Mustangs’ perfect run foiled by Panthers
PORTER — Westfield might have been thinking about its rematch with Klein Collins since last season, but Lufkin stood in the Mustangs’ way.
The Panthers upset previously unbeaten Westfield 14-11 in the Class 6A Division II Region II semifinals Saturday afternoon at Texan Drive Stadium.
Lufkin advances to the fourth round for the first time since 2005.
“We had our chances,” Westfield coach Matt Meekins said. “We did a good job of fighting back and giving ourselves a chance. We’re never thinking ahead. All we’re thinking about is the next play. Any loss is tough, but hats off to Lufkin.”
Westfield lost to Klein Collins 20-17 in last year’s regional title game.
Lufkin improves to 11-2 and will face Longview (12-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches in the regional final. Longview upset previously unbeaten Klein Collins 30-24. Phillips leads way
Isaiah Phillips led the Panthers with 33 carries for 169 rushing yards and a touchdown.
“They did a successful job of running the ball,” Meekins said. “They were running zone play and locking the back side defensive end. Our safety wasn’t coming up, especially in the first half, and fitting like he was supposed to.”
A series of penalties with 2:38 left in the fourth quarter gave Lufkin the ball back after it had punted.
Westfield (11-1) had called for a fair catch but turned it over on a muff.
“On the turnover when they punted, (the officials) said our guy, when he was blocking, got knocked into our own guy, and calls that, and then I guess he touched it, and then they recovered it,” Meekins said.
Westfield eventually got a stop, forcing the Panthers to punt on fourth-and-6 with 51 seconds left.
The punt sailed about 20 yards over senior punter Max Quick after a botched snap, but he recovered the ball and kicked it soccer style.
The Mustangs needed to gain about 40 yards for a field goal to tie.
Westfield quarterback Terrance Gipson was sacked by March Thomas.
The Mustangs spiked it with 6 seconds left, and Lufkin’s defense stepped up again by stopping the ensuing series of laterals to end the game.
The Panthers dominated the first quarter, controlling the clock for seven minutes, but neither team was able to score.
Phillips added a couple of big runs to put the Mustangs in scoring position early in the first. That set up a 42-yard field-goal attempt by Leo Acevedo that was wide left. Nothing doing
After a Mustangs punt, quarterback Kewone Thomas threw his 19th touchdown pass of the year, a 7-yard slant from the right side to sophomore Ja’Lynn Polk for a 7-0 lead.
Westfield’s Marcus Moore picked off a pass in the end zone to give the Mustangs the ball back after the Panthers were trying to go up by two scores.
Noah Massey and Braelon Bland kept the momentum going with a couple of big plays that put the Mustangs in the red zone with two minutes left in the first half.
After a clipping penalty pushed it back to the 24yard line, Westfield settled for a 25-yard field goal by Brandon Amaya.
The Panthers took a 7-3 lead at halftime.
”We couldn’t sustain anything offensively, especially in the first half,” Meekins said.
In the second half, Thomas passed the 100yard rushing mark to set up a first down and then Polk had a huge catch to put Lufkin inside the 20.
The Panthers opted to go for it on fourth-and-inches from the 4. Thomas kept the ball and got enough for a fresh set of downs.
On the next play, Phillips got his 25th rushing touchdown of the season, going to the end zone untouched to give the Panthers a 14-3 lead.
A fourth-quarter interception set up Edwin Allen’s 1-yard touchdown run that pulled Westfield within a score. The Mustangs went for two, and Massey was found open in the end zone to make it 14-11 for the final margin.
All of the Mustangs’ points came off turnovers.