Photo by Victor Tapia
Farmer Austin Brooks looks for running room last Friday versus Texarkana Pleasant
Grove in the Class 3A Div. II area round. The Hawks were victorious 30-24.

Tipped pass leads Hawks to area round win

By David Jenkins
Staff Writer

MOUNT PLEASANT – Farmersville was a tipped pass away from a win last Friday in the Class 3A Div. II Region II area matchup versus 16-3A’s Texarkana Pleasant Grove at Sam Parker Stadium.

That happened when the Hawks’ Matt Duff gathered in a batted ball and rambled the remaining distance for a 91-yard touchdown. Pleasant Grove led by two touchdowns at that point and then held on for a 30-24 victory.

“That one tipped pass was a huge play,” head coach Ross Dodson said. “Despite that, the kids played hard all game. That was a good team on the opposite side of the field. I’m blown away with how hard our kids played and responded to the challenge. We played 48 minutes as hard as you could.”

The defense limited Pleasant Groves’ high-scoring offense to 292 total yards (116 rushing and 176 passing) and nine first downs.

“We did a great job (on defense),” Dodson said. “We held them to under what they have been scoring (41 points per game). That is a really good football team.”

Farmersville exploded for 439 yards (106 passing and 333 rushing) and 10 first downs.

Austin Brooks ended his four-year run on varsity with quite possibly his best game of the season and career.

He accounted for 391 all-purpose yards (106 passing and 21 carries for 285), two rushing scores (25 and 51) and three two-point conversions (pass to Chase Wiggins and a pair of runs).

“He (Brooks) is a competitor and wants to win,” Dodson said. “He did a great job of leading us on the field. He did everything that we knew he could do and left it all on the field on every play.” 

Scoring the other touchdown was Wiggins from  a yard out.

The Farmers (8-4 overall) finished the season as the 13-3A champions (perfect 5-0) and captured the bi-district championship with a 17-14 win over 14-3A’s Eustace.

It was their second 13-3A title and fourth straight overall. The previous two were in 13-2A.

Pleasant Grove stuck first Friday on its opening possession, when Graves rolled left and found Lane Eliot for the 10-yard touchdown. The PAT from Steven Oubre followed.

Both teams were unable to develop any offensive rhythm during the remainder of the first quarter.

Following a 51-yard punt, the Farmers set up shop at their own 28 with 9:29 left in the second quarter.

Morgan Harbison had a short gain, and Brooks then picked up the first down with a 15-yard scamper.

After three short gains, the Farmers were forced into fourth-and-5 on their own 49.

Brooks lined up for the punt. However, he pulled it down and rambled 51 yards for the score. He made the score 8-7 on a two-point conversion pass to Wiggins.

Pleasant Grove wasted little time retaking the lead on the following drive, when Graves ran the quarterback keeper up the left side.

The defense picked off a Farmer pass and gave the offense control just on the opposite side of the Farmersville 20.

Five plays later Graves scored once again from a yard out. DeAnte Reid caught the two-point conversion pass from Graves to make the score 22-8 at halftime.

Nether team found the end zone in the third quarter. 

Farmersville gained possession  with 0:52 left in the quarter, and Wiggins then had two carries for 38 yards to end the period.

Following a set of short runs to start the final quarter of play, Brooks eluded multiple tacklers for a 45-yard pickup.

Wiggins then took it in from a yard out, and Brooks ran in the two-point conversion to cut the Pleasant Grove lead to 22-16.

Both teams went four-and-out on their next respective possessions.

The Hawks regained the ball with 5:06 left in the fourth. 

Graves lost a yard and Nick Reid had a short gain.

On 3rd-and-10 Graves dropped back to pass. However, the ball popped out of the intended receiver’s hands and into the gloves of Duff for the 91-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion pass from Graves to Damien Watts widened the gap to 14 points.

The Farmers got the ball back with  3:08 left in the game. Following a pair of incomplete passes, they were faced with third-and-10 at their own 18.

Harbison kept the drive alive with a 57-yard catch from Brooks.

Brooks later eluded multiple Hawk defenders for a the 25-yard touchdown. He then added the two-point conversion run

Pleasant Grove held on for the 30-24 win after recovering a fumble and picking off a pass with 1:11 left in the game.

Other 13-3A teams seeing area action were Quinlan Ford (lost 53-13 to 16-3A’s Pittsburg in Div. II) and Lovejoy (won 42-41 in overtime against 16-3A’s Texarkana Liberty-Eylau in Div. I).

Players of the Week
The Players of the Week in the game versus Pleasant Grove were:

Offense – Austin Brooks

Defense – Michael Thompson

Special Teams – Brooks

For additonal photos from last Friday's game follow this link csmedia.mycapture.com/mycapture/category.asp