Area Teams Go 2-4 in Next to Last Week of Regular Season
Week 10 Recap
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
EAST TEXAS – Week 10 was not a kind week to area football teams as they stumbled to a mark of 2-4 in the next to last week of the 2021 regular season. For two teams – Grapeland and Elkhart – this was the last game of the season as they have a bye next week and have been eliminated from the postseason.
The Grapeland Sandies traveled to Jewett last Friday to take on the Leon Cougars. The Sandies knew if they won, they would clinch a playoff berth. A loss by more than 10 and they were on the outside looking in.
Grapeland played tough throughout the first half and went to the locker room at halftime tied at 14. A pair of turnovers on their first two possessions of the second half led to two TDs from the Cougars who opened up a 28-14 lead by the end of the third.
Try as they might, the Sandies didn’t have an answer for the Leon rushing attack as they fell by a final score of 36-14. Grapeland ends the season with a record of 4-6.
The Crockett Bulldogs were at home on Friday as they welcomed the Coldspring-Oakhurst Trojans to town.
Crockett was banged up entering the contest and it showed as they fell behind by a score of 28-0 at the half. Things didn’t get any better in the second half as the Trojans continued to dominate on their way to a 46-0 win.
In Lovelady, the Lions were one of the two teams to walk off the field on Friday night with a win. Lovelady hosted the Cushing Bearkats and thumped ‘em on their way to a 38-0 win.
The win secured the second-seed out of District 9-2A DII for the Lions and gave them some wiggle room to give their less-experienced players some playing time in their season finale against the Overton Mustangs.
The Elkhart Elks season came to a close on Friday night as the Huntington Red Devils ventured into Jerry Ives Memorial Stadium.
The Elks came out strong and opened up a 14-point lead in the first half of play. Unfortunately, that was all the Elks could muster as the Red Devils came roaring back to take the lead and then held on to pick up the 20-14 win.
The loss brings Elkhart’s season to a close with an overall record of 4-6 and a district mark of 1-5.
The Westwood Panthers are heading to the playoffs after a big win over the Trinity Tigers last Friday night.
The Panthers started strong in the game as they opened up a 36-0 lead by the half. The Tigers were simply no match for Westwood who would have pitched a shut out if not for a busted coverage and missed tackles on a fourth-and-22.
Still and all, the Panthers defense played solid throughout the game as they cruised to an easy 49-6 win over the Tigers.
Rounding out the area teams, the Palestine Wildcats fell to the Lindale Eagles by a final score of 53-23. The Wildcats found themselves in an early hole after the Eagles scored on their second play from scrimmage.
Things didn’t get any better as the game wore on as Palestine found itself trailing by a score of 46-8 at the half.
Fortunately, the Wildcats had already clinched a playoff berth because even though the second half of the game was better than the first, the Wildcats were unable to dig themselves out of the hole they created in the first half.
The loss ends the Wildcats regular season at 5-5. They will enter the playoffs in two weeks as the #3 seed out of District 9-4A DI.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected]
