8. Wichita Falls Hirschi 40, Springtown 30

October 15, 2021

Week 8 District 4-4A Division I Play

Wichita Falls, TX

In a rare Friday afternoon tilt at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Hirschi proved it was indeed the team to beat in 4-4A Division I rallying late for a 40-30 win over perennial power Springtown. The Huskies trailed Springtown 30-18 with 9:47 remaining in the game, before rattling off 22-straight points down the stretch to pull away for the win. 

Hirschi struck on the first play of the game by executing a perfect hook and lateral with Jamarion Carroll catching a short pass then pitching to Jaleal Minniefield who sprinted 56 yards up the sideline untouched to put the Huskies up 8-0 after Carroll scored on the two-point conversion. 

Springtown would respond with a 22-yard field goal from Logan Heaton and a 24-yard touchdown run from Matthew Lockard to put the Porcupines up 10-8 late in the first quarter. Lockard would then get it done on defense with a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown giving Springtown a 17-8 edge early in the second quarter. The two-score lead didn’t last long as Jamarion Carroll struck with a 77-yard return on the ensuing kickoff for a score to cut the Springtown lead to 17-15. 

After an exchange of punts, Springtown would strike with another big play as Hudson Hulett found William Gleason open for a 74-yard touchdown strike to put Springtown back up 24-15 with just over five minutes left in the second quarter and that would be a lead SHS would take into the locker room for halftime. 

Defenses dominated for much of the third quarter, with Hirschi only managing a 24-yard field goal from Elias Barron to cut the Springtown lead to 24-18 with 3:05 left in the third. Early in the fourth quarter it appeared HHS got their break with Jeleal Minniefield getting an interception, but the Huskies were unable to do anything with the turnover. A special teams gaffe with a snap going over the punter’s head set Springtown up at the Huskies two-yard line setting up a two-yard run from Lockard to put Springtown up 30-18 with 9:47 left. 

The game would swing on the very next play as Minniefield would take the ensuing Springtown kickoff back 88-yards for a touchdown cutting the Springtown lead to 30-25. Springtown would be unable to score on their next drive, but the Porcupines special teams did their job pinning Hirschi on their own one-yard line with 5:43 remaining in the game. With 1:07 left in the game, the Huskies would cap off the 99-yard drive as freshman QB Jimmell McFalls connected with Jewel Fletcher for a 23-yard touchdown pass and the ensuing two-point conversion put the Huskies up 33-30. Hirschi then stunned Springtown with a perfectly executed squib kick that the speedy Huskies recovered to all but end the game. 

To put a capper on the win, RB A'Marion Peterson scored from 41-yards out two plays later to seal the 40-30 win and put Hirschi firmly in control of the district race. The two teams would meet again in the playoffs, in the regional finals with the Huskies dominating start to finish for a 32-6 win and a regional title.