Simon Sylvain had one thought: Don’t fall.
As he sprinted down the field midway through the fourth quarter Friday at Burger Stadium, Sylvain knew the only thing that could stop him was himself.
Because he wasn’t getting tackled.
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With the game tied at 31-31 and Round Rock facing a third-and-7 from its own 28, Sylvain took a short pass over the middle and raced untouched for a touchdown to give the Dragons the lead for good in their 45-37 win in a Class 6A Division I bi-district playoff game.
“I’m just thinking get to the end zone and don’t stop,” said Sylvain, who had nothing but turf in front of him after he beat his defender. “I figured that was going to happen because it had worked all game. They were playing man-to-man and would double (Dylan) Jaeger, so I just ran by the guy.”
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As Round Rock won its first playoff game since 2020, Bowie had no answer for Sylvain and Jaeger, a fellow wideout who is committed to TCU. The duo combined for 12 of the Dragons’ 16 catches, 291 of their 314 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
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“It’s just hard work paying off,” said Jaeger, who finished with eight receptions for 149 yards. “This whole week at practice, I knew I was going to get fed, which I really appreciate the coaches for. I’m glad I could take those opportunities and benefit our team. And then when I didn’t have the ball, our other playmakers made big plays. And I think the scoreboard reflected that.”
Round Rock (7-4) also ran the ball effectively, finishing with 176 yards, as Jaeger, Ryan Sirwaitis and Tyson Cummings all reached the end zone. But it was quarterback Dov Stickler and the passing game that took center stage in the second half as Jaeger hauled in a 34-yard TD strike, then Sylvain made the game’s defining play.
“It was pretty ballsy, right?” Round Rock coach Cody Moore said. “Our guys are pretty automatic when it comes to that type of thing. We knew what kind of coverage we were going to get, so we took advantage of it.”
And Sylvain’s initial worry turned out to be a needless one.
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“I’m too fast,” he said. “I caught the slant and just took it to the house.”
Cooper Martinez showed why he’s on Round Rock’s hands team.
In a game of offensive fireworks where the teams combined for 989 yards, Martinez’s sure hands shone on defense and special teams late in the fourth quarter.
He intercepted a hard-thrown pass and returned it 32 yards for a TD moments after Sylvain’s touchdown. Then minutes later, as Bowie attempted an onside kick toward his side of the field, where he was the only Dragon, he corralled an awkwardly bouncing ball to preserve Round Rock’s win.
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“They put me on some of the hands and special teams, so I’d say I have pretty good hands,” Martinez said with a laugh. “But it means so much to do this in a playoff game. I made some mistakes previously in the game, and I couldn’t drop my level because I couldn’t let my team down.”
Any early errors were certainly forgotten postgame. Moore called Martinez “crucial” to the win, while Jaeger noted he isn’t surprised by anything Martinez does.
“He’s the leader on this defense,” Jaeger said. “He was making tackles left and right, then he was in the perfect spot on that pick, and taking it to the house just sealed it.”
Bowie’s loss brings an end to the phenomenal career of running back Rhys Moreno.
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After recording 255 yards from scrimmage and three TDs, Moreno crossed 2,000 yards rushing for the season and finished with 32 total touchdowns.
“He’s as tough as nails,” Bowie coach Jeff Ables said. “He’s a bulldog. When you think about a Bowie football player, he’s tough like that and a gritty competitor who never gives up. That’s him.”
The Bulldogs (8-3) may switch to more of a passing offense with Moreno’s graduation. Connor O’Dea threw for 363 yards and three scores and Hunter Willingham had nine catches for 121 yards, and both return next season.
But Ables was more focused on the present.
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“I’m just really proud of this team, especially the seniors,” he said. “They just kept battling.”
This article originally published at Round Rock claims first win in UIL postseason in 6 years with clutch plays late.
