5A Team of the Week: Elgin Wildcats
Something special is brewing in Elgin.
A year after finishing 0-10, the Wildcats clinched their first playoff berth since 2014 in remarkable fashion.
With just 33 seconds remaining in their game against Waco University, the Wildcats desperately needed a big play trailing 35-28.
Wildcat quarterback Nathen Lewis delivered, connecting with Justin Strong over the top for a 29-yard score to cut the deficit to one.
Super Proud of these Elgin Wildcats! They clinched a playoff spot tonight with a 36-35 come back win. Here is our comeback drive score pass from Nate (@Nathenlewis06) to Justin (@JustinStrong05). Sebastian (@SebastianJacksn) followed it up with the 2 point conversion for the lead pic.twitter.com/PBSGouXSF4
— Kim Strong (@KimStrong97) October 15, 2022
And with just three yards standing between Elgin and a playoff berth, Wildcat head coach Heath Clawson made the call to go for two.
And with this 2 pt conversion, Elgin takes the lead with 2 seconds left (forgot I was recording and got excited) #etx #highschoolfootball pic.twitter.com/Mse45tG9Ih
— Crissye Watson Johns (@crissyej) October 15, 2022
That gamble paid off as Sebastian Jackson barreled into the end zone to seal a memorable 36-35 victory for Elgin.
Lewis was one of the stars of the night as he threw for 204 yards and five touchdowns on just 12 completions. For his part, Jackson paced the running game with 51 yards on the ground.
The win improves the Wildcats to 6-2 on the year. Their next test will come this Thursday when they travel to Pflugerville as they look to keep their momentum rolling.
Note: After being informed of the 11-5A Division II tiebreakers, there are a couple of scenarios where a five-way tie for first place or a three-way tie for 3rd-5th could leave Elgin out of the playoffs, but the Wildcats can officially seal a third place finish or better with a win over Pflugerville on Thursday.
Previous 5A Winners
Week One: New Braunfels Canyon
Week Two: Argyle
Week Three: Frisco Reedy
Week Four: Killeen Shoemaker
Week Five: PSJA North
Week Six: Austin Northeast
Week Seven: Burleson Centennial
CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz
