Author Archive | Thad Fenton, Contributing Photographer

#34 Andre Morman hurdles into the end zone for a 2nd Q TD./Photo by Thad Fenton.

Although the outcome didn’t go Plano’s way, Friday night’s debut of the Plano-Allen rivalry in Allen’s new state-of-the-art stadium was everything a high school football fan could want.  Scoring in every quarter.  Big plays by both offenses and defenses.  An underdog on the brink of an upset.  It was the last game of the regular season coming down to which team came up with possession after an on-side kick with half a minute left in the game.

The Wildcats struck first in the 1st quarter with a rushing TD by #5 Braylan Campbell capped by a PAT by #96 Jourdan Escobar.   Allen’s offense was still feeling out Plano’s defense, and had to settle for a FG.  The 1st quarter ended with Plano up 7-3 and driving on offense.

Seconds into the 2nd quarter #21 Richard Lagow connected with a pass to #16 Mitchell Hansen along the Eagles sideline, and Hansen carried the ball into the end zone.  With the PAT Plano was ahead by 11 points.  Five minutes of regulation later #34 Andre Morman hurdled over low-flying Allen defenders to score, and with the help of Escobar Plano now had an 18 point lead.  But on the next drive Allen found a solution to Plano’s defense and scored their first TD, and with the PAT it was 21-10.  They repeated this feat five minutes later, and with 35 seconds left in the half Plano’s lead had been whittled down to 4 points, 21-17.  Lagow took a knee to end the half.

Refreshed by the break, the two teams struggled to make headway on offense until #5 Campbell rushed the goal line for his second TD of the night with 4:17 left in the 3rd quarter.  Two and a half minutes later Allen replied with a rushing TD of their own, and with a successful 2-point conversion narrowed the score to 28-25.  That score would hold to the end of the quarter.

The Wildcats offensive line holds as Plano passes for 263 yds & rushes for 69./Photo by Thad Fenton.

Allen carried over their momentum from the 3rd quarter and tipped the scales in their favor 32-28 with a rushing touchdown and PAT with 9:43 remaining on the clock.  Allen added a buffer with a FG at the 4:05 mark, and Plano was down by 7, 35-28.  Plano’s offensive drive sputtered, and as Allen took possession Plano’s coaches challenged the Wildcats defense to make a stand.  And they did with smothering, helmet-popping pressure that stymied the Eagles offense.  The stadium was roaring like the launch of a moon rocket.

Lagow marched his offense down the field, and with 35 seconds left on the clock connected with a pass down the center to #2 Corbin Whitehair.  Whitehair had caught the ball with his fingers on extended arms as it dropped in front of him, desperately scrambling to stay on his feet until he crossed the goal line, with Eagles defenders literally at his heels.  As he crashed into the end zone the ball was still stuck to his hands as if they were dipped in Gorilla Glue.  It was now Allen 35, Plano 34, with 35 seconds left in the game.  The crowded stadium was on its feet.  Lagow returned to the field – Plano was going for a 2-point conversion and the win.  Lagow looked to Hansen in the back left corner of the end zone and fired.  A beefy Eagle defender in his face, Hansen lept up over the head of the defender and grabbed the ball with both arms extended, but as he came down to the turf the defender pryed the ball loose before Hansen could tuck it.  Despite Hansen’s incredible effort, the ref ruled that the receiver didn’t have control in the end zone, the pass was incomplete.

#2 Corbin Whitehair stretches for the TD catch in the last minute of the game as #12 Devon Richardson ends his decoy route./Photo by Thad Fenton.

But Plano had one more shot – an offside kick.  Escobar huddled his kickoff squad for the play and executed a bouncing short kick toward the Allen sideline that deflected off an Allen player, then through the hands of a Wildcat, and then was lost in a seething pile of players.  After what seemed an eternity, the refs peeled back the layers of players and pointed toward the north end zone – Allen’s ball.  The Allen quarterback lined up back for the snap and took a knee, ending the game to the relief of Eagles fans and heartbreak for the Wildcats faithful.

Official Offensive Stats:  For individual offensive stats, please click 2012 PSH Player Offensive Stats-ALLEN 11-9-12.
For team offensive stats vs. Allen, please click 2012 Team Stats PSH vs ALLEN 11-9-12.
For kicking stats for the Allen game and cumulative for the 2012 season, please click 2012 Team Kicking Summary Allen-Cumulative 11-9-12

Official Defensive Stats:  For individual defensive stats for the Allen game, please click 2012 PSH Individual Defensive Stats-Allen Game 11-9-12
For individual defensive stats cumulative for the regular 2012 season, please click 2012 Cumulative Reg Season Defensive Stats