Key plays turn tide against Quitman
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The Quitman vs. Prairiland game last Friday, which Prairiland won 30-12, may have turned on two fourth-down plays late in the game.
The home team Patriots were leading 16-12 late in the …
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Key plays turn tide against Quitman
The Quitman vs. Prairiland game last Friday, which Prairiland won 30-12, may have turned on two fourth-down plays late in the game.
The home team Patriots were leading 16-12 late in the third quarter. They had driven to the Bulldogs 32-yard line, where on a first-and-10 they ran a counter play. Bulldog linebacker Ben Boisclair shot a gap and delivered a blow which reverberated throughout Patriot Stadium.
The ball was jarred loose and scooped by Jesse Clark who rumbled down to the Prairiland 38-yard line. The play immediately slammed all the momentum over to the Quitman side.
Moments later, Quitman faced a fourth-and-2. The Patriots jammed the middle and stonewalled the Bulldogs. The ball went over on downs.
Prairiland drove to the Bulldog 25-yard line and faced a fourth-and-2. They took advantage of the Bulldog initial defensive reactions and sprinted around the right edge for a score.
That touchdown made the score 23-12 with eight minutes remaining. The teams traded turnovers and burned off most of the remaining time. Following a Patriot interception, the home side scored with five minutes remaining to seal the victory.
It was a tough defeat, as Quitman had dominated the first half of play – outgaining the Patriots 210 to 161 yards and retaining the momentum throughout.
Quitman opened the scoring with a 50-yard drive and a strong push in the middle of the line to score from the 3-yard line.
The Bulldogs answered a Prairiland field goal by driving 78 yards in four plays. Quarterback Klayton Meadows scored on a 62-yard run when he found the seam in the Patriots defense on a quarterback option.
Quitman had three more possessions in the half, each in great field position, but did not produce any further scoring. Prairiland broke three big plays to close the half and scored to make it a 12-10 scoreline at the break.
The roles were largely reversed in the second half. Prairiland played on the front foot – outgaining the Bulldogs 271 to 109 yards.
Despite the change in momentum, until the two fourth down plays, Quitman spent the balance of the second half on the verge of a big win. They were one critical play away from taking the lead in the second half.
Quitman will rue the lost opportunities. They turned the ball over on downs five times, punted twice and gave up two turnovers.
Fundamentally, the Bulldogs receive great marks. Their techniques, physicality and tackling were excellent. They also forced two fumbles and intercepted the Patriots twice.
Quitman played solid team football, but as always there were clear stand-outs. In addition to Boisclair and Clark, Jacob Breeding and Lane Harkins excelled on the defensive side. Bryson Hobbs joined Harkins with an interception.
Offensively, the tough, resilient nature of Bulldog football was exemplified by the efforts of Meadows.
The loss put Quitman in a difficult fix. Following a bye week, they host district-leading and unbeaten Grand Saline on Nov. 8. Prairiland, presently holding the fourth playoff spot, faces Grand Saline next week and closes against Harmony.