Whitehouse loses to Nacogdoches...possibly on purpose

[mwynn05]

NACOGDOCHES - Whitehouse lost its bid to finish district play unbeaten.

With pleasure, it seems.

The Wildcats pulled key starters during crunch time of their District 12-4A finale, helping result in a 21-13 loss to Nacogdoches on Friday night at Dragon Stadium.

Only one point separated Whitehouse and Nacogdoches when standouts like quarterback Brady Attaway and running back/cornerback Jimmy Kennedy - among the players the Wildcats have counted on most this season - left early in the third quarter.

From the sideline, Attaway, Kennedy and others watched the rest of a game in which a loss might have served the Wildcats better than a win would have.

That's because Whitehouse had already locked up its first district title in almost 30 yards and a win would have placed the Wildcats in the Division I postseason, where they would have faced top-ranked Texas High in the opening round.

Now, Whitehouse (8-2, 6-1) will be the district's top seed in Division II. The Wildcats will face Mount Pleasant in the first round.

The Texas High challenge now goes to Nacogdoches (6-4, 5-2), which certainly accepts it with open arms after advancing to the playoffs for the first time since 1992 with the victory and Marshall's win over Kilgore.

Whitehouse's loss came on a night when standout running back/linebacker Luke Shivers watched in street clothes. It wasn't clear why Shivers didn't play, but the senior has been fighting an injury for the past few weeks.

His absence on defense helped Nacogdoches win the total-yards battle 335-194. Most of it went to quarterback Justin McAninch (12-of-12 for 225 yards and two touchdowns passing), running back Kammeron Rhodes (31 rushes for 152 yards and a score) and receiver Mervin Dudley (eight catches for 145 yards and a score).

Whitehouse's Attaway completed nine of 18 passes for 76 yards and rushed for a touchdown in the first half - during which, defense ruled.

The teams combined for only 13 points in the half, which ended with Nacogdoches leading 7-6.

Dragons receiver Tyson Young made a spectacular catch of a McAninch pass - over the coverage of Whitehouse's Kennedy - before stepping off the necessary yards for a 42-yard touchdown with 2:14 remaining.

About five minutes earlier, Whitehouse's Attaway capped a 37-yard drive - which began after Nacogdoches punted from its own 2, due to a 20-yard loss on a fumbled snap - with a 1-yard TD run. But the PAT kick was blocked, giving Nacogdoches an opportunity to rally in front with only one score and a kick.

In the third, Nacogdoches extended its lead to 14-6 when McAninch found Dudley for a 24-yard score with 3:47 showing. It came right after the Dragon Stadium public address announcer told the crowd that Marshall was leading Kilgore with time running out, much to the delight of the Nacogdoches fans - who may have cheered the announcement just as much as the score.

Though completely by accident, Whitehouse actually had a chance to tie the game with time running out in the fourth quarter.

Backup quarterback Ace Estrella pulled the Wildcats to within 21-13 with 2:17 left on a 5-yard score following a Nacogdoches fumble. Then the Dragons fumbled the ensuing kickoff to give Whitehouse the ball at the Dragons 9 with 1:56 remaining, but a personal and false start helped push the Wildcats back.

Then an Estrella pass attempt to the end zone fell incomplete as time expired.

---

Nacogdoches 21, Whitehouse 13

At Dragon Stadium, Nacogdoches

Whitehouse 0 6 0 7 - 13

Nacogdoches 0 7 7 7 - 21

Second Quarter

WHI - Brady Attaway 1 run (kick blocked), 7:08

NAC - Tyson Young 42 pass from Justin McAninch (Daniel Camacho kick), 2:14

Third Quarter

NAC - Mervin Dudley 24 pass from McAninch (Camacho kick), 3:47

Fourth Quarter

NAC - Kammeron Rhodes 2 run (Camacho kick), 10:08

WHI - Ace Estrella 5 run (Paul Metzner kick), 2:17

WHI NAC

First Downs 9 20

Rushes-Yards 22-80 41-110

Passing Yards 114 225

Comp.-Att.-Int 12-23-0 12-21-0

Punts-Avg. 8-39.5 3-34.3

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 4-2

Penalties-Yards 6-55 5-21

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Whitehouse, Ace Estrella 10-62, Jimmy Kennedy 5-18, Brady Attaway 1-1, Marco Hernandez 3-(minus 1). Nacogdoches, Kammeron Rhodes 31-152, Waylon Murray 6-3, Justin McAninch 4-(minus 45).

PASSING - Whitehouse, Attaway 9-18-0-76, Estrella 3-4-0-38; Nacogdoches, McAninch 12-21-0-225.

RECEIVING - Whitehouse, Alex Fleming 2-35, Asher Williams 2-14, Ryan Miner 2-14, Heath Mayo 1-26, Kennedy 1-7, Chris Caldwell 1-5, Seth Cashion 1-1, Paco Saenz 1-(minus 1); Nacogdoches, Mervin Dudley 3-145, Tyson Young 2-55, Nick Page 1-23, Logan Lanier 1-2.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17453819&BRD=1994&PAG=461&dept_id=374749&rfi=6

[crzyjournalist03]

:twitch: If you're going to be the best, you have to be willing to beat the best...I can't believe a team would play chicken like that...that really irks me.:dispntd:

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
:twitch: If you're going to be the best, you have to be willing to beat the best...I can't believe a team would play chicken like that...that really irks me.:dispntd: That's why 4 teams in the playoffs isn't a bad thing...and It's not like they lost a place or anything already district champs its just since Nacogdoches made the playoffs Whitehouse is D2

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by mwynn05
That's why 4 teams in the playoffs isn't a bad thing...and It's not like they lost a place or anything already district champs its just since Nacogdoches made the playoffs Whitehouse is D2

If there had been four teams would Whitehouse have had to go DI either way?

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
If there had been four teams would Whitehouse have had to go DI either way? Right but they wouldn't have had to play Texas High because they are both district champs

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by mwynn05
Right but they wouldn't have had to play Texas High because they are both district champs

and they wouldn't have purposely lost a game in the process!

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
and they wouldn't have purposely lost a game in the process! Exactly...I was hoping you would see where i was coming from and not be like what a complete idiot lol

[crzyjournalist03]

I see where you're coming from!

I just think there is no excuse for intentionally
losing a game...even if the UIL rules don't work out for your benefit. If you wanted to lose the game, why not forfeit and prevent any possible injuries on either team?

[mwynn05]

Personally I prefer 2 teams going to the playoffs but honestly 4 is probably better than 3 well maybe not BETTER but it makes the system work better

[Aesculus gilmus]

This goes back to what I said at the beginning of the season when we were discussing the AP poll. There never should have been two divisions in any of these classes.

It's all a money deal. And there will NEVER be an undisputed champion of Class 3A as long as this system prevails.

Also, I was okay with adding the runner-up to the playoffs along with the champion, but three teams per district is one too many. Four is just obscene.

Weren't there some 1-9 teams which made the playoffs? I think I read that somewhere, maybe even on here.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by Aesculus gilmus
This goes back to what I said at the beginning of the season when we were discussing the AP poll. There never should have been two divisions in any of these classes.

It's all a money deal. And there will NEVER be an undisputed champion of Class 3A as long as this system prevails.

Also, I was okay with adding the runner-up to the playoffs along with the champion, but three teams per district is one too many. Four is just obscene.

Weren't there some 1-9 teams which made the playoffs? I think I read that somewhere, maybe even on here. I'm saying 4 would make the system work better because it's really not that fair for two 10-0 teams to have to play in one division when in the other division they get an easier first round game

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Aesculus gilmus
This goes back to what I said at the beginning of the season when we were discussing the AP poll. There never should have been two divisions in any of these classes.

It's all a money deal. And there will NEVER be an undisputed champion of Class 3A as long as this system prevails.

Also, I was okay with adding the runner-up to the playoffs along with the champion, but three teams per district is one too many. Four is just obscene.

Weren't there some 1-9 teams which made the playoffs? I think I read that somewhere, maybe even on here.

I don't know about 1-9 teams, but it would be possible if in a five or six team district.

I do remember Lake Dallas making the playoffs in either 2003 or 2004 at 3-7 in 3A.

[AggieJohn]

i have absolutely no problem with this

[JR2004]

Originally posted by Aesculus gilmus
It's all a money deal. And there will NEVER be an undisputed champion of Class 3A as long as this system prevails.


I would have to say yes and no...Sometimes it's pretty obvious who the best team in the state is even in this era of two champions. Sometimes it's not so obvious. This year the latter won't ring true.

[LogieJoeBean001]

Wow! Pretty much the chicken way out. Would give the impression that Whitehouse must not have much faith in their team's talent. Do you want to win so badly in the playoffs that you'd do such a thing...(easier playoff schedule would just make one assume you have a better shot at winning)

[Da Mules]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
I don't know about 1-9 teams, but it would be possible if in a five or six team district.

I do remember Lake Dallas making the playoffs in either 2003 or 2004 at 3-7 in 3A.

LOL--see what happens from a 4-team district. From Region 1, district 4, Levelland at 2-8 is the D1 rep, and Brownfield at 3-7 is the second seed in DII.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by mwynn05
Personally I prefer 2 teams going to the playoffs but honestly 4 is probably better than 3 well maybe not BETTER but it makes the system work better

I concur

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by LogieJoeBean001
Wow! Pretty much the chicken way out. Would give the impression that Whitehouse must not have much faith in their team's talent. Do you want to win so badly in the playoffs that you'd do such a thing...(easier playoff schedule would just make one assume you have a better shot at winning) Who would you rather play the #1 team in the state or a 5-5 team....remember this is your first district title in 30 years and first playoff appearance in a while...no telling when the last time whitehouse won a playoff game was

[Mustangpride09]

Coleman made the playoffs two years ago in 2A at 2-8.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by Mustangpride09
Coleman made the playoffs two years ago in 2A at 2-8. What does that have to do with this?

[Mustangpride09]

They started talking about teams with horrible records that made the playoffs, it just came to mind.