Facing a previously unbeaten Monahans team at First United Park, West Plains had its most daunting task of the season in the Class 4A Division II region semifinal. And as has usually been the case in the program’s brief history, the Wolves captured their prey, starting and finishing strong for a 42-21 victory which was merely the latest of their history-making campaign which shows no signs of stopping.
Next up for West Plains (12-1) is Glen Rose in the region final at 6 p.m. next Friday at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls.
To keep playing, the Wolves had to take out Monahans (12-1), which hadn’t been conquered by anybody this season. However, opposing records and reputations have meant little in slowing down their momentum as a program.
“I’m really, really proud of the way our guys fought,” West Plains coach Adam Cummings said. “Monahans is the best football team we’ve played all year. Our kids really had to elevate their game just to match their physicality. I just can’t say enough about our kids and coaching staff for making minor adjustments as the game progressed to get it done.”
West Plains set the tone offensively from the outset, scoring on its first two possessions. The Wolves later closed strong, scoring on their last two possessions to put the game away when things looked in peril.
West Plains ended the second possession with a three-yard scoring pass from Macon to Bryson Myers for a 14-0 lead. It was the first of three scoring passes in the first half for Macon, who had the equivalent of a big game in one half and finished the night completing 21-of-26 for 260 yards.
“(Offensive coordinator Jeff) Lyles just does a great job of giving us a chance to set up the defense for certain situations,” Macon said. “After practice reps with the receivers and the running backs just gets the timing down. I think just week by week we keep getting better with the timing and the O-line does a great job of giving me time to throw the ball and the receivers run great routes, so I just have to execute my job.”
Monahans then scored on the next two possessions while forcing the only punt of the game by West Plains. Cole Pittman scored on a 1-yard run with three seconds left in the first quarter to cut it to 14-7, and midway through the quarter, Monahans quarterback Cheno Navarrette scored on a 37-yard run to tie it at 14.
Navarrette carried Monahans offensively, running for a game-high 131 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries and throwing for 126 yards.
After West Plains forced a punt, Macon immediately hit Wooten for a 42-yard gain to get the drive started, Macon ended the drive with a 9-yard scoring pass to Crockett Henry to give the Wolves a 28-14 lead with 37 seconds left in the half.
Monahans then took the second half kickoff and matched down the field for a score, with Navarrette taking it in from a yard out to cut it to 28-21. On the ensuing possession, Macon made his only real mistake of the game, when he was intercepted by Jesse Rodriguez on the sideline, putting the Wolves in their toughest spot of the night.
“We did the things we had to do in certain key situations because of the caliber of team we were playing,” Cummings said. “They force you into some situations and I’m really proud of how our kids responded. I think that’s a huge testament to our kids and their character. They play the game the right way and want to do what’s right and it pays off.”
Monahans marched down the field and had the ball fourth-and-10 at the West Plains 18-yard line. The Loboes elected to go for it and Navarrette completed a tunnel screen to Nathan Wessels, but he was stopped after a seven-yard gain, giving the Wolves the ball on downs.
Hernandez was thrown for a five-yard loss, putting the Wolves at their own 6, when they pulled off what might have been the play of the game. Macon dropped back into the end zone, and under a heavy pass rush, completed a 19-yard screen pass to Hernandez for a first down.
On the next play, Hernandez broke a 26-yard run into Monahans territory, and the Wolves all of a sudden had all the momentum.
“That what I was hoping for,” said Hernandez, a senior who led the Wolves with 107 yards on 19 carries. “I want the pressure to be on me. I love having it because that’s whenever I do my best. I think I got in a pretty good position (on the screen pass) and Reid threw it in a perfect spot.”
The Wolves finished the drive on a 10-yard scoring run by freshman Slade Russell to make it 35-21 with 5:15 left. On the next Monahans possession, Noah Hernandez intercepted Navarrette and returned it to the Monahans 22, setting up Henry’s 1-yard scoring run to end the scoring.