Weslee Ross + Troup Outlast Waskom in Overtime, 47-41

TATUM – Troup senor running back Trent Allen plowed in from 10 yards out in overtime, to take Troup to a 47-41 victory in an exciting Class 3A Division II area round playoff at Eagle Stadium on Friday.

The teams took a 21-21 tie in at the half and after 48-minutes it was 41-41 after regulation.

Waskom was on a drive as the fourth quarter began, and the Wildcats took their first lead of the game, 35-34 on T.K. Hamilton’s fourth touchdown of the game from 3 yards with 9:33 left.

Waskom then blocked a Tiger punt to set the Wildcats at the Troup 12-yard line.

One play for Hamilton scored again, but a missed PAT kick left it a 41-34 lead.

Trailing and short on time, Troup senior quarterback Weslee Ross capped off an 11-play, 69-yard drive, racing 27 yards untouched for a touchdown with 3:18. Eddie Rojo was good on the kick, setting up a 41-41 deadlock.

Two huge defensive plays by safety Matt Adams and linebackers Caleb Smith and Allen in the overtime period forced the Wildcats out on four plays.

The Tigers drew first blood, scoring in seven plays on their first possession.

Allen was the workhorse, finishing the 56-yard drive with a 4-yard rumble. Eddie Rojo was good on his first of five PAT boots in the game, for a 7-0 lead after one quarter.

Waskom answered back with a long 13-play drive that ate up 7:30 off the clock.

Quarterback Raymond Ramirez called his own number for the final 11 yards, and a Hugo Tapia Pat boot knotted the game with 11:17 on the second quarter scoreboard.

The Tigers took just two plays to bust the tie, as Jaden Lewis got behind the Wildcats' defensive backfield, and Weslee Ross uncorked a 64-yard catch-and-run to stretch the lead.

The next Wildcat possession ended in a blocked punt by Branton Cassell to set up Troup at the Waskom 14-yard line.

Five plays later, Ross found Chris Johnson for a 4-yard TD toss, and the Rojo PAT made a 21-7 Tiger advantage.

Down, but far from out, the Wildcats came back with a rage.

Waskom got a quick score of their own to tighten the lead, after runs of 17 and 30 yards got the ball in Tiger territory.

Wildcat running back T.K. Hamilton got loose twice on runs of 27, and 35 yards out for the 21-21 halftime ledger.

Troup took the opening kickoff and grinded it out for 13 plays, and 5:39 off the clock before Desmond Deason caught a 13-yard TD strike from Ross.

The Tigers surprised Waskom on the ensuing kickoff as Austin Starkey recovered the on-side kick at the Wildcats 41-yard line.

In just 12 seconds and one play later, Ross found Deason again for a 41-yard touchdown, and a 13-point, and 34-21 cushion for Troup.

Hamilton, had 222 yards on 22 carries in the game and scored a third time from 31 yards in the third stanza for a 34-28 Troup lead.

The Wildcats rolled up 414 yards on the ground but Troup held the air attack to only 27 yards.

Ross finished going 15-of-31, for 236 yards, and three TD tosses through the air. His 27-yard TD on the ground erased two earlier sacks to add 13-yards in five tries.

Allen had 93 yards in 20 carries, and scoring runs of 4, and 10 yards. Deason had four grabs for 99 yards and two TD’s.

Troup (10-2), now advances to play top-ranked Newton (11-0) next week, at 7 p.m. Friday at Home Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches.