It has been stinging for a year, but Celina can make the pain of last year's loss to Liberty Hill in the state championship go away with a victory over the China Spring/Cuero winner next Saturday.  In fact the Bobcats are one win away from a record eighth state title.

Celina blasted Snyder 33-7 in the Class 3A Division II Semifinals played Saturday in Abilene.

D'Anton Lynn gets away from a tackler on a kickoff return.

Celina workhorse junior running back Charley Waldrep scored from 16 yards out and Bobcat freshman ball carrier Jose Ramero blasted in from the one-yard line to give Celina a 14-0 lead.

Snyder's elusive Will Clay scored on a 35-yard run and Clay got away from the Celina defense for a 50-yard gain late in the first quarter, but the Bobcats held their ground.  Snyder had four shots at the goal line from the Celina five-yard line, but they could only advance to the Bobcat three-yard line where the ball went over on downs.

It was all Celina from there.  The determined Bobcats went on to score 19 unanswered points to post a 33-7 win over a quality opponent in the semifinals.

Celina freshman Jose Ramero drags tacklers for extra yardage.

Ramero ran for two more TDs and ended the day with 10 carries for 38 yards and three touchdowns.  Not bad for a young man that was playing eighth grade football last year.

Seth Davis scored the game's final TD on a 20 yard run and finished with 15 carries for 100 yards.   

Charley Waldrep ran for 110 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown.

Troy McCartney picks his way through the Snyder defense.

Charley Waldrep runs in heavy traffic.

A Snyder running back is smothered by the swarming Celina defense.

all photos by Fred Helms