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Taking care of business: Wildcats edge West, eke out final playoff spot
BY DAMON SAYLES, dsayles@acnpapers.com
Once the opening kickoff took place Friday night, all the Plano Senior football team could do was handle its business against Plano West.
It couldn’t worry about what was going on across town, even though it seemed every spectator wearing maroon and white demanded play-by-play analysis. And yes, each Plano football player knew about the postseason scenarios of District 8-5A.
As Friday came to a conclusion, everything that needed to happen for the Wildcats did happen. They avoided being “that” team and avoided being the team to break “that” streak.
According to the UIL archives, the last time the playoffs took place without a representative from the Plano ISD was 1989. Plano, with the help of Marcus, made sure that record grew older.
“The coaches didn’t update us [during the game]. To be honest, I didn’t want that,” said Connor Michelsen, Plano senior quarterback. “We wanted to just focus on beating West. I didn’t find out until West called a timeout. This is the greatest feeling of my life.”
Plano (7-3) and Hebron finished tied in the district standings with a 4-3 record, but Plano held the tiebreaker over the Hawks. The Wildcats now will prepare for the Class 5A Division I Region I bi-district clash next week, as they will face Coppell on Saturday.
In the middle of the elated pack at the end of the game was head coach Jaydon McCullough, cold and drenched from a Gatorade bath courtesy of his players. He held the game ball and hugged players and coaches as they marveled in everything that happened on Friday.
What those who weren’t at the game Friday may not have known was that Plano trailed West, 14-0, in the first quarter.
“I think I’ve experienced about every emotion you can experience,” McCullough said. “They went up, 14-0, and then we fight back. They knocked us on the mat, but I always told the kids that champions get back up when they’re knocked down.”
McCullough used the word “resilient” to describe his players. The Wildcats overcame the early deficit to eventually take a 17-14 lead with 1:53 left in the second quarter. Michelsen connected with senior receiver Steele Hoetger for a 12-yard touchdown pass, their second touchdown reception of the night.
After taking a 14-0 lead, West accumulated all of 2 yards the rest of the first half. Credit that to a Plano defense that played one of its best games of the year – particularly when it had to. The Wildcats forced three West turnovers – all interceptions – for the game.
“I had been preparing myself for the worst all week,” said Collin Brence, senior safety who finished with two of those three picks. “We didn’t hold our own destiny, but we finished what we could finish. When I heard [about Hebron], I started screaming and just thanked God.
“It’s amazing, one of the best feelings of my life. I’m so happy for my team, the coaching staff and the fans.”
Lost in the playoff talk was the fact that the game featured two in-town rivals looking for bragging rights. West struck first with 7:18 in the first quarter. Junior receiver Carson Wiggins beat his defender and turned a long pass into a 78-yard catch-and-run from junior quarterback Carson Smith. West then added another score at the 4:38 mark on a 2-yard run by senior running back Jarrett Horan.
From there, Plano went on a 17-0 run to close the half. Michelsen’s 2-yard run with 1:23 left in the first quarter put the Wildcats on the board. Senior kicker Chris Moore cut West’s lead to 14-10 with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining in the second. Michelsen gave Plano the lead with his first touchdown pass to Hoetger.
Plano led, 24-17, late in the fourth when Moore drilled a 31-yard field goal to give the Wildcats a two-possession lead. Brence’s final interception with 2:53 remaining virtually sealed the game.
“I will say this, Plano West is very well-coached,” McCullough said. “They are a proud program, and proud programs don’t go down without a fight.”
Michelsen added: “I felt like every time we had our backs against the wall, we’d climb out. Our defense has been lights-out. It’s comforting to know that you have a brick wall on defense.”
As Plano celebrated, West players hugged each other and coaches. The Wolves’ season, one that started with so much promise, came to an end. West finished 3-7 overall and winless in 8-5A after starting the season 3-0.
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