Mesquite Poteet survives Bastrop's charge
December, 4, 2010
12/04/10
5:51
PM CT
By Chad Conine | ESPNDallas.com
WACO, Texas -- Mesquite Poteet seems to have the playoff routine mastered.
The Pirates survive. The Pirates advance.
Poteet surged to a 14-point lead in the first half, then outlasted Bastrop in a second-half shootout in claiming a 42-35 victory Saturday at Waco ISD Stadium.
In doing so, Poteet earned a state semifinal date with top-ranked Aledo, to be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mansfield's Vernon Newsom Stadium.
The Pirates (12-2), who defeated Highland Park last week, will try to fell another of the state's perennial powers in the Bearcats (14-0).
"I'd rather be playing a premiere program," Poteet quarterback Beau Nowell said. "I want to beat the best. From what I've heard I'm ready for the challenge."
Nowell passed for 392 yards and four touchdowns in boosting Poteet over Bastrop. He completed three passes for 67 yards on the go-ahead touchdown drive midway through the fourth quarter. Poteet running back Steven Hicks capped the march with a 13-yard touchdown run, breaking a 35-35 tie with 4:37 remaining in the fourth quarter.
But it took one more timely defensive play for the Pirates to secure the win.
Bastrop quarterback Josiah Monroe passed for 476 yards and rushed for 115 as he powered the Bears' second-half comeback.
Monroe moved Bastrop in position for a tying score at the Poteet 35, but the Bears' progress was impeded by a personal foul penalty that pushed them back to the 50. That led to a fourth-and-11 from the Pirates 36, but when Monroe tried to scramble for another first down, Poteet defensive end Paul Kamanda tripped him up in the backfield.
After making the sack, Kamanda recovered a fumble on the Pirates' ensuing offensive first down as he went above and beyond to save the Poteet win.
"He comes up big every week," Poteet coach Randy Jackson said.
Nowell connected with receiver Justin Velasquez for the ninth time of the day to gain another critical first down, which allowed the Pirates to run out the remaining time in the fourth quarter.
Jackson said he wasn't surprised his team ultimately had to outlast the Bastrop offense.
"Everybody got tired," Jackson said. "It was such a high-tempo game. That's probably the fastest team we've played all year and we try to play fast too. I just kept thinking we've got to keep two scores ahead of them because we were tired also."
Poteet's habit of winning the turnover battle played a huge role again against Bastrop. Poteet's Trevon Jackson and Greg Meek intercepted passes in the first half and Meek added a fumble recovery as the Pirate defense shut out the Bears through the first two quarters.
The Pirates survive. The Pirates advance.
Poteet surged to a 14-point lead in the first half, then outlasted Bastrop in a second-half shootout in claiming a 42-35 victory Saturday at Waco ISD Stadium.
In doing so, Poteet earned a state semifinal date with top-ranked Aledo, to be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mansfield's Vernon Newsom Stadium.
The Pirates (12-2), who defeated Highland Park last week, will try to fell another of the state's perennial powers in the Bearcats (14-0).
"I'd rather be playing a premiere program," Poteet quarterback Beau Nowell said. "I want to beat the best. From what I've heard I'm ready for the challenge."
Nowell passed for 392 yards and four touchdowns in boosting Poteet over Bastrop. He completed three passes for 67 yards on the go-ahead touchdown drive midway through the fourth quarter. Poteet running back Steven Hicks capped the march with a 13-yard touchdown run, breaking a 35-35 tie with 4:37 remaining in the fourth quarter.
But it took one more timely defensive play for the Pirates to secure the win.
Bastrop quarterback Josiah Monroe passed for 476 yards and rushed for 115 as he powered the Bears' second-half comeback.
Monroe moved Bastrop in position for a tying score at the Poteet 35, but the Bears' progress was impeded by a personal foul penalty that pushed them back to the 50. That led to a fourth-and-11 from the Pirates 36, but when Monroe tried to scramble for another first down, Poteet defensive end Paul Kamanda tripped him up in the backfield.
After making the sack, Kamanda recovered a fumble on the Pirates' ensuing offensive first down as he went above and beyond to save the Poteet win.
"He comes up big every week," Poteet coach Randy Jackson said.
Nowell connected with receiver Justin Velasquez for the ninth time of the day to gain another critical first down, which allowed the Pirates to run out the remaining time in the fourth quarter.
Jackson said he wasn't surprised his team ultimately had to outlast the Bastrop offense.
"Everybody got tired," Jackson said. "It was such a high-tempo game. That's probably the fastest team we've played all year and we try to play fast too. I just kept thinking we've got to keep two scores ahead of them because we were tired also."
Poteet's habit of winning the turnover battle played a huge role again against Bastrop. Poteet's Trevon Jackson and Greg Meek intercepted passes in the first half and Meek added a fumble recovery as the Pirate defense shut out the Bears through the first two quarters.
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Travis L. Brown
Travis L. Brown covers high schools for ESPNDallas.com. He is a graduate of TCU, where he was sports editor of the student paper, The Daily Skiff.
Randy Jennings
Randy Jennings covers south Metroplex high schools for ESPNDallas.com. His 34-year career as a sports writer includes eight years at the Dallas Morning News. Jennings is a graduate of UT-Arlington.
Jeff Andrews
Jeff Andrews covers north Metroplex high schools for ESPNDallas.com. He covered high school sports for four years at the Denton Record-Chronicle. Andrews is a graduate of UNT.
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