Every Forney citizen who had made the one-hour trip to the Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium watched the field with bated breath.
Every other Texas 5A state semifinal spot had been secured, but the Forney Jackrabbits and Lancaster Tigers had to go into overtime to determine who would make it to the fifth round of playoffs for the first time in over a decade for the Tigers and over two decades for the Jackrabbits.
Forney had been projected to compete against the Longview Lobos for the regional finals title.
However, after Longview’s star runningback, senior Oklahoma commit Taylor Tatum, had to sit out for the regional semifinal game after sustaining injuries during their area matchup against Longview, fourth in district Lancaster took the win over first in district Longview. The Jackrabbits had already faced the Tigers during the regular season and pushed through for the win in overtime for a 21-20 score. It appeared that history would repeat itself for another close game after the fourth quarter ended, and both teams sat at 28 points.
Tiger head coach Leon Paul won the overtime coin toss and deferred to Forney, putting the Jackrabbit offense on the field first. Jackrabbit senior quarterback Kyle Crawford threw to sophomore wide receiver Imari Jehiel for a 2nd and 9, but the Tigers held them to a 3rd and 2 on the next play. The Jackrabbits switched strategies, and sophomore running back Javian Osborne got the ball, which he took 17 yards into the endzone. Senior kicker Asher Wall prepared to make the field goal for the extra point, and even after a procedure penalty putting the ball at the 25-yard line instead of the 10, he sent the ball through the goal for a 35-28 score. The Tigers now had the ball and needed a touchdown and extra point to go into double overtime, which they had failed to do last time they met Forney when senior defensive back Joshua Gatlin deflected the ball. Tiger senior running back Mar’kel Porter got the ball for a second and four, a third and five, another first and ten, a second and three, and eventually a touchdown. Tiger junior kicker Andres Castro did manage to make the field goal this time, forcing a double overtime and a 35-35 score.
Lancaster started with the ball now, and senior running back Kewan Lacy managed a touchdown on the first down. However, the darkside defense, specifically senior defensive back Aaron Flowers and sophomore linebacker Xzavier Young, stopped him before he could get to the end zone. After the Tigers managed six points but not the extra two, once again, posttouchdown points would make or break the game, as the Jackrabbits would be taking home the gold ball if they scored a touchdown and the two-point conversion. On the first down, Crawford faked a pop pass to Jehiel, and Osborne got the ball for a second and an eighth. Crawford and Osborne then received signals from the sideline for a change in play, and whatever change was made was the right one as Osborne made a dash into the endzone for the six points. For their first semifinal appearance since 2002, it would all come down to this next play for the Jackrabbits. The crowd sat on the edge of their seats and sent out their silent prayers as Crawford shuffled to the right to find senior wide receiver Kofi Eduful in the end zone.
As the ball fell into Eduful’s hands, the crowd roared, and every Forney personnel on the field erupted in celebration.
“We knew it was going to be a hard-fought battle, exactly how it was,” Forney head coach Jeff Fleener said. “We knew we had to be great in all three phases of the game: offensive, defensive, and special teams. In the end, we scored in all three phases of the game, and we accomplished what we wanted to do.”
The game had gotten off to a rocky start for Forney after Tiger junior quarterback Carter Jones threw to junior wide receiver Emmanuel Choice on a third and five for a touchdown with 8:42 left in the first quarter. Castro sent the Tigers into a 7-0 contest and sent out the return,
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