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Brian Porter’s Plano-Euless Trinity Game Blog
Grant Davis pulled down a pair of touchdown passes in the first half of Saturday's state semifinal. / Thad Fenton/www.thadfenton.com
Euless Trinity 30, Plano 27 (2 OT)
Euless Trinity converted a pair of field goals in overtime and Plano’s field goal attempt in a second overtime was short Saturday as Plano fell to Trinity, 30-27, in double overtime of a Class 5A-Division I state semifinal at Texas Stadium. Plano’s bid at making its first return to a state championship game since 1994 was thwarted when Trinity converted a 22-yard field goal after Plano’s attempt in a second overtime fell a foot short of the crossbar. The loss ended the 16-year coaching tenure of Plano coach Gerald Brence at 120 wins, finishing as the second-winningest coach in Plano Wildcats history.
Scroll to the bottom of this blog to read comments or post your own. I’ll be back later in the night with some final season wrap-up from the Varsity Club.
Trinity gets a stop: Trinity just stopped the Plano offense and the Trojans now have the ball back inside six minutes left.
Trinity 24, Plano 21: Trinity just scored the go-ahead touchdown on a toss left and Kenny Watkins has a major beef with the officials. The cornerback was the last defender and was being held the entire time on the play as he watched Samir Baker sprint past him. He had a case, but the official on the play did not listen. 8:39 left.
Here’s a thought: So Plano can run in its old power set and pass in spread packages. So, what haven’t we seen today? How about an empty spread set and also a fullback dive in the power set. With John Crawford sitting behind me, I’m reminded of his wrap-around fullback draw. That was a good play that Plano probably has in the playbook that might surprise Trinity.
Plano 21, Trinity 17: It was almost old Plano in opening five minutes of the second half. The defense got a 3-and-out and then the offense drove 54 yards in 10 plays before Carson Meger scored on a quarterback keeper off right guard. Seven of the 10 plays were rushing and Rex Burkhead had six carries and a pass reception. It was almost old Plano, except for a variety of trips receiver packages.
Halftime notes: Defensive line: It sure looks like Plano is missing the injured defensive ends. Beau Brence and Cameron Kistler are both out and Trinity seems to be making some plays off the ends. Landen Kershaw and Brennan Hardy are having solid games inside at the tackle position. Luke Terrell and Derek Davis are playing well enough, but you’d like to have your starters. Do what they do: We used to say this with the old Plano offense and now its true with the new offense. Plano needs to keep doing what they do. Spread the defense with the pass and pop them with a Burkhead run. That’s what Plano has done so far. Burkhead is closing in on 100 yards at halftime and the passing offense has done enough. There have been some plays the receivers probably should have made and others they probably felt deserved a penalty flag. Wear them down: The thing about really big guys is they wear down. The more they run and the more you make them move, the more they wear down. That was the Plano game plan. This was an active first half. Trinity has some big guys that could be wearing down. Second half: OK. How about a prediction? I’ll say Plano 38, Trinity 23. Trinity will wear down in the fourth quarter, which is when I expect to see Plano pull away in this one. If Plano doesn’t make mistakes, I don’t think Trinity can score 30 points.
Halftime: Trinity 17, Plano 14
Raphael gets the stop: Raphael Smith has played as well as anyone on defense to this point. He got a stop that moved the chains on fourth down and then intercepted a pass on the following play to stop Trinity. If the Trojans are picking on Smith instead of Kenny Watkins, it might be a good choice but not a good decision. Smith is a playmaker, but Trinity probably knows about Watkins’ four interceptions in the playoffs.
Davis has 2 TDs: Grant Davis made a spectacular catch reaching above a defender to haul in his second touchdown reception in front of the front right pylon and Plano now trails, 17-14, with 4:10 remaining in the first half. A defensive stop and another touchdown could have Plano in the lead at halftime after falling behind 17-7 early in the second quarter.
Big defensive play: Chris Mendenhall and Brennan Hardy converged in the pocket and recorded a sack as Trinity was forced to punt for the first time. Plano will have the ball with 5:43 left in good field position.
Tavo has 2 picks: Leo Tavo just pulled down his second interception of the game and one play later Robinson scored on a long run. Robinson scored two touchdowns across the span of 53 seconds and Trinity leads, 17-7, with 8:44 remaining in the first half.
Trinity 10, Plano 7: Euless Trinity broke a couple of big plays and Dontrayevous Robinson scored on a 1-yard run. Trinity leads with 9:37 remaining in the first half.
End of 1st quarter: Plano 7, Trinity 3. Trinity has the ball at its own 41.
Plano 7, Trinity 3: Carson Meger found Grant Davis on a 17-yard pass completion and Plano leads, 7-3, with 43 seconds remaining in the first quarter. It was a weird goal line series. A snap sailed over Meger’s head and on the next play a fade pass in the end zone to Kris Lott was ruled not to be a catch. He appeared to have his foot down for the catch. Then Meger seemed to have been past the line of scrimmage when he completed the pass to Davis. It’s a touchdown either way and Plano will take it.
Field goals don’t win championships: But you’ll take points where you can get them. Trinity is 1-for-2 on field goals here in the first quarter and leads, 3-0, with four minutes left. So, Trinity had possessions inside the red zone on its first two series and came away with three points. That’s not what you’re looking for if you’re Trinity. It could have been much worse for Plano.
Trinity back on offense: Euless Trinity stopped Plano and now they have a long field to drive. Expect some time to elapse off the clock on this drive.
Faces of old: John Crawford was spotted in the press box. If you don’t remember Crawford, he was the coach to follow Scott Phillips at Plano East. He never lost a game to Plano in his tenure at Plano East.
Trinity 3, Plano 0: Plano came out throwing on the opening possession of the game and the second pass attempt was intercepted, setting up a Trinity field goal. Trinity was set up at Plano 7 to start the drive and moved just three yards in three plays before settling for a 22-yard field goal.
Be careful Kevin: Kevin Hageland just returned from the field after filming a segment of K&C Masterpiece. Apparently, he made a really bad pick this week. He picked against Plano. I hear the fans let him have it. Here’s the deal. Kevin also thought Allen would beat Plano in a regional final. That didn’t happen either, did it. He’s second place in the Plano Star Courier football picks, but Cory is leading and Cory picked Plano this week. What’s the deal with Kevin wearing Plano West blue today.
The Mystique is here: That’s what a big sign reads that the cheerleaders have on the field. You have to believe in Plano Mystique, otherwise how do explain good things always seeming to happen at the most opportune time. If Odessa Permian can have its “Mojo” then why can’t Plano have its “Mystique.” It is real. Now, Kevin Hageland says he doesn’t believe in it. So he went to Mike Hughes who said he was wrong.
Pregame thoughts: This is a big game isn’t it. Plano has not played in a state semifinal in more than a decade and now they’re one win from its 10 state championship game appearance. What will it take to win today? We’ve seen a dedication to stopping Superman and the Plano rushing attack. So, what does Plano do? They throw the ball. Gerald Brence told me this week that Plano can wear down defenses by passing the ball. This is how it works…the more you pass, the more defenses have to run and by the fourth quarter you’ve worn down the defense and Rex hammers them. The short passing game is important. Plano must play defense. They have some injuries, but this is one of the top defenses in the state. If it plays to its capability, Plano can shut down Trinity. Plano must beware of the big downfield pass from Trinity and make the Trojans run east and west. The defense must force Trinity into long yardage situations on third down, especially with the running offense they employ…and beware of the pitch.
Rex Files: I actually once wondered when people would start talking about this kid named Rex Burkhead. Well, they know about him now. I understand Mesquite football coach Steve Halpin has him on a short list of the three best running backs he has coached against. The first two, Cedric Benson and Robert Merrill, each played in state championship games.
Hanging with the people: I stopped by Humperdinks on Northwest Highway briefly before today’s game. The Plano fans have an air of confidence from what I saw. They were loose and having fun. Half of the restaurant was dressed in maroon. From what I saw, I’d expect a large Plano turnout.
Calling on the past: Spirits are high around Plano this week. Tim Collinsworth, known to those around the Wildcats’ program as “Tank,” spoke to this year’s team. He recalled the 1994 state semifinal in which Plano was not favored to win. There was a lot of talk that week in 1994 about Odessa Permian and its undefeated record. Plano won that game and its state-record seventh football state championship the following week. Also, Carlos Cuevas, he was nicknamed “The Beast” during a varsity career that spanned from 2005-07 at Plano, returned to offer additional instruction and inspiration to the Wildcats’ linemen this week.
This is football weather: I haven’t seen the official gametime temperature, yet, but it sure is cold here at Texas Stadium. It was predicted to drop to 29 degrees tonight and this game should take place in temperatures around or below the freezing point. These Plano kids are tough. I see a lot of them with low socks on and skin exposed in pregame warm-ups. Trinity is wearing long pants and I see a lot of them with long-sleeved shirts.
Semifinal dominance: This will be the third state semifinal for the Plano Wildcats to play in during the Gerald Brence era. So how have they done? Plano won state semifinals in 1993 against Euless Trinity and in 1994 against Odessa Permian. Both were shutout victories. So, in the Brence era, Plano is unscored upon in state semifinal games.
Conversation with Brence: I spoke with Plano coach Gerald Brence at length this week about a variety of subjects, from today’s playoff game to good times, down times and the nearing end of his coaching career. We’ll save some of those notes for later. Brence was in really high spirits. He has a lot of faith in this team and believes it can wear down Trinity with the passing game today.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
Remember 3rd and 2ft.? UP THE GUT. GAME OVER wrote on Dec 16, 2007 8:14 AM:
" Field goals don’t win championships: But you’ll take points where you can get them. Trinity is 1-for-2 on field goals here in the first quarter and leads, 3-0, with four minutes left. So, Trinity had possessions inside the red zone on its first two series and came away with three points. That’s not what you’re looking for if you’re Trinity. It could have been much worse for Plano.
"
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Three years, two of the best: Winning and playoff appearances are assumed birthrights for Plano. The fans expect state championships and the players want rings. Plano has not won a state championship since 1994. They've had two of the state's best football teams in the past three years. In three seasons, Plano has posted a 30-9 record. That's 10 more games played than half of the teams in the Class 5A alignment and in reality many more than that. Don't get down. If you've been around to see the 2005 and 2007 football teams, you've seen not only two of the state's best teams in the past three years but also two of the best Plano Wildcats' teams of all time. There will be no state title this season and that's hard to swallow. You may even feel like Plano should have nine state titles after this season. I'm sure some people are stunned, but remember the team and not the loss.
Numbers of note: If I didn't get you in a positive frame of mind with my thoughts above, let me try again. Plano was playing a game on Dec. 15 and only four Class 5A football teams will play later this season. Plano played in the final high school game of the season at Texas Stadium. Plano has had 13-win seasons in two of the past three years. Plano played later in the season than Southlake Carroll. Feel fortunate. This was a good season and Plano's run in the past three seasons is as good as any around.
Committee criticized: I'm hearing some criticism of "The Committee." It seems at least a few of their members left their seats and began exiting the stadium tonight as Trinity recovered a fumble with less than two minutes left. The reports I am getting indicate they may not have seen C.J. Martin recover a fumble that resulted in a field goal to send this game into double overtime. They missed a great ending to a great game, if these reports are true.
First family of football: I'm sitting beside Donna Lott. People at Plano should thank her for a lot(t) of good times in the past decade. Her sons are Thomas III, Alex and Kris. They each played key roles in three of the best Plano games of this decade. Thomas keyed the offense when Plano nearly defeated Lufkin, the eventual Division II champion in 2001. Alex played as a senior in 2005, when Plano lost to eventual Division I state champion Southlake Carroll. Kris will return for his senior season in 2008, but this year played a key role in a loss to Euless Trinity, which has a chance to also win the state title next week. Alex says Thomas was there in 2005 to counsel him after the loss and today he was there for Kris. "It was the same situation," Alex said. "We lost. T.L. was here talking with me. I had to be here for Kris."
Enough with 2005: It is time to let this 2007 team stand alone. So many times, they have been compared to 2005. "Now, we need to start hearing about 2007," said Alex Lott, who played in 2005 and who's brother, Kris, was a junior on this 2007 team. "I feel about them like I did when we played; We felt we were the best team in the state. I think this team is, too." Don't compare these two teams. They stand alone and they should stand as two of the better teams Plano has ever fielded, ring or no ring.
Ball-control: Both the Euless Trinity offense of today and the Plano offense of the past operated on the ball-control concept of dominating time of possession. A spread offense can play ball-control, as well. Plano had a 15-play drive tonight, but it ended in an interception. If you're playing ball-control offense, you must score. Plano didn't when it was winning time of possession in the second half.
Converting when it counts: Plano converted 11 of its first 13 third downs. That's good football. In a game in which the largest lead was 10 and Trinity never trailed by more than four, it comes down to converting when it matters. Plano failed on each of its final four third-down attempts. When it mattered, Plano failed and Trinity won.
Isn't it fun?: It is fun being a Plano Wildcats fan, isn't it. You have playoff expectations every year and goals of a state championship. You draw large crowds and have the most tradition of any program in the state. Plano lost tonight, but the ride was great. Plano was in a regional final two seasons ago. It advanced to a state semifinal this season and will have expectations of a state title next season. I was reminded about this after the game when I arrived at the Varsity Club. This is the home of the Plano Wildcat fan. Sure, there was plenty of disappointment from the fans. There are also those that believe we can expect another deep playoff penetration from this team next year. The reloading begins now.
Brence rewind: An era ended tonight. Gerald Brence coached his last game at Plano, ending a 120-win career. "I'm sorry we couldn't knock it on in and finish it," he said. Those who have read this blog have called me a Brence loyalist. It is what it is. He leaves the program exactly like he found it. Brence took over in 1993 and went to a state title game and then won a state title in 1994. He had the team in a state semifinal this season and the program seems poised for a state title run in 2008. He doesn't seem to have a great desire to be remembered for anything except having a team which played a hard fought game every time. "I had a tremendous amount of support from the fans, even when times were tough," Brence reflected. "Coach Kimbrough and Coach Clark gave me the opportunity to be coach when I was 32 years old. These were some of the best days of my life. I don't know that I will ever stop being a Plano Wildcat." He says his reflections from teams that won state titles, teams that took tough losses and the winless 2003 team are about the same. Each player, he says, is part of the story of Plano. Those that won and those that lost all had the same qualities and earned his respect. "High school football is about a lot more than winning games," he said. "There will probably be nothing harder to face in life than what the players in 2003 faced during 0-10." He ends his career not asking people to rank him with Clark and Kimbrough, though his wins total indicates he should be. "I was proud to coach the Wildcats," he said. "I was proud to be associated with it." The job never came without criticism. There were those that said his playbook was only six plays strong and that he had to pass to win. They wanted him to throw more. In his final season, Brence did everything those critics had ever asked for. He passed more, opened up the playbook and Plano won. Plano also won when he ran the power offense. If he is to be remembered for the winless season, then also remember him for one state title, two state championship game appearances, three state semifinal appearances and four appearances in regional finals. If you remember his losses, remember his second-highest wins total among all Wildcats' coaches. He says he approached the job of coaching the Wildcats in the same fashion which he will his role as athletics director. "I'll do the best job I can," he said. "And I'll give it all I can." If he has a legacy at Plano, then that should be it. He did all he could and gave it his best shot every time out.
Coach search: Plano should have its new head coach by sometime in January. Gerald Brence is left to make a tough decision. It could be a promotion from within, a hire of a top area coach or even a national search. It seems as if most of the boosters are on board with a promotion. That leaves two names to consider: JayDon McCullough and Scott Smith. McCullough is the offensive coordinator. Smith was defensive coordinator before accepting the head coaching position at Lake Highlands. It doesn't seem like Plano could go wrong with either hire, but it is a tough decision. This likely will be one of the toughest decisions Brence has ever had to make. It is very similar to the one Kimbrough had to make after the 1992 season. Both Brence and Mike Hughes were on his staff. He could have gone with either of them. He made a tough decision and gave Brence a shot. It won't be any easier this time around. The outside choices don't seem to make a lot of sense, not when the inside candidates clearly have the capability to do the job. "