WOLVERINES

Leflore County put the football in the end zone twice the rest of the half to take their first lead of the game at 12-10 late in the second quarter but left enough time on the clock for Brand to work. The senior quarterback drove his team down the field and got them in position for Burleson, who hit another 30-yard field goal for the 13-12 halftime lead.

The Wolverines kept the momentum in the third quarter getting a three and out and then taking the ball 62 yards on their next possession. Jhitwan Rogers

finished the drive off with a 3-yard score and the Wolverines were up 20-13.

The Tigers answered with a touchdown run of their own breaking one for 80 yards and cutting the lead to 20-18.

It was all Wolverines after that. Conner Shurden hauled in a 9-yard touchdown from Brand and a fumble led to another drive and Brand ran it in from a yard away to push that lead out to 33-18 as the final quarter began.

Down 36-18 after Burleson hit his third field goal of the game, Leflore had a last gasp effort getting the football in the end zone and cut the lead to 10 with 7:42

left at 36-26. They made things interesting after getting a defensive stop and drove 99 yards ending it with a 49-yard touchdown pass and cut it to 36-32 with under 2 minutes left, but it was too late as the Wolverines ran the clock out and survived.

“We asked them on Monday if they could just go 1-0 this week,” East Webster head coach Ron Price said. “We were in the situation where the playoffs were on the line and then Keevon Patterson goes down with an injury and his brother Issac is a senior playing harder for his brother. Every time we needed a play (Thursday night), somebody made it.”

Brand made plenty of plays for the Wolverines as his stat line showed. He rushed 27 times for 161 yards with a touchdown, and also completed 5-of-13 pass attempts for 68 yards with two more scores.

Jhi Rogers had 101 yards rushing on 12 carries for East Webster.

The Wolverines earned their playoff spot in a tough division that includes Winona, Calhoun City and Eupora, which all got wins over East Webster over the last three games. After making it deep into the playoffs the last two seasons, the Wolverines were in the middle of a rebuilding year

under first-year coach Price and he couldn't be prouder of how they continued to fight through adversity and earn a shot next week.

“Nothing has come easy for us this year,” Price said. “We've had injury after injury and we've had to battle. These kids are learning life lessons right now that you just keep fighting. I'm very proud that they get the opportunity to play some more games.”

The Wolverines will play their first playoff game on the road against either Philadelphia or Scott Central. Those two teams play for their district championship tonight.