Nolan 24, Prestonwood 21 — passing game

Patrick Rich’s injury early in the game affected the passing game to some degree. Coach Joe Prud’homme hinted that Nolan had several plays featuring Rich that weren’t used after the senior was injured and didn’t return.

Even so, the passing game produced its moments. Rich had a 34-yard run on a reverse. Pierce Braden caught a pair of passes, including a 20-yarder on the first drive.

And of course, the 79-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jacob Walden to David Authier.

Walden did a very good job this season, stepping in as a sophomore and  guiding the team to a title. He finished the year 43-of-93 for 578 yards and four touchdowns with six interceptions. And he finished with 465 yards rushing (5.7 average) and 9 touchdowns, showing good decision-making skills on option reads.

How Patrick Rich finished among Nolan receivers in school history:

NOLAN CAREER RECEIVING YARDS

YDS	PLAYER	SEASONS		YDS	PLAYER	SEASONS
2,963	Will Gallagher	2005-07		1,129	Sean Turner	1992-93
1,360	John Pastusek	1999-00		1,121	Thomas Krsak	1997-98
1,230	Ross Gallagher	2008-09		1,061	Amyn Maloney	2009-11
1,168	Patrick Rich	2011-13

NOLAN CAREER RECEPTIONS

NO.	PLAYER	SEASONS		YDS	PLAYER	SEASONS
153	Will Gallagher	2005-07		70	Sean Turner	1992-1993
77	Patrick Rich	2011-13		70	Thomas Krsak	1997-98
76	John Pastusek	1999-2000		62	Drew Gavin	2005-07
69	Amyn Maloney	2009-11

NOLAN CAREER RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS

TDS	PLAYER	SEASONS		TDS	PLAYER	SEASONS
36	Will Gallagher	2005-07		9	Daniel Walker	2009-11
18	John Pastusek	1998-2000		9	Ben Nichols	2003-04
17	Andre Gunter	1995-96		9	Jordan Rihani	2000
14	Amyn Maloney	2009-11		9	Sean Turner	1992-93
13	Ross Gallagher	2008-09		9	Rod Howard	1989-90
13	Drew Gavin	2005-07		9	Clarence Johnson	1967-69
9	Patrick Rich	2011-13

Nolan vs. Prestonwood

UPDATED Dec. 10, 2013: Tuesday’s Division I state championship between Nolan and Prestonwood was  the sixth meeting between the schools. Nolan leads the series, 4-2.

Dec. 10, 2013: (Nolan 24, Prestonwood 21)–At Tiger Stadium in Corsicana, Luke Alves rushed for 153 yards, and Nolan’s defense limited Prestonwood to 225 yards total offense in the TAPPS Division I state championship.

Oct. 25, 2013: (Prestonwood 36, Nolan 34)—At Doskocil Stadium, Prestonwood defended a two-point conversion pass attempt late in the game to earn the TAPPS I-1 win and secure the district title. Ryan Cash passed for 216 yards and four touchdowns.

Oct. 26, 2012: (Nolan 35, Prestonwood 21)—In Plano, Luke Alves rushed for 126 yards and Nolan’s two scores while the Vikings defense had five sacks and interceptions by Jonathan Werline. Frank Colin and Jeremy Freyre.

Oct. 14, 2011 (Nolan 35, Prestonwood 28 (OT)—In Plano, Amyn Maloney caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Joseph Prud’homme, and the Vikings defense stopped Prestonwood on four downs in overtime to preserve the TAPPS I-1 game. Daniel Walker returned a kickoff a school-record 105 yards for a touchdown.

Dec. 4 2010: (Prestonwood 38, Nolan 35)—In Killeen, Prestonwood’s defense intercepted a pass in the end zone late in the fourth quarter to preserve the TAPPS Division I title after Riley Standridge’s fourth touchdown gave the Lions the lead.

Oct. 15, 2010: (Nolan 24, Prestonwood 21): At Doskocil Stadium, Hans Ingold’s 22-yard field goal as time expired won the game for the Vikings. Amyn Maloney returned a kickoff 95 yards and Alex Sauza had 157 yards rushing and a touchdown for Nolan.

Nolan vs. Liberty Christian

UPDATED Nov. 30, 2013: Nolan holds a 9-7 series lead over Liberty Christian. The first meeting between the schools took place 25 years ago. A look at the games:

Nolan vs. Argyle/Denton Liberty Christian (Nolan leads series, 9-7)

Date	Result	Notable
2013	W 55-20	Luke Alves 206 rushing 4 TDs
2013	W 41-31	Luke Alves 187 rushing, 2 TDs
2012	W 21-0	Nolan limits Liberty to 153 yards offense
2011	W 18-0	David Moser 188 rushing, Nolan 188 penalty yards
2010	W 45-27	Alex Sauza 250 rushing, 3 TDs and Amyn Maloney 114 receiving, 3 TDs
2009	W 35-27	Ross Gallagher’s 97-yard kickoff return in fourth quarter sealed it
2008	W 40-23	Robert Ratliff throws for 265 yards, 4 TDs for Vikings
2007	L 24-21	Nolan can’t hold 21-7 second quarter lead
2006	L 26-20 (OT)	Liberty wins season opener on Joshua Hicks TD run in overtime
2003	L 29-28	Liberty rallies from 21-2 deficit in third quarter
2002	L 12-7	TD pass in fourth quarter gives Liberty the win
1999	L 49-29	Liberty’s David Cole runs for 309 yards, 2 TDs
1998	W 6-2	Nolan ends 13-game losing streak
1997	L 45-10	Liberty 332 yards rushing, Nolan: -17 yards rushing
1989	L 33-0	Nolan limited to 164 yards offense
1988	W 27-15	Calvin Lovett 23-121 2 TDs rushing for Nolan

 

Nolan in overtime

The Vikings won in overtime Saturday, advancing to next week’s state semifinal against Argyle Liberty Christian. Nolan is now 6-3 in overtime games in its history. Prior to the approval of overtime periods in high school football, Nolan had tied nine games — the most recent being in 1994.

Nov. 23, 2013 — Nolan 20, Houston St. Thomas 14 (OT) — In Teague, Texas, Luke Alves scored on a 7-yard run to win the TAPPS Division I regional final. Stephen Jolissaint’s 55-yard interception return for a touchdown and Grant Muehlstein’s extra point with 2:53 left in the fourth quarter forced the extra period.

Oct. 4, 2013 — Nolan 43, TCA-Addison 42 (OT) — At Doskocil Stadium, Jeremy LaGroue hauled in a two-point conversion pass from Landon Russell on a play-action roll-out to give the Vikings the win in the TAPPS I-1 game. Luke Alves had scored on a 7-yard run to put Nolan in position for the winning conversion after TCA scored on its first possession and kicked an extra point.

Oct. 14, 2011 — Nolan 35, Prestonwood 28 (OT) — In Plano, Amyn Maloney caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Joseph Prud’homme, and the Vikings defense stopped Prestonwood on four downs to preserve the TAPPS I-1 game.

Dec. 5, 2009 — Nolan 21, TCA-Addison 20 (OT) — In Temple, TCA missed an extra point attempt when the snap was bobbled, and the Vikings won the TAPPS Division I state championship — their fourth state title. Evan Roll’s 8-yard touchdown catch from Michael Smith and Hans Ingold’s extra point on the first overtime possession proved to be the difference.

Oct. 10, 2008 — Bishop Lynch 17, Nolan 14 (OT) — At Doskocil Stadium, Chris Robbs kicked a 24-yard field goal in overtime to win the district game. Nolan had forced the extra period when Tanner Smith caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Michael Smith in the fourth quarter.

Nov. 3, 2006 — TCA 28, Nolan 20 (3 OT) — In Addison, Josh Fellows’ 7-yard touchdown catch in the third overtime was the difference. Drew Gavin scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Robert Ratliff in the second overtime to briefly give the Vikings the lead,  but TCA matched the touchdown and extra point to force a third overtime — the longest game in Nolan’s history.

Sept. 1, 2006 — Argyle Liberty 26, Nolan 20 (OT) – At Doskocil Stadium, Joshua Hicks’ 4-yard touchdown run in overtime sealed the non-district win in the 2006 season opener. Will Gallagher caught an 80-yard touchdown from Robert Ratliff in the fourth quarter but a missed extra point attempt allowed Liberty to force an overtime with a Garret Ashworth 36-yard field goal.

Will Gallagher catches the game-winning touchdown in the second overtime of the 2005 TAPPS Division I state championship game. (2005/Dick Kirby photo)

Nov. 26, 2005 — Nolan 28, TCA-Addison 25 (2 OT) — At Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Will Gallagher’s sliding 7-yard touchdown catch from Sean Hakes in the second overtime secured Nolan’s second state championship. Steve McCarthy’s 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter tied the game at 15-15 and sent it to overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns and kicked extra points in the first overtime. To start the second overtime, TCA was held to a 29-yard field goal before Gallagher’s catch.

Aug. 29, 2003 — Nolan 21, Fort Worth Christian 14 (OT) — At Doskocil Stadium, Jeff Sakowski caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Ben Nichols in the overtime period for the non-district win. It was Sakowski’s third touchdown catch of the game — a feat matched by only seven other Nolan receivers. It was the first overtime ever played by Nolan.