Dumas running back Cito Rodriguez is fired up after scoring a touchdown against Decatur during a Class 4A Division I regional semifinal at PlainsCapital Park-Lowrey Field in Lubbock on Friday night. [John Moore/ Press Pass Sports]
The Dumas Demons are proving to be a team of destiny.
Dumas stunned Decatur in thrilling fashion with a game-winning field goal as time expired for a 38-35 win in a Class 4A Division I regional semifinal for the ages on a foggy Friday at PlainsCapital-Park Lowrey Field in Lubbock.
The game lived up to everything fans hoped it could. Both teams were respective district champions. Both were 12-0, and ranked in the top five of Class 4A Division I.
The contest saw a combined 986 yards, and five lead changes.
As they have all year, the Dumas defense stepped up in its most critical time of need. With the game tied, 35-35, with 2:46 left in the fourth quarter, safety Caleb Suggs intercepted a Roman Fuller pass at the Decatur 35-yard line.
The Demons offense, which was stellar throughout, was able to make two first downs thanks to key runs of quarterback Spencer Williams and running back Jacob Mares. Dumas drove the ball to the Eagles 18-yard line with four seconds left. After a timeout, standout kicker Ah Lee Yart delivered the biggest kick in decades for Dumas, drilling a 35-yard field goal with no time left, giving the Demons the unforgettable win.
“Words can’t do this game justice,” Dumas coach Aaron Dunnam said. “It was just a fight. We have a resiliant team, and it showed. We punched them and they punched us. We never gave up, and we never got out of our game-plan. I’m so excited for our team.
Dumas’ historic season now sees the Demons move to 13-0 for the first time in school history. Dumas is now headed to the state quarterfinals where they now get Decatur’s rival Springtown (12-1) at a time and place to be determined. The Porcupines drilled Andrews 63-20 on Friday.
Decatur, which was picked by many experts statewide against the Demons, ends its year at 12-1.
“We fed off that underdog role,” Dunnam said. “The state doesnt know who we are. But our coaches, our team and our community do. And we bet on us every time. We knew we could do it. It was a great effort.”
As much praise as the Demons defense gets, the offense was the ones taking center stage. Williams was masterful under center, and Mares was a huge compliment. Dumas led 28-21 at half. When the Eagles scored 14-unanswered in the second half, Dumas’ offense rose to the challenge tying the game at 35, on a
Williams 7-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.
Dumas quarterback Spencer Williams (9) runs over Decatur linebacker Max Downe (54) on Friday. [John Moore/ Press Pass Sports]
Williams ended a career performance going 11 of 20 with 181 yards passing and a touchdown. But his feet were the story, going for 123 yards on 23 carries adding two more scores.
Mares contributed with a team-high 179 yards on 25 carries and found the end zone on a 3-yard run in the second quarter. Thanks to that duo, Dumas torched a Decatur team for 539 total yards of offense.
“Our defense gets a lot of attention,” Dunnam said. “But our offense was really good. We took a big drive down and scored to end the first half and take a 28-21 lead. Every time Decatur answered, we answered back. I’m proud of the team and the offensive coaches. Williams took over and Mares was big.”
Dumas held a Decatur team well below its 49 point season average. They flustered LSU commit, Fuller, into two interceptions and held the senior under 50 percent passing.
Dumas 38, Decatur 35
Dumas 14 14 7 3 — 38
Decatur 14 7 14 — 35
First quarter
Dec— Chris Ragsdale 3 run (Chris Gross kick)
Dum— Spencer Williams 7 run (Ah Lee Yart kick)
Dum— Cito Rodriguez 9 pass from Spencer Williams (Yart kick)
Dec— Ragsdale 88 run (Gross kick)
Second quarter
Dec— Ragsdale 27 run (Gross kick)
Dum— Jacob Mares 3 run (Yart kick)
Dum— Damian Orozco 22 pass from Williams (Yart kick)
Third quarter
Dec— Ragsdale 1 run (Gross kick)
Dec— Layton Harris 11 pass from Roman Fuller (Gross kick)
Dum— Williams 7 run (Yart kick)
Fourth quarter
Dum— Yart 27 FG
Dumas Decatur
First Downs 29 18
Rushing Yards 358 217
Passing Yards 181 230
Total Yards 539 447
C-A-I 11-20-0 13-30-2
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Punts-avg. 4-30 3-43.7
Individual stats
Rushing— Dumas: Mares 25-179; Williams 21-123; Rodriguez 6-17. Decatur: Ragsdale 17-186.
Passing— Dumas: Williams 11-20-0-181; Decatur: Fuller 13-30-2-230.
Receiving—Dumas: Orozco 2-57; Kyle Stroebel 3-56. Decatur: Layton Harris 6-162.