That’s about all Glen Rose did wrong.
West Plains ran into a buzz-saw of a passing attack by fast-starting Glen Rose that pumped out 31 first-half points on its way to a 45-13 victory over the Wolves in a Class 4A Division II state quarterfinal game on Joe Golding Field at Memorial Stadium.
The loss ends West Plains (12-2) dream season of reaching the fourth round of the playoffs in only the second year as a school, along with earning a top 10 ranking and running off 12 straight wins.
West Plains coach Adam Cummings praised the play of 10-4 Glen Rose and the grit of his own team.
“Glen Rose is a good football team,” Cummings said. “They are as advertised. They are a young team that matured and came on late. A lot of credit to them. We just kind of got behind the eight ball a little bit and when you are playing that good of a team it’s hard to dig yourself out of the hole.
“At the end of the day just I’m really proud of our kids. We never quit and kept fighting. That is a testament to our kids.”
Six offensive plays into the game for Glen Rose Evans had completed touchdown passes of 51 yards to Kaleb Baker and 46 to elusive Josiah Groeneweg for a 14-7 lead with 7:11 to play in the first quarter.
“We had the start that we needed,” said Glen Rose coach Cliff Watkins, his team starting the year out at 1-4 and advances to the state semifinals for the second straight year. “The third or fourth play of the game we score. We get the ball back and in two plays we score. That’s what we needed to get our confidence and a little of ‘Oh my gosh, what’s going on here.’ Because they hadn’t been in that situation all year.”
Baker was left wide open behind the West Plains secondary in an obvious coverage bust for the first score 49 seconds into the game, then Groeneweg punched West Plains in the gut scoring 28 seconds after West Plains had answered Glen Rose’s first TD with a 62-ytard drive capped off with senior running back Jordi Hernandez scoring from two yards out.
“I figured they would keep going but we would, too,” said Hernandez, who led West Plains with 52 yards rushing on 16 carries. “It just didn’t go our way. I don’t know what was going on with us.”
Glen Rose held the lead for good at 14-7, stretching the margin to 31-7 at half and adding a pair of second-half TDs, one a 79-yard kickoff return by Groeneweg 4 seconds after West Plains sophomore QB Reid Macon had run up the middle for 7 yards making the score 31-13 with 3:20 to play in third.
Glen Rose finished with 431 yards of offense, 367 yards through the air with Camden Raymond the leading rusher at 50 yards and a covey of receivers teaming with Evans to get the job done in Baker (5 catches, 134 yards), Adrian Sanchez (8-115), Groeneweg (7-91) and Raymond (5 catches, 21 yards).
West Plains senior Jarrett Diggs, a standout on both sides of the Wolves line, couldn’t get pressure to Evans for a good reason.
“It was a challenge. Here. There. Gone. Snap the ball and get it away,” Diggs said. “By the time I was getting to the quarterback the ball was 15 yards down the field.
“Look, I don’t regret anything. I loved this season.”
Evans said have so many targets to connect with, along with a coach who is married to the pass, makes things tough on opponents defenses.
“We are a pass heavy offense,” Evans said. “I mean we pass it more than anybody in the state. … it’s awesome to have that many guys who can catch it. It’s so hard to defend especially if you can go through your progression. And you have coaches like Coach Watkins who knows how to throw the ball and loves to throw ball.
“We have the route tree and know we have and to just have execute it. So they have seven guys back in coverage. But when you know how to pass you can chop things up and once we got that going we can get the run going and it all pieces together.
“Of course, I thought it was going to be back and forth. You never count anybody out. But you have to come out and do what you do and focus on not making errors.”
Cummings had high praise for Glen Rose saying “they had a really good game plan. They do a good job and have good kids. They have been to this round before and the last five years have been consistent.”
West Plains coaches and players stayed in the locker room a good 30 minutes after the game talking and giving out hugs. With 27 seniors on the roster, a 12-2 season, lasing until the fourth round of the playoffs, it was a tremendous and emotional ride for the Wolves.
Said WP head coach Cummings:
“We never quit and kept fighting. That is a testament to our kids. I’m so proud of these kids and just everything they have done. We talked about it behind closed doors. They haven’t flinched at anything we have thrown at them. Just been all-in from day one. I am very proud of the foundation they put down for us and the standard they have set. They have set the bar high. I just can’t say enough about this group.”
Said WP senior RB Hernandez:
“It was a great season. I wouldn’t want to be a part of any another team or any another coaching staff. We could have played better. It is what it is.
“This was an honor being a senior this year. We hold up a standard for our upcoming seniors and everyone. We just hope that they keep it. I’m going to make sure they keep it. Good luck to them next season.”
Said WP senior two-way starting linemen Diggs:
“Playing Bushland feels like last week,” Diggs said. “This season has just flown by and it’s been great to play with my brothers and build on it. Just look how far we have come. Only a second-year program and already in the fourth round of the playoffs. We are just building and building. The young guys are going to build on this and we hope to be this far every year.”
Diggs saw his senior teammate and fellow two-way starting lineman Dawson Hall have to leave the game nine plays in after a knee injury.
“Let’s do this for Dawson,” Diggs said if his message to his teammates. “It was hard not being with The Duo but we still tried to make it work.”
Said Glen Rose coach Cliff Watkins:
“I talked to Coach Cummings before the game. I just said what an incredible job he has done. Two rounds the first year and to play for the regional title in year two? That’s phenomenal. They have a quality staff and do such a great job. That was our biggest concern that they were sound everywhere. We are like, ‘Hey, we can do this. Hey, we can do that.’ No. They are sound everywhere so we have to go out and play well and hope it works out. Hats off to those guys and the future at West Plains is unbelievable.”
Said GP quarterback Evans:
“West Plains was a phenomenal team. They are good. They are physical. They weren’t easy to beat. That could have been a see-saw game it came down three plays, maybe a pick six and it’s different. These games don’t always look as close as they are. Shout out to West Plains, they were a good team. They weren’t easy to beat.”