[By Anthony Hawthorne, Special to ETSN.fm]

HALLSVILLE -- Down two scores and facing elimination, Trevor Spear knew he needed to make a big play.

The senior quarterback ended up making them on both sides of the ball as Elysian Fields rallied for a 67-54 victory over Winona in a back-and-forth battle.

Elysian Fields plays Deweyville, which had a first-round bye, in Diboll or Lufkin at a time next week to be determined in a Class 2A Division II Region III area playoff.

Spear finished the night 11-for-15 passing for 265 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 65 yards and three scores. He also recovered a fumble and had an interception on defense.

Winona's Dereck Middleton reacts to scoring one of his six touchdowns during the Wildcats' 67-54 loss to Elysian Fields on Thursday in Hallsville. (Jeff Stapleton, ETSN.fm)
Winona's Dereck Middleton reacts to scoring one of his six touchdowns during the Wildcats' 67-54 loss to Elysian Fields on Thursday in Hallsville. (Jeff Stapleton, ETSN.fm)
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Dereck Middleton was a workhorse for Winona (5-6). He carried the ball 35 times for 285 yards and six touchdowns, while backfield mate Colton Chadbourne ran 12 times for 112 yards and a score.

Spear's biggest plays came late, proving to be the deciding factor in a thrilling contest.

Following Middleton's 19-yard touchdown that put Winona ahead 48-39 late in the third quarter, Spear had a hand in the next three Yellow Jacket scores. He found Lonzo Macon on a 43-yard touchdown strike to bring EF within three, 48-45, then ran for a 12-yard touchdown -- and two-point conversion -- four plays after recovering an errant Winona pitch for a 53-48 EF advantage.

Winona (5-6) regained the lead a final time with its longest drive, a 13-play, 52-yarder capped by Middleton's four-yard touchdown run. A failed conversion left the Wildcats' lead at 54-53.

Spear went back to work quickly. He found Nathan Hall twice on a short drive, the first going for 26 yards and a 13-yarder that put the Yellow Jackets up for good, 61-54. Hall was Spear's favorite target with four catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns, while Macon added 82 yards and a touchdown on four grabs.

Spear then picked off a Jacob Moseley pass on the second play of the next possession, running it back 10 yards before a penalty tacked on 13 more half the distance to the goal.  Tanner Davis scored the game's final touchdown two plays later for the 67-54 EF victory.

“Trevor’s one of those players that only comes along every once in awhile," said Elysian Fields coach Eric King. "Him and Christian Smith both are great seniors for us and lead.  (Spear) put the whole team on his shoulders tonight and said we’re not gonna lose this game.”

The crazy finish was set-up by an equally remarkable first half of action which saw both teams go 4-4 on 2-point conversions.  The Winona running duo of Middleton and Colton Chadbourne kept the Wildcats in front, however the Yellow Jackets had a response each time.

Elysian Fields players and coaches lift their bi-district gold ball after Thursday's 67-54 win against Winona in Hallsville. (Jeff Stapleton, ETSN.fm)
Elysian Fields players and coaches lift their bi-district gold ball after Thursday's 67-54 win against Winona in Hallsville. (Jeff Stapleton, ETSN.fm)
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EF                            WIN
Pass Yards                 265                             33
Rush Yards                191                             403
Total Yards                456                             436
Penalties                   8-54                          11-75
Turnovers                    2                                  2

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