Stratford's playoff journey came to an end on Friday night before the Thanksgiving break, as they faced the Jordan Warriors in Round 2 of the 6A Division 2 playoffs. Round 2 presented a much tougher challenge, demanding high levels of focus and execution. As is typical in Katy-area football, Jordan boasted a combination of size, speed, and skill on both sides of the ball that proved to be too much for the Spartans.

While Stratford showed promise in moving the ball, they struggled to sustain drives in the first quarter. Jordan, however, wasted no time, scoring on their opening drive to take an early lead. At the end of the first quarter, Stratford found itself trailing 0-7. The Spartans responded in the second quarter, marching down the field on a 10-play, 54-yard drive that culminated in a 31-yard field goal by Ricky Estrada.

Stratford's defense stepped up on the next Jordan possession when Peter Vescovo made a key interception near midfield to end a threat and set the offense up with good field position. Unfortunately, the Spartans' offense was unable to capitalize on the turnover. Jordan would then methodically move the ball down the field, converting a 10-play, 96-yard drive into a 23-yard touchdown pass after a defensive offsides penalty. At halftime, the score stood at 3-14 in favor of the Warriors.

Jordan took control of the second half right away, keeping the ball on the ground and driving 75 yards on 8 plays to extend their lead to 21-3. Stratford’s first possession of the half ended with a punt, and Jordan made a big play on special teams, returning the punt 40 yards to the Spartans' 36-yard line. The defense held strong, forcing the Warriors to settle for a 37-yard field goal, making it 3-24.

Stratford showed signs of life in the fourth quarter when Aaron DeLeon connected with Javi Denson on a 44-yard wheel route for a touchdown, narrowing the gap to 10-24 with 7:05 left on the clock. The Spartans then got a glimmer of hope as their defense forced a fumble, which was recovered by a group of Spartans. However, the offense was unable to capitalize on the turnover, ending the drive with a turnover of their own.

Jordan put the game out of reach shortly thereafter with a 33-yard rushing touchdown, and the final score stood at 10-31. Stratford's season ended with an 8-4 record, after advancing to the Area round of the 6A Division 2 playoffs.

This year’s team was led by a group of dedicated senior athletes who set the tone during off-season workouts. Their leadership and commitment helped establish a winning culture within the program. Stratford is grateful for their contributions and looks forward to seeing them continue to excel in the future.

Continue to follow Stratford football on Instagram @stratfordfootball2024 for updates and more.