The West High football team was supposed to be great next season. With only a handful of senior starters this year and a bevy of talented sophomores and juniors, the Panthers entered the season with the hopes of gaining valuable experience prior to being serious contenders for the state title in '93.
But the Panthers put it all together one year ahead of schedule. West broke open a close game with 30 second-half points to down Mountain Crest, 43-22, in the 3A state championship game Thursday at Rice Stadium. The lopsided victory put the finishing touches on an impressive 13-0 season for West."At the first of the year I thought we were one year away (from being state championship contenders)," West coach Don Holtry said. "We started off strong and after the fourth game of the year when we beat Jordan, I realized that this might be our year."
Meanwhile, Mountain Crest was relegated to being the bridesmaid for a second consecutive season.
The Mustangs looked stronger in the first half and led 14-13 at intermission despite five turnovers. Mountain Crest had 230 yards of total offense to 120 for West at intermission.
The second half was owned by the Panthers, however. West took the opening kickoff in the third quarter and drove 63 yards on four plays with the touchdown coming on a 17-yard pass from Ben Byrd to Matt Watanuki, giving the Panthers a 19-14 lead.
One minute later Panther linebacker Dan Prier intercepted a Mountain Crest pass and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown. The PAT kick was good and West led 26-14 with nine minutes to play in the third.
Another interception, this one by Revo Skeen, set up a 6-yard TD run by Asi Mohi to give West a 33-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. Jeff Holtry added a 30-yard field goal and Chris Keddington scored on a 30-yard run to round out the Panther scoring. Mountain Crest added a late touchdown and two point conversion, but it wasn't near enough.
While most of the Panthers will return to defend their state title, the victory was especially sweet to seniors like Byrd, Keddington and Watanuki. "All year long the seniors have been telling the juniors to take advantage of the opportunity because it may not come around again next year," said Byrd, who passed for 153 yards and two touchdowns. "Everybody's excited, but I think (the state championship) means twice as much to the seniors."
Mohi, a junior, finished the game with 94 yards rushing on 14 carries and he also completed a halfback pass to Watanuki for an 18-yard score in the first half. Keddington added 65 yards rushing, while Watanuki hauled in five passes for 83 yards and a pair of scores.
Mountain Crest's one-two running back punch of Ryan Pond and Kory Kohler turned out to only be a one-one punch. Kohler reinjured his knee during the first play from scrimmage and was quiet the remainder of the afternoon.
"It hurts when you lose a guy who averages 10 yards per carry and is the team's second leading receiver, but our main problem was that we turned the ball over too many times," Mountain Crest coach Dan Cox said.
Pond rushed for 42 yards and caught five passes for 79 yards in the first half, but the Panther defense shut him down after intermission.
WEST 43, MT. CREST 22
Mountian Crest 7 7 0 8-22
West 13 0 7 23-43
W - Watanuki 18 pass from Mohi (Holtry kick)
W - Evershed 6 pass from Byrd (kick failed)
MC - Perrett 12 pass from Anderson (Lyle kick)
MC - Perrett 12 pass from Anderson (Lyle kick)
W - Watanuki 17 pass from Byrd (run failed)
W - Prier 11 interception return (Holtry kick)
W - Mohi 6 run (kick failed)
W - FG Holtry 30
MC - Perrett 12 pass from Anderson (Douglas pass from Anderson)
W - Keddington 30 run (Holtry kick)