Deshler tops West Limestone 34-14

The Deshler Tigers bounced back from a loss to Brooks by earning a solid 34-14 victory over the West Limestone Wildcats on Oct. 18.

The win puts Deshler at 5-3, 4-2 on the season and in a tie with Brooks (6-2, 4-2), Hatton (5-3, 4-2) and Central (6-2, 4-2) in Class 4A, Region 7.

Given the region has nine teams and the head-to-head tiebreakers, the four playoff teams will not all be determined until the last week of the regular season.

The Tigers face East Lawrence (3-5, 2-4) on the road this week before a showdown with undefeated West Morgan (8-0, 6-0), the region leader.

Neither Deshler nor West Limestone managed to get onto the scoreboard in the first quarter.

The Tigers’ defense made a goal-line stand and forced the Wildcats to try a field goal.

Garrett Reid managed to run in off the edge and block the attempt, but the game officials claimed they blew an inadvertent whistle during the play, so West Limestone got a redo attempt.

In a play identical to the first, Reid once again blocked the attempt to keep the Wildcats off the scoreboard.

Kendrick Gunn finally got Deshler on the board with a long run midway through the second quarter, and Tripp Brooks sailed in the point after to make it 7-0.

The Tigers ended the Wildcats’ next drive with a turnover on downs at their own 26-yard line with 2:06 remaining before halftime, and Deshler would take full advantage of the next possession.

Price Thornton connected with Reid through double coverage for a 49-yard gain. Then, Thornton hit Cam Fuller on a pass down to the goal line.

Thornton broke the plane on a keeper, and after the Brooks’ PAT the Tigers led 14-0, which would be the score at intermission.

By the end of the third quarter Deshler led 21-7. A goal-line run by Thornton and a 33-yard touchdown pass from Thornton to Reid would cap the scoring for the Tigers in the contest.