Bears stun the Rangers on buzzer-beating touchdown

In one of the most thrilling games of the season, San Marcos Academy defeated Texas School for the Deaf, 40-38, with the Bears winning on a buzzer-beating four-yard touchdown pass to beat the Rangers.

Following a late score by the Rangers, the Bears trailed 38-34 with 3:06 left in the fourth quarter.

Driving from their own 20 yard line, the Bears drove 60 yards before quarterback C.J. Crauthers found wide receiver Ayo Okoya-Thomas for the four yard touchdown pass as time expired to give the Bears the win.

The victory improves Academy’s record to 2-3 overall while the Rangers fall to 2-2 overall.

The Bears struck first in the thriller as Crauthers found Aidan Nolen for a 18 yard touchdown pass to put Academy up 8-0 following a PAT kick from Okoya-Thomas.

Stopping the Rangers on their next possession, the Bears scored again as Nolen ran for a five-yard touchdown but had the PAT blocked.

At the end of the first quarter, Academy led Texas School for the Deaf 14-0.

The Rangers responded with a touchdown drive as quarterback Xiovan Thompson found Jermiah Garcia for a 42 yard touchdown pass.

But the Bears blocked the PAT attempt to make it a 14-6 game.

Academy answered back on their next possession as Nolen scored his second touchdown of the night running on a four-yard score to extend the lead to 21-6.

The Rangers responded with another touchdown drive as Isaak Megilligan broke through for a 49yard touchdown run.

But Texas School for the Deaf was unable to convert the pat kick as the Bears led 21-12.

The Bears once again answered the Rangers’ score as Crauthers hit Braydon Hurst for a 24yard pass to push the lead out to 28-12.

The scoring spree came to a brief stop as the Rangers found their way into the endzone once more, as Garcia hooked up with Thompson on a 60-yard touchdown pass to make it a 28-18 game before the half.

Texas School for the Deaf struck first in the third quarter as Garcia and Thompson made their third connection of the night, scoring on a eight-yard touchdown pass to make it a 28-20 game.

But the Bears responded again, as Nolen scored his third rushing touchdown of the night to extend the lead to 32-20, following a missed PAT.

The Rangers then answered back, as Thompson found William Scarboro from 14 yards out, to cut the lead down to 32-26, as both teams went into the fourth quarter.

Late in the fourth, the Rangers drove down to the Bears one-yard line, before Megilligan punched it in to give Texas School for the Deaf a 38-34 lead.

But the Bears refused to give in, as Crauthers hit Okoya Thomas for the game-winning touchdown, sealing the victory.

Academy returns to play this Friday as the Bears will play their first UIL opponent of the season, coming up against the Calvert Trojans.

The Trojans come into the showdown with a 0-4 record, after losing to the top-ranked Aquilla Cougars, 58-13.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Friday in Calvert.

cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc