BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
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ARLINGTON – Thanksgiving weekend is still one of the best weekends when it comes to the Texas high school football playoffs. Entering Friday, 54 local teams were still playing – spanning both the UIL and TAPPS.
At Choctaw Stadium Friday afternoon, Argyle and Prosper Walnut Grove met in a Class 5A D2 regional semifinal game – featuring two high scoring offenses.
Walnut Grove came in averaging 52.4 points per game while Argyle wasn’t far behind at 47. 4. The first half painted that picture with six lead changes as Argyle went on to knock out Walnut Grove 59-42 to advance to next week’s Region 1 final. The Eagles (12-1) will take on Melissa (11-1), who beat Anna on Friday in Allen.
Next week’s winner moves on to the state semifinals.
The Eagles opened the game with a lengthy drive – capped off with a 25-yard field goal from kicker Carter Stebbins. The Wildcats (12-1) took the lead after a 10-play scoring drive. They converted a fourth and 4 near midfield and then called star running back Cam Newton’s number to make it 7-3 with 6:09 to play in the first quarter.
After a 24-yard pass from Argyle QB Maguire Gasperson, running back Logan Rexroat picked up 26 to get the Eagles to the three. Two plays later on third down and Gasperson scored on a keeper to give his team a 10-7 lead with the two-minute mark.
Walnut Grove regained the lead before the end of the first quarter when Newton rushed for a 44-yard touchdown. Newton rushed for five touchdowns in their second round win over Lubbock Cooper.
Gasperson connected with star receiver Julian Caldwell, who scored from 44 yards to push the Eagles back in front 17-14. Caldwell also had a big area round game – catching four TD passes against Abilene Cooper.
The Wildcats went for it on fourth and 2 on their side of the 50 and moved the chains on an offsides penalty by Argyle. On a third and 16, QB Hayes Hackney went for 17 yards to Nolon Buckels for a first down to the Argyle 14.
A few plays later Newton scored from the wildcat for this third TD of the day and 10th in his previous six quarters. He also scored a pair of TDs in the first round against Arlington Seguin – giving him 12 TD runs in a span of 2 1/2 games.
Argyle got some cushion when it scored two more touchdowns in the half while its defense made a stop. Gasperson found Rexroat wide open in the corner of the end zone with 1:45 left and then hooked up with Caldwell for a second time to give the Eagles a 31-21 halftime lead.
Walnut Grove had a chance to get within one score when it received the third quarter kickoff, but in just a couple of minutes, the Wildcats went down 17. WG couldn’t convert on fourth down and on the next play for Argyle, Gasperson threw a TD to his tight end, 6-5 TCU commit Braden Bach for a 38-21 lead.
From there, the teams traded scores as the lead was either 10 or 17 for the rest of the game.
Hackney, only a sophomore, found Buckels for the touchdown to get the Wildcats within 38-28 just under nine minutes left in the third.
Argyle went up 45-28 on the ensuing drive after a TD rush from Rexroat.
It was 45-35 following a TD keeper by Hackney.
Walnut Grove’s D had a big stance and forced a punt, but for the second time in the third quarter, the Wildcats turned it over on downs.
Nathaniel Bruce scored on two TD runs in the fourth quarter that pushed Argyle’s point total to 59.
The other TD in the fourth came on a nice play from Zaiden Crain and Walnut Grove. Hackney’s pass attempt went off two players – one of his own – and Crain still came away with a 29-yard TD.
It was Walnut Groves’ third year of existence. After going 3-7 in its inaugural season, the Wildcats won district in back-to-back seasons and became the first football team in Prosper ISD to have an undefeated regular season – dating back to the mid 1960s.
Walnut Grove went over 500 yards offense while Argyle nearly came close to that mark. Gasperson accounted for over 350 yards and five touchdowns. Caldwell continued his hot playoff streak with 165 yards on 10 catches while Newton (185 rushing, 3 TD) and Hackney (320 total, 3 TD) played well for the Wildcats.
This marks the sixth time in the last eight years that Argyle has reached the regional final. It’s also the 11th time in the past 16 seasons – all under coach Todd Rodgers.
After losing the season opener against 5A D1 state-ranked Frisco Lone Star, the Eagles have won their last 12 games with 10 of those by at least 17 points.
