Every worn-out Plainview player kneeled during the postgame prayer, except for one. The sole standee simultaneously wept, laughed and gasped for breath.
That’s what a district clash with Sulphur will do.
The Indians orchestrated a 59-yard game-winning drive — capped by a 14-yard TD pass from Wes Davis to Blake Campo — to stay unbeaten in District 2A-4 with a 20-14 win over Sulphur Friday night at Agee Field.
For Sulphur, it was a return to grace from a 43-7 rivalry game loss to Davis the previous week. Trailing 14-7 at halftime with 50 yards of offense to its credit, Sulphur (5-4, 4-2) imposed its throwback ball-control run game, hogging possession for a majority of the second half (14 minutes, 7 seconds).
For Plainview, it was its first true test in eight weeks. Since a two-point loss to Elgin in the season opener, the Indians (8-1, 6-0) haven’t had to stress for four quarters. But a turnover on downs on fourth-and-goal at the Sulphur 5 kept the Bulldogs alive.
Sulphur took advantage, marching 95 yards in 13 plays. When Chris Turrobiartes scampered left to score on a 9-yard run with 1:59 to go, and Logan Grinstead kicked the extra point to tie, overtime looked likely.
“We came together unlike I’ve ever seen,” senior lineman Blake Smith said. “That’s basically the first round of our playoffs.”
“As soon as they scored it was about ‘you’ve got 1:59 to go win this game,’” Plainview coach Chris Berus said. “After Sulphur scored, the kids were still fighting and battling, coming to play the next down.”
Davis — returning his first kickoff of the season — set the Indians up with a short field. An All-Ardmoreite Super Team kick returner as a junior, Davis fielded the Sulphur kickoff around the Plainview 20 and made his way to the Sulphur 46. A 5-yard face mask penalty put the Indians on the Sulphur 41 with 1:59 remaining.
Davis then completed 3-of-3 passes on four plays. He connected with Will Roberts (two catches, 55 yards) for a 20-yard gain on first down, then fell on a bobbled snap for minus-8 yards, pushing the Indians back to second-and-18 from the Sulphur 28.
The negative yardage didn’t matter. Davis found Bear Sluice on a 14-yard gain, then hit Campo for the winner.
Campo, who had 165 all-purpose yards, received the middle screen and ran nearly untouched to score with 20 seconds left.
On Sulphur’s final play from scrimmage, quarterback Ty Williams went deep and was picked off by Ryan Capps — which sealed Plainview’s battle of district unbeatens with No. 1 Davis in the regular-season finale.
“I think we just played our best football game of the year,” said Davis, who finished 7-of-13 with 141 yards passing, 92 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
On the Indians’ second drive of the game, they went ahead 6-0 on a Davis 5-yard run. The Bulldogs went three-and-out on the next series, but Turrobiartes recovered a Lane Sprouse fumble at the Sulphur 31 with 56 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs then went on a drive that lasted 2:55, carrying over into the second quarter and completed with a Williams-to-Dillon Dilbeck 14-yard play-action pass TD at 10:41.
Plainview responded with a 12-play, 61-yard scoring drive. On third-and-17 at the Sulphur 22, Campo caught a 21-yard pass from Davis, who followed with a 1-yard TD run and two-point conversion pass to Sprouse for a 14-7 advantage.
“It was up and down and both teams had momentum and runs,” said Sulphur assistant Corey Cole, who coached Plainview from 2007-08. “I’m excited for them to be doing well, but very disappointed that we lost.”
Sulphur’s Dylan Walker carried 17 times for 56 yards and Williams completed 5-of-8 passes for 89 yards, including passes of 33 and 27 yards on Sulphur’s game-tying drive.
“It was a tough loss, but we got beat by a good football team,” Sulphur coach Jim Dixon said. “I’m proud of our kids for coming back and playing like they did.
“Five and four (record) at Sulphur is not great, but we’ve lost to four outstanding ball clubs.”
Erik K. Horne
221-6522
