DECATUR -- Decatur got off to a hot start Friday night, but cooled off quickly in a 35-14 loss to Magazine in the season finale.
Both teams finished 3-7 overall and 3-4 in the 2A-4 Conference. The Bulldogs held a slim playoff chance coming into the game.
"I don't know if we got complacent or their size took over," Decatur coach Shane Holland said. "They began to wear on us."
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Allan Castenada scored from 20 yards out with 7 minutes, 31 seconds left in the first quarter, then Victor Urquidi put the Bulldogs up by two scores three minutes later with a 31-yard run. But Urquidi was hampered by an ankle injury during the rest of the game and saw limited playing time. He was relegated to the bench the entire fourth quarter.
Urquidi missed three games this year with the nagging injury and was used sparingly in most others. He missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.
"That's been tough," Holland said. "That hasn't helped. That's some adversity we've tried to overcome."
As much as Urquidi attempted to shake off the injury in the second half, he was held to minus-1 yard after carrying the ball eight times for 52 yards in the first half.
"It has been a horrible season for me," Urquidi said. "I was trying to play even though I had been hurt. Every time I play I re-injured it because it wasn't fully healed. I wanted to come back and help my team as best I can, but it hurts and I can't do anything about it."
With both teams attempting just 13 passes the outcome was decided on the ground and the Rattlers slithered out more yards, compiling 240 rushing yards. Brothers Billy and Cheenew Yang did most of the damage with Billy Yang racking up 130 yards on 25 carries and Cheenaw Yang totaling 70 yards on 11 rushes.
Billy Yang scored Magazine's first three touchdowns on runs of 16, 15 and 1-yard. His 1-yard plunge with 6:15 left in the third put the Rattlers up for good. Caleb Shelton added a 5-yard touchdown scamper early in the fourth and Cheenaw Yang finished the scoring with a 3-yard dash four minutes later.
Castenada led the Bulldogs with 106 yards on 16 carries.
EXTRA POINTS
• Urquidi intercepted a pass at the 5:33 mark in the first quarter and scored on a 40-yard run two plays later. w Billy Yang's first touchdown run of 16 yards happened as the horn sounded to end the first quarter.
HOW THEY SCORED
Magazine 35
Decatur 14
Magazine 7 7 7 14 -- 35
Decatur 14 0 0 0 -- 14
FIRST QUARTER
Ded -- Casteneda 20 run (Mendoza kick), 7:31 Dec -- Urquidi 31 run (Mendoza kick), 4:52 Mag -- B. Yang 16 run (Risager kick), 0.0
SECOND QUARTER
Mag -- B. Yang 15 run (Risager kick), 4:24
THIRD QUARTER
Mag -- B. Yang 1 run (kick failed), 6:15
FOURTH QUARTER
Mag -- Shelton 5 run (B. Yang run), 10:25 Mag -- C. Yang 3 run (Risager kick), 6:05
Sports on 11/12/2014