College Station’s powerful rushing attack turned into a nightmare for Weiss, driving a remarkable comeback that erased a 14-point halftime deficit and secured a thrilling 44-38 victory on Thursday at The Pfield. Trailing 31-17 at the half, the Cougars leaned heavily on their ground game, running for 252 yards in the second half alone while attempting only three passes. Their ground dominance led to a surge of 27 unanswered points, giving College Station a stronghold on the game and sealing a hard-fought District 12-5A Division I win.
Leading the charge was Aydan Martinez-Brown, who tallied 131 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the second half, finishing with 162 yards and five total rushing scores. Martinez-Brown’s efforts were complemented by Wilson Stapp, who added 166 rushing yards, including 98 in the second half, along with a touchdown. In total, the Cougars amassed 386 yards on the ground, keeping Weiss’s potent offense largely at bay until a final-minute score by the Wolves.
The Cougars’ comeback began early in the third quarter when they recovered a Weiss fumble, setting the stage for Martinez-Brown’s 5-yard touchdown that cut into the deficit. Minutes later, his 2-yard scoring run tied the game at 31-31. He added a 12-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, giving College Station its first lead of the game, and later clinched the victory with a 27-yard dash to the end zone, putting the Cougars up by two scores with just over two minutes remaining.
Weiss (7-2, 5-2) initially appeared poised for an upset of the top-10 ranked Cougars, jumping to a commanding 17-0 lead. The Wolves scored early on a 4-yard run from Nick Johnson, followed by a 47-yard field goal by James Buchanan and a 72-yard touchdown pass from Jaxon Schad to star receiver Adrian Wilson. Schad later connected with Wilson on a 62-yard trick-play touchdown, while running back Braiden Wooley broke loose for a 43-yard score, extending Weiss’s lead to 31-14 in the second quarter. The Cougars closed the half with a 49-yard field goal from Gustavo Lopez, trimming the gap to 31-17.
In the second half, College Station’s defense tightened, holding Weiss to under 60 yards of offense until the final drive. Weiss scored a late 2-yard touchdown from Johnson but couldn’t recover the onside kick, sealing their fate. Despite the loss, Wilson impressed with five catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing his big-play ability.
The win pushed College Station’s record to 9-1 (6-1 in district) and extended their road winning streak to three games, while Weiss, who saw their five-game win streak snapped, moved to 7-2. With a bye week ahead, the Cougars have extra time to prepare for the state playoffs, while Weiss gears up for their final regular-season game against Anderson on Nov. 8.
