Wildcats end playoff run with 41-35 loss

By SCOTT TYLER

WACO – One hand.

That was how close the Palestine Wildcats were to making an incredible comeback Friday night at Waco’s Floyd Casey Stadium in the Class 3A-Region III, Division I area playoff game against Robinson.

In the final minute of the fourth quarter, Palestine’s Kevin Swanson looked to make a touchdown catch that would have tied the game with the extra point to follow, but a Robinson defender got his hand on the ball, knocking it away, sealing a 41-35 win.

“I am very proud of these young men,” Palestine head coach Glen Tunstall said. “We fought to the final seconds.”

Palestine trailed by 15 points at halftime as Robinson ran wild over the Palestine defense. But the Wildcats rallied, tying the game in the fourth quarter before the Rockets scored to take the lead again. But a missed extra point gave Palestine a chance to win the game.

With five minutes left in the game, Palestine took over at its own 40 and started to move the ball down the field. Kevin Jackson converted a fourth down on a 2-yard run and a 24-yard pass to Adorian Arthur, who jumped over the defender to make the catch, put the ball inside the Rockets‚ 15-yard line.

Palestine got to the 9-yard line with a fourth down coming up. Going for the win, Jacobi Jackson rolled right and threw back to Swanson in the end zone, but the would-be catch was for not as it was knocked down and Robinson celebrated the win.

In his final game in a Wildcat uniform, Swanson rushed for a game-high 119 yards on 12 carries.

“Kevin put his soul into this game,” Tunstall said. “He is a tremendous athlete and he will continue to play football on Saturdays.”

Palestine finished the season 9-3 and were District 19-3A champions and bi-district champions. The Wildcats lose 27 seniors.

“This was a wonderful group of seniors that I will never forget,” Tunstall said.

Palestine trailed by 15 points late in the third quarter when Ben Beckworth intercepted a pass and took it down to the Robinson 17-yard line.

After a 5-yard false start, Swanson took the handoff, started going up the middle, quickly cut to the outside and down the sideline for a 22-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 35-27.

Two possessions later, Palestine got the ball on its own 19-yard line and put together a nine-play drive that took over four minutes. A 22-yard run by Swanson put Palestine into Robinson territory and an 18-yard Jackson run set up Palestine on the 3-yard line.

Two plays later, Kevin Jackson scored on a 1-yard and Palestine went for the two-point conversion. Jacobi Jackson found Ben Beckworth in the end zone for the conversion and Palestine tied the game.

However, Robinson had one last gasp with quarterback Randy Kitchens. The Rocket quarterback completed a 15-yard pass to B.J. Lewis for a first down on third and 10. Then Kitchens had a 27-yard run followed by a 16-yard touchdown run to give Robinson the lead 41-35.

Kitchens had 242 passing yards and 89 rushing yards while accounting for five of the six touchdowns.

“He is a great athlete,” Tunstall said. “We struggled on the counter and did not make the tackles needed.”

Kitchens got Robinson the quick lead when he broke free for a 65-yard touchdown on the second play of the game.

Palestine responded with a nine-play drive, including a 17-yard reception by Swanson on fourth down to put Palestine on the Robinson 2-yard line. Two plays later, Jacobi Jackson scored on a 2-yard run.

Robinson countered back when Lewis broke free for a 97-yard kickoff return as he broke a tackle at his own 30-yard line for the score and the Rockets lead 14-7.

In what seemed to be a heavy-weight boxing match, Palestine came back with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Jacobi Jackson to Adorian Arthur to tie the score 14-14.

Palestine tried to make a goal line stand against Robinson, but the Rockets, on fourth down, went to the air as Brent McGee caught an 8-yard pass to take a 21-14 lead.

Jacobi Jackson came back with a 44-yard run to set up Palestine in Robinson territory. Later in the drive, Montrell Johnson had a 20-yard run, setting up Swanson's 11-yard touchdown run, but the extra point was missed and Robinson led 21-20.

The Rockets came back with another fourth-down score when Lewis caught a 16-yard touchdown pass and Robinson led 28-20.

The Rockets extended the haftime lead to 35-20 when the Rockets intercepted a pass near midfield and on the first play, Robert LaFrance got open down the middle of the field for a 57-yard touchdown pass.

Notes: It is the third time in four years Palestine has lost in the second round of the playoffs. Jacobi Jackson finished with 102 rushing yards and 136 passing yards. Arthur had four catches for 70 yards.

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Scott Tyler may be contacted via e-mail at styler@palestineherald.com

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