons away, Peters returned to Saginaw and rebuilt the program. He said that he is proud of the team for making Saginaw history.

“We’ve been working on it from the from the principal’s office to the field house,” Peters said. “Flipping our culture around to be one of high expectations and high standards. How these come out and exemplify that is a good deal for our team, community, and school.”

To start the comeback, quarterback Roman Morales consistently targeted wide receiver Aidan Collier, who managed the clock well by getting out of bounds. Collier, playing through a sprained ankle, then broke free for a 38-yard touchdown.

“I knew we had to score,” said Collier, who finished with 210 total yards and two scores. “We just had to score. I had to make a play, and playmakers make plays.”

The touchdown cut Azle’s lead, but the Hornets were in full control. The Rough Riders desperately needed a quick stop.

“That drive was really just so we could get back into a spot where maybe we can onside kick,” Peters said. “maybe get a chance to get the ball one more time and score to beat them.”

After a penalty and two tackles for a loss, Azle punted away, giving Saginaw a chance with 1:12 left. On the third play of the Rider’s series, Azle’s defense collapsed; Morales found Verdun, who was wide open, for a 75-yard go-ahead touchdown.

“I saw my quarterback roll out,” Verdun said. “We’ve been working on this situation all year, so I just turned up. The next thing I know, the ball was in my hands, and I scored. It felt good. Man, it felt good.”

Morales and Verdun exited the field as a Saginaw heroes. The Rough Rider QB finished with 416 passing yards, over 100 yards rushing and five total touchdowns.

After a botched kick made Azle start on its own one, the Saginaw defense finished the comeback as time expired.

“We’ve worked hard for this,” Collier said. “We’ve been working for three years. It’s a great feeling to go from 1-9 to 11-0 now.”

In the first quarter, Saginaw receiver Boaz Kaloso set the tone, making a one-handed catch and gaining 52 yards. The play helped the Rough Riders strike first with a three-yard rushing score from quarterback Roman Morales.

The next score was a long ball from quarterback Derrek Vowell to wide receiver Aiden Mackey, who made an athletic play on a streak for a 39-yard touchdown. Then, following six minutes of scoreless play, Saginaw extended its lead with a pass across the middle from Morales to Kaloso for a 32-yard touchdown.

At this point, the momentum flipped with Azle’s run game coming alive. Running back Hagen Hughes notched a 14--yard touchdown, and after a stop, the Hornets took the lead with a nine-yard touchdown reception from Brayden Combs.

The Hornet defense made impact plays, too. Senior Cash Hunter intercepted Morales, returning it 35 yards for a touchdown. Prior to halftime, Saginaw manufactured a quick touchdown drive that included a successful fake punt run from Aidan Collier and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Morales to Corey Baker.

Azle took a 25-21 lead into the break, but Collier reclaimed it with an interception on defense and a 72-yard touchdown on a quick slant. Hughes took back the lead with an 18-yard score and extended the lead with a 13-yard score set up by a Hayden Cassidy interception.

“Azle is a good team,” Peters said. “Coach (Devon) Doris and that staff, they’re some of the best coaches around. And so I knew we’d have our hands full. If we could just stop them enough times to score one more than they did – that was really it because there was nothing in the game plan that would just shut them down.”

Saginaw’s offense then surged, capitalizing in the final minutes of play.

“This win means a lot,” Morales said. “This has been my family for the past four years. It just means so much to come out here and win through adversity.”