Tuscaola Jim Ned seemed to blow its shot at a 3A Division I state championship almost instantly.
All-world Hallettsville running back Jonathon Brooks ran wild with 226 yards and two touchdowns – in the first half. The Brahmas took a commanding three-touchdown lead in the first half. In every way, Jim Ned appeared on its last legs.
But instead of panicking, Jim Ned took a deep breath and trusted the best unit on the team: Its own running game.
“I have to take my hat off to Coach Psencik, they had a great game plan,” Jim Ned coach Matt Fanning said. “They put us in some bad situations to throw the football and we panicked a little bit and had to go to some things that were not us. We knew if we were going to get back into the football game, we had to get back our style of football game.”
Down 21-7 late in the third quarter at their own 17-yard line, the Indians handed the ball to 2,000-yard rusher Xavier Wishert three straight times to get to midfield. After three more running plays between Wishert and quarterback Tate Yardley, the latter launched a 35-yard bomb to receiver Zach Henderson to cut the lead to one score.
“At that point in the game, I thought my motor has to run more than theirs does,” Wishert said. “My fifth gear has to be stronger than theirs. My will has to be stronger than theirs. It obviously showed and we went down and scored.”
After forcing the Texas signee Brooks into a rare fumble, Jim Ned handed the ball to Wishert nine straight times. He didn’t have the same explosive yardage as Brooks, but the short gains added up to 40 yards, wore down the fearsome Brahmas defense and set up a shocking game-tying touchdown.
“We knew he was good,” Hallettsville coach Tommy Psencik said. “I thought their offensive line really stepped up and blocked really well there. We were a little bit tired – that’s no excuse – but 5’s a good ballplayer.”
Well, No. 5 wasn’t going anywhere. Fanning handed Wishert the ball on three straight plays. On the final one, he barrelled in for a 17-yard touchdown.
Then, Fanning made a gutsy decision and called a hard count fade play that caught Hallettsville by surprise and cleared the way for a fade – right over the outstretched hands of Brooks – for a game-winning conversion.
“Once they were 21-0, I was telling everyone that this game isn’t over – It’s just the first half,” Wishert said. “We have a whole second half and I know we’re going to go out in the second half and get stops and win the football game.”
Wishert might not get the highlights or offers with his 186 rushing yards and game-clinching touchdown. He might not even get the headlines for leading the charge defensively and limiting the electric Brooks to just 48 yards in the second half with a team-leading 12 tackles. However, he leaves with something even more valuable: the first state championship in Jim Ned history.
“When the chips are down, X is going to make a play,” Fanning said. “He’s a big-time football player, and on both sides of the ball.”
No one in town expects this to be the end either. The graduating senior Henderson turned to the junior Wishert as the postgame interviews closed and clapped him on the shoulder.
“As long as they put their minds to it, they’re gonna be right here in these interviews next year.”
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