Stephenville rallies, beats Canyon West Plains in 4ADI regional finals
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
LUBBOCK — Facing an uphill battle at the start of the second half, Stephenville junior quarterback Trot Jordan and the Yellow Jackets’ offense took over near midfield against Canyon West Plains.
Jordan faked a handoff before shaking off a would-be tackler, then stumbled and dropped the ball as he ran toward the sideline.
The Jackets’ signal caller corralled his own fumble on the move without breaking stride, bolted down the sideline on an electric 44-yard touchdown run that helped Stephenville retake the lead for good.
Click here for the full 4A DI Texas high school football playoffs bracket.
“It kind of turned into baseball mode, like fielding a ground ball,” Jordan said. “I was just (trying to) be an athlete and then find the end zone.”
The Yellow Jackets pitched a second-half shutout defensively, while Jordan and Stephenville’s offense reeled off 34 unanswered points in a 41-21 comeback win Friday over the West Plains Wolves in the regional finals of the Class 4A Division I Texas high school football playoffs at Lowrey Field.
“West Plains is a great football team, and coach (Adam) Cummings does a great job. Their kids were ready to go play today,” Stephenville football head coach Sterling Doty said. “We just stayed the course and believed in each other.”
The Yellow Jackets found themselves in a 21-7 hole by the start of the second quarter after a hot start by West Plains.
The Wolves found the end zone three times in the first half, headlined by an 80-yard touchdown run one snap after a West Plains’ interception defensively.
Stephenville, though, capitalized on a pair of quick scoring drives inside the two-minute timeout to spark its comeback run.
First, the Yellow Jackets found the end zone when Jordan connected with junior wide receiver Adan Jergins on a 16-yard touchdown pass to the back corner of the end zone with 34 seconds left during the second quarter.
Then, Stephenville forced a critical turnover on a strip-sack fumble near midfield with 8 seconds left in the half.
After a quick 20-yard pass and a timeout, junior Brighton DeVivo kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to cut West Plains’ lead to 21-17.
“That was just huge right there. We found some things offensively, got the ball in the box. … We're able to create the first turnover of the night, and then great execution,” Doty said. “We really seized the momentum by capitalizing off that touchdown (and kicking a long field goal) to be able to take that momentum into the half.”
“It was a very big confidence boost,” Jordan said, “As soon as we stepped back on that field, we knew what our job was — just to get in the end zone.”
The Jackets’ offense started to find its rhythm as Jordan started making plays out of the pocket.
When West Plains’ defense had seemingly taken away both the running and passing game, Jordan began to make game-changing plays on his feet.
Stephenville’s dual-threat quarterback led his team to the end zone on back-to-back touchdown runs – 44 and 31-yard rushing touchdowns – to give the Jackets’ a 31-21 lead over the Wolves at the start of the fourth quarter.
“Big shout out to our defense. They’re the other reason we had 34 unanswered, and then having the offensive line that we do: the size, and then obviously the chemistry there too,” Jordan said.
“They talk. They change a lot of plays. (Senior center Cooper Doty) is really smart. Cooper's really good at changing stuff and just getting us going.”
“(Jordan) did a really good job within our scheme,” Doty said. “(West Plains) was really putting pressure on the run game. So when that happens, and they're plus one in (the box), you’ve got to have your quarterback read somebody. He did a great job with his reads, and played really well.
Stephenville’s physical offensive and defensive lines gradually began to press their advantage in the trenches.
Offensively, the Jackets pressed their advantage up front on the ground. They gradually pushed downfield before tacking on another DeVivo field goal and another touchdown pass from Jordan to Jergins, as Stephenville’s lead ballooned to 20 points.
The Yellow Jackets clamped down on West Plains’ explosive wide receivers, and Stephenville’s defensive front made running lanes disappear throughout a dominant second half.
“(West Plains) has a great offense, and that quarterback, he's a stud. They had some things they liked, and they got to it,” Doty said. “We made it hard on them. We just found a way to get off the field on fourth down, create turnovers and get their punt team out.”
The victory represents a significant milestone for many of the Yellow Jackets who were part of last year’s Stephenville squad that lost 42-35 to West Plains in the 4A DI regional finals.
“It feels great to be able to come back and win this game. I think it means a lot for us confidence wise going into next week,” Jordan said. “We’re gonna get this film settled, and then this week is put to rest.”
Stephenville (14-0) advances to face Celina (14-0) at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, at Knight Stadium in Fort Worth in the Class 4A Division I UIL state semifinals.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Stephenville rallies, beats Canyon West Plains in 4ADI regional finals
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos