Each man approached tonight’s Wildcats-Grey Wolves regular-season finale at Wildcat Stadium as if his team had to win to qualify for the Class 5A state playoffs - Temple for the second consecutive year, Shoemaker for the first time in its nine-season history.
But when College Station A&M Consolidated defeated Killeen Ellison 35-21 on Thursday, Temple suddenly found itself owning one of 12-5A’s four playoff positions, while Shoemaker’s status remained up in the air.
Not that Monsen wanted to take any of Temple’s focus away from trying to defeat Shoemaker (4-5 overall, 3-3 district) for its fifth consecutive victory, but he definitely took some satisfaction in the fact that the Wildcats (4-5, 4-2) have secured a playoff spot.
“This is a big deal for us, because it’s been a long time - 1996 and ’97 - since we’ve been in the playoffs two straight years,” Monsen said Thursday night after A&M Consolidated won to clinch at least a share of second place at 5-2. “I’m really proud of our kids and our coaches. This is where we need to be.
“(But) our kids are fired up to play Shoemaker. They want to play and see if we can win five in a row going into the playoffs. We’re going to throw everything we have at them.”
A day earlier, Shoemaker’s Gray didn’t want to discuss complicated scenarios relating to the Grey Wolves’ pursuit of their first-ever playoff berth.
“Every week has been exciting for us. Last week we had to beat Ellison (Shoemaker did, 49-35) and this week we have to beat Temple,” he said. “It’s survival mode for us right now and every week has been like the playoffs.
“We’re looking at it like if we win we’re in and if we lose we’re out. We’re not worried about the other what-if stuff. All year long we’ve wanted to make the playoffs. We’re a senior-laden team and those guys want to leave a legacy.”
Shoemaker actually doesn’t have to beat Temple to reach the postseason, because a Belton win at Bryan also would push the Grey Wolves into the playoffs based on their positive points in the case of a three-team tie for fourth place with Ellison and Belton.
Shoemaker will miss the playoffs only if it loses tonight and Bryan beats Belton, in which case Ellison would advance because it possesses the maximum 19 positive points to Shoemaker’s 14.
Although he doesn’t want to look back, Gray knows that narrow losses to Bryan and Belton have gotten Shoemaker into its current predicament.
“If we get that win over Bryan or that win over Belton, we’re in,” he said. “But we tell our kids, ‘We put ourselves in this situation.’ Lord willing, we’ll still find a way to get in.”
Meanwhile, Temple is riding high after outscoring rival Belton 25-0 in the second half to prevail 46-21 last week for its fourth straight win.
“Our kids have become resilient to adversity,” said Monsen, whose team allowed a touchdown as first-half time expired to let Belton forge a 21-21 tie at the break. “A lot of that is confidence, and our kids have confidence.”
The Wildcats’ defense, which has allowed six second-half points in the last three games, will need plenty of confidence to contain Shoemaker’s potent shotgun-spread offense.
Junior quarterback Jameill Showers, who already has a scholarship offer from Texas A&M, has passed for 1,774 yards and 16 touchdowns, with talented receivers M.J. Porter and Derrick Mays his top targets. Running back Dion Demers has rushed for 824 yards and 11 touchdowns, with Showers and Jonquese Jordan complementing him.
“They’re very talented as they always are, and they have tremendous team speed,” Monsen said of the Grey Wolves. “Their quarterback is an outstanding player, they have a great receiving corps and their offensive line is big and physical.”
On the other side, Gray has great concern about his defense’s ability to contain Temple’s hard-charging Wing-T attack. Junior fullback Derrick Davis, junior running back and area rushing leader Lache Seastrunk and senior running back Daniel Carr all rushed for at least 127 yards against Belton.
“They’re playing as well as anyone right now,” Gray said. “When Seastrunk breaks one he can go 99½ yards, the fullback has added a lot to their offense, and last week No. 25 (Carr) said, ‘Giddy up and let’s go.’ They’re a force."
gwille@temple-telegram.com
