Wendell's last second TD catch sends Oilers to state semifinals

The 5A Region III Division I finals wasn't a game for the faint of heart. When the Oilers got the ball on their own 20 with 2:05 remaining the game and trailing 15-10, the "We Believe" Pearland crowd had some who weren't so sure if they really believed or not.

The game was billed as a matchup between the top two running backs in the Houston area with Pearland's Fozzy Whittaker and Cy-Fair's Sam McDuffie receiving all the pre-game hype.

Little did anyone know that there would be a Pearland player waiting in the wings to step into the spotlight with the game-winning play.

But that is exactly what senior wide receiver and backup quarterback Reid Wendell did as the final seconds ticked off the game clock with the outcome of the game in his hands.

The Oilers dodged a bullet at the 2:05 mark of the fourth quarter when Cy-Fair's Chris Patrick hooked a 29-yard field goal attempt that would have given the Bobcats an 18-10 lead.

Instead, Pearland still had a pulse and a crowd of supporters hoisting up their "We Believe" signs as the Oilers offense took the field at their own 20.

Head coach Tony Heath and offensive coordinator Eric Wells knew they had no choice but to put the ball in the air.

Pearland quarterback Sam Proctor had thrown only 46 passes all season, but the senior responded by hitting 8-of-12 for 80 yards and the game-winner to Wendell covering the final 14 yards.

But the 14-yard scoring catch was not the ordinary pass and catch play seen by most football fans.

With only 25 seconds showing on the game clock, Proctor took the snap from the shotgun formation, saw Wendell running an inside slant patter, and fired a laser that hit the mark at the three-yard line.

A Cy-Fair defender immediatley grabbed Wendell and the tug-of-war began with another Bobcat joining in the effort to keep Wendell out of the end zone.

As the crowd watched intently and the valuable seconds were ticking off the game clock with neither team having any timeouts remaining, the struggle continued with Wendell not willing to let go of the ball nor go down to the turf.
In what seemed like an eternity, Wendell finally felt a jolt when his teammates arrived with a force that sent Wendell across the goal line for the winning score.

When the official shot up his arms signaling touchdown, pandemonium broke out among the Pearland faithful at Rice Stadium giving the Oilers a heart-pounding 16-15 victory and sending them to the 5A Division I state semifinals against Austin Westlake.

"We didn't run the ball, did we," Heath said. "We work on it every day, and when it comes to that time, you have to have it. These kids played with heart, but now they have to load up and become a better football team against Austin Westlake."

Proctor completed passes covering 7, 10, 4, and 18 yards to Whittaker (twice), Kevin Miller, and Karlton Johnson.

"Coach asked me if I believed before we took the field for that last drive, and I just answered him I do believe," Proctor said. "I knew I couldn't rely on my feet because I had to pass. I didn't see the touchdown because I was on my back. I knew he would be in the right spot, caught the ball and I didn't know he was going to make it, but he made it."

But the crowd let Proctor know that Wendell has crossed over with the game-winner.
"The whole game is what made it come down to that last play," Wendell said. "The defense putting us in that situation and the offense driving when we had to have it. Getting into the end zone was about wanting it more."

Cy-Fair scored first in the opening period when McGuffie scored on a seven-yard dash into the end zone. But Chris Patrick missed the extra point for a 6-0 lead with 41 seconds left in the first quarter which would prove to make a difference in the final outcome.

McGuffie, who entered the game with 3,005 yards, was held to 58 yards on 15 carries in the first half.

Pearland answered on the next possession with a 13-play, 79-yard scoring march capped off by a sensational 22-yard scoring jaunt by Whittaker. The UT pledge got tangled in the middle of the line on a fourth-and-one play, and then burst into the open with no one within 10 yards of him before he found paydirt with 7:18 left in the second quarter. Robbie Hersh nailed the extra point for a 7-6 lead which stood at intermission.

The Oilers did have an opportunity to add some points on the scoreboard when Chris Bogs and Gary Robertson sacked Cy-Fair quarterback Corey Chance causing a fumble that was recovered by Robertson at the Bobcats' 31.

But Cy-Fair's defense stiffened forcing the Oilers to attempt a 30 yard field goal, but the ball missed to the left leaving Pearland clinging to a 7-6 halftime lead.
The Bobcats took the lead with 6:45 remaining in the third quarter as Patrick hit a 22-yard field goal giving Cy-Fair a 9-7 lead.

However, Pearland responded with a drive that took 10:27 off the clock, but had to settle for a 25-yard field goal with 8:18 remaining in the game to get back a 10-9 lead.
Cy-Fair wasn't going to go down easy. Facing fourth-and-8 from their own 33, head coach Ed Pustejovsky opted to go for the first down and the gamble paid off as Chance hit Caleb Ramsey for a 61-yard gain setting up the Bobcats at the Pearland 17.

Two plays later, McDuffie raced untouched across the goal line with 6:28 remaining in the game. The two-point conversion attempt was stopped by Daniel Shin leaving the score 15-10 in favor of the Bobcats.

The Oilers weren't able to move the ball and elected to punt from deep in their territory giving Cy-Fair the ball at the 50 yard line.

It looked like the Bobcats would take advantage of another opportunity as they moved to the Pearland 12, but the Oilers defense stiffened to force a 29-yard field goal attempt. The kick was wide left and the Oilers still had life.

With 2:05 left in the season for the Oilers, Proctor engineered a 13-play, 80-yard scoring march capped off by the pass to Wendell for the score.
Whittaker easily won the pre-game hype with 177 yards on 40 carries and a touchdown.

McGuffie finished with 111 yards on 28 totes and two scores.
Pearland had 301 total yards of offense while the Oilers held the Bobcats to 254 total yards.

The Oilers had 17 first downs while Cy-Fair had 11.

Pearland did have seven penalties with two for holding that cancelled runs of 43 and 17 yards by Whittaker.

Nic Saenz had a critical interception in the end zone to turn away Cy-Fair on their opening drive. That gives Saenz nine picks this season that ties him for the lead in the Houston area.

Austin Westlake is next at Texas A&M's Kyle Field in College Station on Saturday, December 16 at 2:00 p.m.