Wildcats' quest for state title ends 35-14
By PERRYN KEYS The Enterprise

Photo courtesy Esther Fuller Photography KIRBYVILLE'S PIERCE RHODES rushed for 118 yards on 22 carries in the loss to China Spring. It was Rhodes final game as a Kirbyville Wildcat.

As the final minutes of Friday night's playoff game ticked away at Kyle Field, the Kirbyville Wildcats started to realize that a memorable season was coming to an end.

Some players stared toward the grass. Some wept. Others walked up to Pierce Rhodes, their superstar running back, and offered up a bear hug.

Hard as it was for all of them to believe, the scoreboard didn't lie. On a night when every remaining team from Southeast Texas bowed out, China Spring defeated Kirbyville 35- 14 in the Class 3A Division II regional semifinals.

"Hey, we just got beat," coach Jack Alvarez said with a shrug. "We missed a bunch of opportunities early. All the things that went right for us last week, they went wrong this week."

Indeed.

The Wildcats actually outgained China Spring in total yards, 324-303. But a handful of miscues and missed opportunities doomed Kirbyville, which fell victim to a madcap third quarter that saw the Cougars score three times in short order.

The Wildcats had a productive first drive but fumbled inside the Cougars' 10-yard line. On their next possession, Kirbyville tried to convert on a fourth-and-10 - and nearly did, but Rhodes missed what seemed to be a sure touchdown pass.

China Spring (12-1) took a 7-0 lead before the Wildcats (11-2) answered with a touchdown drive of their own, although their two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving them behind by one, 7-6, at the half.

"We told our kids we were going to try coming out in the third quarter and take control. That was the big message at halftime," China Spring coach Mark Bell said. "Those (Kirbyville) guys did a great job over there, and they're a really good football team. They had us there for a while, and they definitely came to play."

The Wildcats again opened with a bang in the third quarter - but instead

of pulling ahead, they fell farther behind. Kirbyville got a 47-yard pass from quarterback Aaron Hazlewood to receiver Randy Musgrove, and the Wildcats drove to the 10-yard line.

But Hazlewood was intercepted in the end zone on a fourth-and-two, and China Spring responded by driving quickly down the field - in 2 minutes, 16 seconds - scoring on a 36-yard hitch-and-go from Dustin Eskew to receiver Taylor Higdon.

On the next series, when the Wildcats stalled, Alvarez called for a fake punt. The Cougars stopped them for a 2- yard loss.

"I was just trying to do something - and heck, we had a shot at it," Alvarez said. "I got a little impatient and I tried to make something happen there, and it didn't pay off. So I left us a little short out there. I take full responsibility." China Spring added two more touchdowns in the third quarter, leaving Kirbyville with too much ground to make up.

Rhodes, playing his final game in high school, led the team with 118 yards on 22 carries. Hazlewood finished with 130 passing yards - 82 of which went to Musgrove, who broke the 1,000-yard barrier during the game.

The Wildcats were intercepted four times and lost one fumble.

Fans all across the region were hoping Kirbyville and West Orange-Stark would win Friday, setting up a District 21-3A rematch in the regional finals next week. It was not to be.

On the other half of the bracket, the Mustangs lost Friday to Waco La Vega, 20-12.

La Vega and China Spring advanced to face each other at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Floyd Casey Stadium.

"We had our chances; we just didn't make the plays we needed to win the game," Alvarez said. "Those guys had a good football team, and they played well. But I'm proud of my kids, and we've got a good crew, too."