Late TD keeps Eagles’ playoff hopes alive
Eisenhower was in dire need of a win on Thursday night at Thorne Stadium.
A victory would keep the Eagles’ playoff chances alive. A defeat would end Eisenhower’s season and propel its Thursday night opponent, Dekaney, into the playoffs.
Eisenhower still has hope. Eagles quarterback Sevan Guidry scored on a 1yard keeper off the left tackle with 13 seconds remaining in the game, and Vicente Librado’s extra point was successful for the gamewinning point in Eisenhower’s dramatic 28-27 win over Dekaney.
“We knew what was on the line,” said Guidry, who rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns. “It was either win or go home.
“And it was senior night, so the seniors went out with a bang. We focused coming out of halftime (down 17-14). We knew we couldn’t quit.”
The Eagles outscored the Wildcats 14-0 in the fourth quarter.
On Guidry’s game-winning score, the clock was ticking and time running out on the Eagles’ season. Traveon Newsome, LaTrael Adams and Joel Mendoza threw clearing blocks.
“Score the ball,” Guidy said he was thinking. “Give me the ball and let’s score. Call my number. That’s how I felt.”
Eisenhower running back Waymon Finley rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles ran for 277 yards.
With the win, Eisenhower (4-6, 4-3) didn’t clinch a playoff spot. They remain in the hunt depending on the game between MacArthur and Spring to be played on Saturday.
“We have to have some help from Mac,” Eisenhower coach Eric Jackson said. “We just have to wait till Saturday to see what’s going on.
“Besides that, I’m happy for my kids. We just emphasized all week, ‘Let’s just win the ballgame.’ I’m glad our kids had enough heart and fight and came back two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.”
In defeat, the Wildcats rode the running of quarterback Daelyn Williams, who scored on touchdown runs of 72 and 10 yards.
Finley scored on touchdown runs of 8 and 7 yards. Finley’s 8-yard scoring run with 9:05 left in the game got the Eagles to within a touchdown at 27-21.
It was an evenly matched game early and was played for the most part in rain. The wet and cool conditions may have hampered ball security at times, but it didn’t deter each team from making its share of big plays on offense and defense.
Dekaney (6-4, 4-3) got a somewhat comfortable lead by outscoring Eisenhower 10-0 in the third quarter.
The Wildcats went ahead 27-14 by taking advantage of a short field. On their first two possessions of the third quarter, the Wildcats took over on the Eagles’ 29-yard line and 28-yard line. Those resulted in a 30-yard field goal by Enock Gota and a 10yard touchdown run by
Williams, respectively.
Both teams scored 14 points in the second quarter in a first half that concluded with Dekaney ahead 17-14 after four lead changes.
The active second quarter was highlighted by a 72yard touchdown run up the middle by Dekaney’s Williams.
Dekaney opened the game’s scoring on its second possession, a 37-yard field goal by Gota.
Eisenhower took the lead at 7-3. The short drive was set up on a blocked punt by Kevon Little, recovered by the Eagles on the Wildcats’ 17-yard line. Four plays later, Finley rambled in from 7 yards out on a crushing block by Newsome.
The Wildcats retook the lead 10-7 on Williams’ 72yard burst inside with 7:25 remaining before halftime.
The teams then exchanged touchdowns. Omarion Thomas-Keener’s 10-yard touchdown reception from Williams concluded the half’s scoring with 11 seconds left in the second quarter.
Gota of Dekaney was successful on field goals of 37 and 30 yards.
Dekaney came into Thursday in a tie for third place in 16-6A at 4-2 with MacArthur. Eisenhower came in at 3-3, alone in fifth place.
Dekaney defensive back Dylan Early intercepted Guidry on Eisenhower’s first possession and later added a third-quarter interception. Elroyal Morris led the linemen in disrupting Eisenhower’s offense in the first half.