Courtesy of Sand Mountain Reporter
West End trailed 21-6 in the first half but outscored Woodland 26-0 in the second half to storm back for a 38-21 victory last Friday (Oct. 25) in Walnut Grove. It was the Class 2A, Region 6 finale for both teams.
The Patriots improved to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the region standings. Woodland fell to 1-8, 1-5. West End hosts Glencoe this Friday (Nov. 1) at 7 p.m.
Patriot quarterback Eli Pearce (pictured above) completed 13-of-28 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 26 times for 166 yards and two scores. Pearce’s TD passes covered 16 yards to Jackson Tidmore and 53 yards to Jeremiah Roberson. Pearce scored on runs of five and 9 nine yards.
Pearce almost had a third rushing touchdown, but the officials ruled it a fumble as he stretched the ball across the goal line on a 5-yard keeper. An alert Jeremiah Roberson fell on the ball in the end zone for the touchdown.
Isaiah Roberson scored an 18-yard touchdown run for the Patriots.
Hunter Tucker paced West End’s defense with nine tackles. Mason Barnett made eight tackles, recovered a fumble and forced a fumble. Thad Pearce contributed an interception.
“I was proud of the way our kids came back in the second half,” West End head coach Kyle Davis said. “Our defensive coaches made some great adjustments to a couple things they were doing to hurt us. Offensively, we were able to execute better than we did the first half. We let a lot of good scoring opportunities get away in the first half but we capitalized on them in the second half.
“I am proud of our kids. We have really played good ball these last three games … time has just kind of ran out on us. Our young team has started to understand more, and if we can get a win against Glencoe [this] Friday and finish the season winning three in a row and four of the last six, that will be great momentum for the offseason.”