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Mesquite Poteet Holds Off Bastrop to Earn Spot in State Semi-Final
WACO — Bastrop (10-4) bounced back from a 14-0 halftime deficit but was unable to get the big play when they needed it Saturday as they fell to Mesquite Poteet (12-2) 42-35 in a Class 4A, Division II state quarterfinal matchup in Waco.
On the first possession of the game Poteet was forced to punt by a fired up Bears defense. Poteet then responded with a stellar defensive play when they intercepted Bastrop quarterback Josiah Monroe on the Bears very first play from scrimmage.
Poteet struck quick when moments later Beau Nowell tossed a short pass to Chase Graham who then raced 58 yards for the first of a pair of first half Pirate touchdowns allowing them to take an early 7-0 lead.
Monroe looked to get the Bears offense rolling in the first half but found himself looking at a well thought out Pirates defensive scheme that kept him trying to find a way to move the ball downfield. Monroe managed 60 yards rushing and 155 yards passing in the first half but failed to reach the end zone. The Bears offense played aggresively as they tried to convert on three fourth-down attempts but failed on all three. They also hurt themselves with three turnovers.
Bastrop, who averaged 41 points per game, found some offensive success in the second half as Monroe led the Bears on three scoring drives in the third quarter. Poteet answered with three scoring drives of their own in the third quarter as they held on to their lead going into the fourth quarter.
That all changed in the final quarter as the Bear's defense came through with a key stop allowing Bastrop's offense the chance they needed. Monroe then took over as he scored on a touchdown run before tossing a touchdown pass that was followed by a huge two-point conversion pass that tied the game up with less than six minutes left to go in the game.
Poteet then got the ball back and put together a swift scoring drive that was capped by a Steven Hicks run which put the Pirates back out in front.
Bastrop looked to put together a scoring drive to tie the game up as the clock wound down under two minutes but Poteet's defense got a sack as the Bears looked to convert on a fourth down play.
Monroe racked up 118 yards rushing and 458 yards passing with four touchdowns for Bastrop. Robert Nunn totalled 173 yards receiving for the the Bears. Beau Nowell passed for 349 yards and three touchdowns for Poteet who moves on to play Aledo.
