Tyus Bowser’s Seven Sacks Ignite John Tyler’s 38-10 Rout Of Wylie

TYLER -- John Tyler senior defensive end Tyus Bowser knows his days as a high school football player are numbered, but he's doing his best to ensure his final year goes the distance.

Bowser's imprint was all over John Tyler's 38-10 rout of Wylie in their Class 4A Division I Region II area-round playoff Friday night at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. He notched a career-best seven sacks in the victory to bring his season total to 22.

"I'm just going all out my senior year," Bowser said. "You'll never get another chance like this again. Once you're a senior and you're in the playoffs, it's win or go home. You just got to go out there and play as hard as you can every game."

John Tyler (11-1) will face Frisco (9-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Allen's Eagle Stadium, an 18,000-seat complex that opened earlier this season for an estimated cost of $60 million. Wylie, which ended JT's season in the 2010 state quarterfinals, ends it season at 5-7.

Bowser's seven sacks went for minus-29 yards, sparking a JT defense that held Wylie to 192 total yards, including just 35 on the ground.

"We continue to get better, we're getting stronger and they're more disciplined now than at the beginning of the season," John Tyler coach Ricklan Holmes said. "That comes with (defensive coordinator Barry Anderson) staying on them all week at practice."

Traven Johnson returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown and Terry Ausborne recovered a fumble to add to John Tyler's dominant defensive showing, which picked up the slack for an offense that had eight three-and-outs a week after putting up 77 points and more than 700 yards.

"Offensive-line play, small penalties, jumping offsides, holding ... things like that will kill a drive before it can even get going," Holmes said. "Offensively, we didn't play very well but we played well enough to put 38 points on the board."

Greg Ward completed 12 of 30 attempts for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Fred Ross had five receptions for 131 yards and a score, and DeQuante Woods rushed for 104 yards and a TD on 12 carries.

The Lions took advantage of poor special teams play from Wylie to go up 10-0 early in the second quarter.

Wylie went three-and-out on its opening possession of the game, and after just an 8-yard punt, JT began its first offensive series at the Wylie 20. Woods' 4-run on the third play put the Lions up 7-0 with 9:44 to go in the first quarter.

Ross returned a punt 45 yards to the Wylie 23 late in the period, but JT had to settle for a Porfirio Benitez 31-yard field goal on the first snap of the second quarter.

Wylie got on the board when Christian Salas' 36-yard field goal capped a 10-play drive and cut the JT lead to 10-3 with 8:47 to go until halftime.

John Tyler stretched its lead two possessions later when Ward completed a short pass to Ross, who outraced the Wylie defense 69 yards for the touchdown and a 17-3 advantage with 3:59 remaining in the half.

The big play returned to the JT offense on its second series of the second half when Woods took the handoff and went up the middle untouched for a 79-yard touchdown, pushing the Lions' lead to 24-3 less than three minutes into the third quarter.

JT built a 31-3 lead on the ensuing drive when Wylie quarterback Carsen Cook was picked off by Traven Johnson, who returned it 30 yards for the score.

The Lions' final touchdown of the night occurred midway through the fourth when Ward hooked up with Justice Liggins down the sideline for a 33-yard score.

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Class 4A Division I Region II Area Playoff
At Rose Stadium, Tyler
John Tyler 38, Wylie 10
Wylie                   0    3    0    7    --   10
John Tyler            7   10  14   7    --   38
First Quarter
JT--DeQuante Woods 4 run (Porfirio Benitez kick), 9:44.
Second Quarter
JT--FG Benitez 31, 11:55.
WYL--FG Christian Salas 36, 8:47.
JT--Fred Ross 69 pass from Greg Ward (Benitez kick), 3:59.
Third Quarter
JT--Woods 79 run (Benitez kick), 9:17.
JT--Traven Johnson 30 interception return (Benitez kick), 7:33.
Fourth Quarter
JT--Justice Liggins 33 pass from Ward (Benitez kick), 6:52.
WYL--Freddy Gibbs 21 pass from Carsen Cook (Salas kick), 1:17.

                                     WYL               JT
First Downs                        14               12
Rushes-Yards                33-35         32-135
Passing Yards                   157             222
Comp.-Att.-Int.            18-42-1       12-30-0
Punts-Avg.                    8-26.6         7-36.6
Fumbles-Lost                     4-1              2-1
Penalties-Yards                 4-22        10-111

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Wylie, Dontae Slay 5-38, Charles Okpoko 5-8, Alex Wesley 3-8, Kalen Winkler 1-7, Zach Collins 3-5, Erik Betancourt 1-(-15), Carsen Cook 15-(-16). John Tyler, DeQuante Woods 12-104, Nick Cain 1-29, Jeremy Wilson 4-13, Reggie Gipson 1-11, Rodrick Smith 2-4, Fred Ross 2-(-4), Greg Ward 9-(-7), Devonte Humber 1-(-15).
PASSING--Wylie, Cook 18-41-1--157, Winkler 0-1-0--0. John Tyler, Ward 12-30-0--222.
RECEIVING--Wylie, Wesley 9-66, Leland Dotson 5-50, Freddy Gibbs 2-29, Alex Pina-Rhoden 1-10, WInkler 1-2. John Tyler, Ross 5-131, Justice Liggins 3-61, Darion Flowers 2-20, Woods 2-10.