White Knoll gets best of Lexington again
Heading into the playoffs, White Knoll had won just two playoff games in its history.
The Timberwolves have doubled that total through the first two rounds of this year’s postseason with a 28-21 win over Lexington on Friday in the Class 5A playoffs.
White Knoll travels to Region 5-5A champion Dutch Fork next week in the third round.
“I’m tickled to death for these kids, with the opponent and the setting,” White Knoll coach Dean Howell said. “I couldn’t be happier for them and what they been able to accomplish at White Knoll.”
Maurice Jones rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns, including a 65-yarder in the second quarter to tie it at 14.
The Timberwolves’ special teams also played a big part with two blocked kicks, one Justin Riley returned 66 yards for a touchdown to give the Timberwolves a 21-14 lead with 7:09 left in the third quarter.
TURNING POINT
After White Knoll took a 21-14 lead in the third quarter, kicker Amer Omerbasic pooched the ensuing kickoff and the Timberwolves recovered it at Lexington 24. Eight plays later, Jones scored on a 9-yard run on third-and-goal to make it 28-14.
KEY PERFORMERS
White Knoll special teams: Blocked two kicks, recovered one fumble and had three touchbacks on kickoffs.
Jordan Hiller: Lexington back rushed for 64 yards and a TD, and also caught a 71-yard TD pass late in the fourth quarter.
Joe Beckett and Brandon Serio: White Knoll linebackers combined for 36 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss.
KEY NUMBERS
77: Plays run by Lexington to White Knoll’s 47
2: White Knoll wins over Lexington this season. Prior to this season, the Timberwolves were 3-12 against Lexington.
THEY SAID IT
“We spend a lot of time on special teams on it and kids get tired of it, to be honest with you. But it’s a third of the game and we take pride in it. And it paid off for us tonight” – Howell
“I saw the hole was open and I had one dude to get through. And I work in the weight room for this, summers for this, so I couldn’t go down.” – Jones on his 65-yard touchdown
HOW THEY SCORED
1st Quarter
WK – Lindsay 27 pass from Jeffcoat (Hernandez kick), 4:07
2nd Quarter
L – Davis 5 run (Kennedy kick), 10:28
L – Davis 1 run (Kennedy kick), 6:25
WK – Jones 65 run (Hernandez kick), 5:08
3rd Quarter
WK – Riley 66 fumble return (Omerbasic kick), 7:09
WK – Jones 9 run (Omerbasic kick), 2:20
4th Quarter
L – Hiller 69 pass from Crouch (Kennedy kick), 1:44
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: L: Davis 17-96, Hiller 18-64, Crouch 12-42, Smith 5-16. WK: Jones 18-135 Summers 10-25, Sams 1-4, Jeffcoat 3-1
Passing: L: Crouch 11-125-1 177. WK: Jeffcoat 6-14-1 63, Clariday 0-1-0 0
Receiving: L: McGee 3-26, Jacobs 3-42, Daniel 2-16, Norman 2-22, Hiller 1-71. WK: Lindsay 1-27, Jones 1-8, Clariday 2-28, Hayes 1-2, Clary 1 (-2).
This story was originally published November 25, 2016 at 11:18 PM with the headline "White Knoll gets best of Lexington again."