THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Levelland High School Athletics

It was a mistake that helped Levelland take the lead for good in its 27-20 win Thursday against Estacado at PlainsCapital Park’s Lowrey Field. Senior linebacker Dylan Wolfe ran the wrong way as an extra blocker on a quarterback keeper, but he wound up in the right place at the right time to give do-it-all Levelland quarterback Chris Gerber a pick-me-up and win the District 2-4A Division II crown with 1:32 left on the clock. Gerber was trying to run off-tackle from 20 yards out of the end zone when Estacado caught him for the second of 24 tries on the night. Wolfe caught his flailing teammate, got him back on his feet by giving him a bear hug and Gerber churned the remaining 17 yards to prevent the Matadors from claiming a second straight district championship. “I thought I was going down, and I came right back up,” Gerber said. “I was like, ‘Oh, here we go!’ It was a crazy. We had ’19 smoke called,' which is a quarterback rally to the left. He must have gotten 18 because he went to the right, so I followed him. “He told me he got me. He did.” A championship game due to circumstance — with both teams coming in undefeated in district play — the contest featured eight of the area’s top 10 tackles for loss leaders among more leaders in other statistical categories. Levelland (7-2 overall, 5-0 district), which needed all the breaks it could get in both team’s regular season finale, trailed 14-6 at halftime. Estacado (7-3, 4-1) began losing control of the game in the third quarter when Gerber ran it in from the 1-yard line on the Lobos’ eighth total attempt to score from inside the 5-yard line, cutting the deficit to 20-12 with 4:32 left in the period. On the ensuring possession the Matadors went three-and-out against a resurgent Levelland defense and, withing a few minutes, it was all knotted up. Gerber executed an option pitch to running back Tristan VanZant who ran it in from five yard out to put things at 20-18. Gerber connected with VanZandt, once again, this time by completing a pass on a two-point conversion play never run before to put things at 20-20 by the 1:01 mark of the third quarter. “My running back didn’t even know what he was supposed to do,” Gerber said. “We had two double slants coming in, so he just popped right up behind them.” Seth Porter did most of the damage for Estacado on scoring runs of 57 and 50 yards toward 166 total yards. But a Matadors team with zero passing yards had to take to the air from their own 44 in the final minute. Dre Conwright and Vincent Leffall got Estacado to the Levelland 20-yard line on four combined receptions ahead of two incomplete passes. Sophomore Dylan Wolfe’s pressure up the middle resulted in a pass that skipped right down the middle of the field while Lobos rushed the field. Minutes later, with a gold ball in his huddle, Levelland coach Curtis Lowery reminded his team Thursday was pay day. “I might have to go to the doctor tomorrow,” Lowery said. “It’s one of the best football games I’ve ever been a part of. I can’t say enough about our kids and how hard they play. There’s no quit in any of them and I’m so proud of them. I love every one of them.” Player of the Game Chris Gerber, Sr., QB, Levelland Gerber ran for 155 yards on 24 carries with two touchdowns. He also threw for 197 yards. Notable Estacado’s interception leader, Tadrian Ward, went down with a leg injury in the first half on an illegal cut block and never returned. That was the Lobos’ only accepted penalty of the night. What’s next Levelland and Estacado both advance to the bi-district round of the Class 4A Division II playoffs. Their opponents, times, dates and locations will be determined this weekend.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Levelland High School Athletics

GREAT GAFFE HELPS LEVELLAND BEAT ESTACADO, WIN TITLE

MIKE GRAHAM

Lubbock Online | 11/13/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Brad Tollefson