PLANO — Joseph Harvey kicked a 33-yard field goal with 1:17 remaining as Sherman overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Waxahachie in the Class 4A Division I area round.
Sherman (9-3) will play Rockwall-Heath in a Region II semifinal next week.
In the final quarter, Sherman’s defense forced three turnovers in Waxahachie territory, including two that helped set up Kolby Milner’s game-tying 2-yard touchdown run and the game-winning field goal. Sherman’s JT Luper then intercepted a pass with 49 seconds left the game to secure the victory.
Luper also caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Gus Daniel in the fourth quarter to begin the comeback by Sherman and cut the deficit to 35-28. Luper finished with 137 total yards — 59 rushing yards and team-high 78 receiving yards
Braylon Mitchell had a game-high 134 rushing yards, including a 60-yard touchdown run on Sherman’s first offensive play. Don King III threw for 256 yards and a touchdown for Waxahachie (9-3).
Rowlett 48, Copperas Cove 38
ARLINGTON — Rowlett rolled up 629 yards of offense and still needed to convert a critical fourth down to hold off Copperas Cove, 48-38, Friday night at Cowboys Stadium.
Rowlett was clinging to a seven-point lead and facing fourth-and-4 with 2:54 left when Corey Chappell gained 39 yards on a reverse to the Copperas Cove 10.
Four plays later, Nick Bruno kicked a 23-yard field goal to give Rowlett a two-score lead with 1:27 left.
The teams combined for 982 yards of offense in the Class 5A Division II area round game which ended after midnight. Touchdowns were scored on eight consecutive possessions during one stretch of the late-night shootout.
Rowlett (8-4) never punted, while Copperas Cove (10-2) punted on two of its first three possessions, which might have been the difference in the game.
As much as offenses dominated, Rowlett’s defense was a factor. Linebacker Blake Glenn recovered a fumble and had an interception, both in the fourth quarter, and Ony Nwokoye intercepted a pass in the second quarter.
Grant Bothun was 21-of-26 passing for 331 yards and three touchdowns to lead Rowlett. Jalen Rhodes rushed for 196 yards and two scores. Chappell had 45 yards rushing and 117 receiving, while Rashid Turner had 11 catches for 186 yards and a touchdown.
After Copperas Cove blocked an extra point attempt, Brandon Hamilton returned the ensuing kickoff 101 yards to cut Rowlett’s lead to 37-31 entering the fourth quarter. Rowlett then missed a field goal, but Glenn pounced on a Copperas Cove fumble with less than seven minutes to play.
Rowlett converted the turnover into a touchdown and a 45-31 lead, but Copperas Cove answered with a touchdown on a trick play with 4:22 left. Rowlett’s defense was deceived into thinking play had been stopped when Orlando Thomas threw to a wide open Johnny Sirmans for a 34-yard score.
Rowlett will play the winner of Saturday’s game between Spring Westfield and Leander.
Arlington Bowie 49, El Paso Franklin 24
MIDLAND — Arlington Bowie rolled up 385 yards rushing en route to a victory over El Paso Franklin in a Class 5A Division I area-round playoff game Friday afternoon.
Bowie (9-3) advanced to play the winner of Saturday’s game between Cedar Hill and Southlake Carroll.
Junior running back Eric Rivers ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass for Bowie (9-3). Blake Bradford chipped in 130 yards rushing and a pair of scores.
Rivers opened the scoring on the game’s second play, sprinting around right end and down the Franklin sideline for a 73-yard run to put Bowie up 7-0. Franklin (10-2) responded with 10 straight points to end the first quarter with a 10-7 advantage.
Franklin’s first score was a 35-yard field goal by Daniel Moreno, which capped a 19-play drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock. After stopping Bowie on downs, Franklin took the lead on a 54-yard touchdown run by Vinnie Garcia.
Bowie rattled off three straight scores in the second quarter to take a 28-10 halftime lead. Rivers got his second score of the game on a 21-yard run and hit Jordan Versey on a 20-yard pass to make it 21-10 Bowie.
Bowie put the game out of reach by scoring 21 straight points in the third and fourth quarters.
Lake Dallas 48, El Paso Burges 7
ODESSA — Dalyn Williams threw for 248 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Lake Dallas (9-3) had 493 yards of total offense in beating El Paso Burges (9-3) in a Class 4A Division II area-round playoff game.
Lake Dallas will take on Stephenville in a Region I semifinal at 2 p.m. Friday at Justin Northwest ISD Stadium.
Lake Dallas scored on its third play from scrimmage as Williams hooked up with Ferrando Joseph Jr. on a 60-yard scoring pass to make it 6-0. Lake Dallas extended its lead to 20-0 at halftime on touchdown runs by Dontonio Jordan and Tre Dickerson, then moved down the field in less than a minute to open the third quarter as Joseph caught his second touchdown pass of the night, a 15-yarder from Williams.
Kilgore 14, Lancaster 6
CORSICANA — Dondra Halton scored two first-half rushing touchdowns, and Kilgore held off Lancaster in a Class 4A Division II area-round game.
Kilgore advanced to face the winner of Saturday’s matchup between Frisco and Lincoln.
Quarterback Davon Hodge scored on a 1-yard run with 4:25 remaining as Lancaster (9-3) cut Kilgore’s lead to 14-6. The extra point attempt was blocked.
Lancaster got the ball back but turned it over on downs with 53 seconds remaining, coming up inches short on a fourth-and-7 play.
Lancaster outgained Kilgore, 116-40, in the second half but scored only once. Kilgore recorded only two first downs in the second half.
Austin Jordan recovered the opening kickoff at the Lancaster 27 following a muffed return. Behind its power rushing attack, Kilgore marched 27 yards in five plays and went ahead 7-0 when Halton scored on a 9-yard run.
Lancaster went three-and-out on its first three possessions and did not record a first down until 10 minutes remained in the second quarter.
Kilgore took over at its 47-yard line with 7:45 remaining in the second quarter following a 13-yard Lancaster punt. Kilgore kept it on the ground for all 11 plays and went ahead 14-0 with 2:22 remaining before half when Halton scored on a 1-yard run.
LD Anthony, who has committed to TCU, led Kilgore with 22 carries for 78 yards.
Corsicana 47, Sulphur Springs 33
MESQUITE — Cameron Washington rushed for 320 yards and four touchdowns to lead Corsicana to victory in a Class 4A Division II area-round game.
DeVontay Bell added 108 yards and a touchdown on the ground and also threw a touchdown pass for Corsicana (11-1), which advanced to play Frisco Centennial.
Justin Owens passed for 357 yards and two touchdowns for Sulphur Springs, and Willy Ivery added seven receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Ivery also had a fumble recovery for a score.
But Sulphur Springs turned the ball over five times and had 12 penalties for 100 yards.
Washington scored on runs of 10, 12 and 78 yards to boost Corsicana’s lead to 33-0 with 3:40 left in the third quarter.
Sulphur Springs got on the board 1:18 later when Ivery hauled in a 45-yard touchdown pass, then pulled to within 33-12 early in the fourth quarter on Owens’ 55-yard TD pass to Ivery on 4th-and-15.
Two touchdowns within 11 seconds late in the fourth quarter brought Sulphur Springs to within 14 with 1:29 remaining, but it was unable to recover an onside kick.
Waco Midway 42, Fort Worth Boswell 7
MIDLOTHIAN — B.J. Kelly ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns to lead Waco Midway past Fort Worth Boswell in the Class 4A Division I area round.
Midway (9-2) will face the winner of Saturday’s Denton Ryan against El Paso Andress game.
Midway amassed 383 yards rushing, including 132 yards from DeChaar Greer.
Killeen 60, Fort Worth Arlington Heights 25
WAXAHACHIE — Killeen (8-4) gained almost 500 yards of offense in the first half and cruised to a win over Fort Worth Arlington Heights (9-3) in the area round of the Class 4A Division I playoffs.
Naaman Young had a pair of first-half rushing touchdowns for Killeen, and running backs William Mathews and Daniel McCants added scoring runs. McCants led Killeen’s ground game with 133 rushing yards.
Killeen will play the winner of Saturday’s game between Wichita Falls Rider and El Paso Chapin.