District championship on the line
at TAPPS rivalry game
by Julie Garcia, Advocate Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, October 30, 2014
AdvoSports.com Article | St. Paul Cardinal Football
The annual game between Hallettsville Sacred Heart and Shiner St. Paul is always a heated match between.
Hallettsville Sacred Heart at Shiner St. Paul
WHERE: Comanche Stadium, Shiner
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
This year, there's a new dimension.
Friday's game in Shiner, will determine the TAPPS Division III, District 3 champion.
"It doesn't really matter if we're playing for the district championship or not, this is one heck of a competitive game," said Sacred Heart coach Pat Henke. "It's always going to be like that between Hallettsville and Shiner. It's a great rivalry game and great game to be involved with."
Sacred Heart (4-4) started its season with four losses. Henke said the Indians had 14 turnovers in those first four games.
"I think it was a lack of focus, miscommunication," he said. "We were doing foolish things, and that had to do with some inexperience."
Four games later, Sacred Heart has four wins under its belt and Henke credits the lack of turnovers.
"You can't win if you turn over the ball five times a game," he said. "We have to play mistake free football tomorrow night."
Five of Sacred Heart's starters play both ways, and Henke said most of the team is young with only two seniors on its starting offense.
As for St. Paul (7-2), their turnaround came about toward the end of last season. The Cardinals finished 2-6 and didn't earn a berth to playoffs.
"We defeated Sacred Heart in the last game of our season, and that was unexpected because of the season we had," said St. Paul coach Jake Wachsmuth.
With five seniors lending leadership, the Cardinals are composed of mostly juniors and sophomores.
"Our team is what you would classify as a young football team, and it's part of the growing process," Wachsmuth said. "We have seen steps in the right direction. That's the fun thing about football and coaching is watching the kids become better football players, people, better everything as the season goes on."
Regardless of Friday's outcome, St. Paul has a bye in the last week of district and will continue to prepare for the postseason.
"The thing we try to tell them is success doesn't just happen," Wachsmuth said. "You hear all these stories about things happening right away. They've gone through the hard times, and they can go through the good times now."
Both Henke and Wachsmuth know that playoffs await their teams but the rivalry game remains a top priority.
"St. Paul is a very solid football team," Henke said. "You watch them on film, and it's hard to find a weakness."
"This is the point you're playing for all year," Wachsmuth said. "That adds excitement to the rivalry. Both schools will play hard and play their best."
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