Defending champ ends Pirates’ season

WHITEHOUSE, Texas— James Bowie has enjoyed a successful football season this year.

The Pirates, however, had the misfortune of running into defending state champion Mart in the area round of the Class 2A, Division II football playoffs Friday at Whitehouse’s Wildcat Stadium.

The final was Mart 66, James Bowie 8.

Pirate senior running back Ty Watts paced head coach Eddy May’s squad with 106 yards rushing on 29 carries. Watts also scored James Bowie’s lone touchdown on a 10-yard run with 1:37 remaining in the game. He then ran for the 2-point conversion.

“We knew it was going to be tough against a team like Mart (which crushed Saratoga West Hardin, 80-0, in bi-district), which has so many talented athletes,” said coach May. “But our players got in there and battled with them throughout the game. I was pleased with our effort and our players didn’t quit. Mart is just an extremely talented football team.”

The Pirates, District 2-2A runners-up to Clarksville, finish the season at 7-5 while Mart (11-1), which won last year’s Class 2A, Division I state title with a 15-1 record, advances to next week’s regional round against the winner of Friday night’s Grapeland-Detroit contest.

Mart lost its 2017 opener and then reeled off 15 straight wins en route to winning the state championship.

“I didn’t see them last year, but after seeing them today, I think they have as good a chance as anyone else to win state,” May said. “They look tough enough to repeat to me.”

Mart, which averages 54.7 points and has eclipsed 50 points or more in nine games this year, was paced by quarterback Kyler Martin, who passed for five touchdowns, including two each to Tyrek Horne and Anthony Sauceda. Horne also had a rushing touchdown and Shatydrick Bailey scored on runs of 72 and 55 yards.

The Panthers, who led 38-0 at halftime, have won nine straight games.