Amarillo High’s Peyton Conner hauled in a touchdown pass in the closing seconds to lift the Sandies past Tascosa, 36-33, on Friday night at Dick Bivins Stadium. [John Moore/ Press Pass Sports]
Tascosa and Amarillo High made sure that the 63rd edition of the historic rivalry is one no fan will not soon forget.
The 12,000 plus that paid for a ticket Friday night at Dick Bivins Stadium got their money’s worth and then some.
In what was one of the most thrilling games rivalry, it came down to one final play.
Amarillo High pulled it out when Will Maynard hit Peyton Conner with a 21-yard scoring pass with four seconds remaining for an improbable 36-33 victory.
The Sandies (1-1) rallied from a 14-point first half deficit a week after a 31-0 loss at Frenship.
Much like last year against the favored Rebels, Amarillo High trailed 21-7 in the second quarter but bounced back. The Sandies dominated the third quarter, scoring 21 unanswered to take a 28-21 lead on touchdown passes from Maynard to Conner and Davin Lemmons.
But Tascosa (1-1), a Class 6A state semifinalist last season, bounced back in the fourth quarter.
Major Everhart scored on a 20-yard run on the second play of the fourth quarter, but the Rebels missed the extra point and it stayed at 28-27, something which haunted Tascosa at the end.
Tascosa’s Joseph Plunk celebrates after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Amarillo High at Dick Bivins Stadium. [John Moore/ Press Pass Sports]
Later in the fourth quarter, the Rebels took advantage of great field possession, going 33 yards on six plays to take a 33-28 lead on quarterback Joseph Plunk’s 7-yard touchdown run with 1:12 left in the game. Plunk finished the game with 141 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.
Max Burleson scored on a two-point conversion attempt, but the Rebels were called for holding on the play, pushing the ball back 10 yards. They fell short on a second attempt and led 33-28.
That set the stage for one last drive by the Sandies, who took over at their own 29.
With the ball at Tascosa’s 21 and 11 seconds left, the Sandies appeared to only have two more chance to try to win it.
Amarillo High players celebrate after stunning Tascosa 36-33 on Friday night at Dick Bivins Stadium. [John Moore/ Press Pass Sports]
Maynard threw it to the right front corner of the end zone and Conner reached up to catch it and dragged in a foot. Rebel defensive backs signaled that the pass was incomplete, but officials decided otherwise and that was the only decision which mattered.
Amarillo High 36, Tascosa 33
Tascosa 14 7 0 12 — 33
Amarillo High 7 7 14 8 — 36
First Quarter
T—Darius Sanders 16 run (Max Burleson kick), 6:57
AHS—Blake Bedwell 23 run (A.J. Villar kick), 2:28
T—Burleson 29 pass from Joseph Plunk (Burleson kick), 0:19
Second Quarter
T—Plunk 1 run (Burleson kick), 6:17
AHS—Will Maynard 2 run (Villar kick), 2:23
Third Quarter
AHS—Peyton Conner 18 pass from Maynard (Villar kick), 8:26
AHS—Davin Lemmons 38 pass from Maynard (Villar kick), 2:10
Fourth Quarter
T—Major Everhart 20 run (kick failed), 11:23
T—Plunk 7 run (run failed), 6:12
AHS—Conner 21 pass from Maynard (Maynard run), 0:04
Tascosa Amarillo High
First downs 22 18
Rushing 358 170
Passing 64 208
Total yards 422 378
C-A-I 3-7-1 11-22-1
Punts 4-37.3 5-36.4
Fumbles-lost 2-2 3-1
Penalties-yards 7-57 2-14
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Tascosa: Parker Settle 9-28, Plunk 24-141, Everhart 5-72, Logan Nance 6-55, Sanders 3-15, Burleson 5-27, Chance Jones 4-20. Amarillo High: Bedwell 23-109, Maynard 7-8, Taevon Hood 10-52, Conner 1-1.
PASSING—Tascosa: Plunk 3-7-1-64. Amarillo High: Maynard 11-22-1-208.
RECEIVING—Tascosa: Brandon Sanders 2-35, Burleson 1-29 . Amarillo High: Bryson Slaughter 2-32, Davin Lemmons 5-94, Cayden Johnson 1-20, Conner 2-39, Cayden Phillips 1-23.
