DAWG BITES

- Wylie leads 7-3 at halftime despite recording just two first downs and totaling less than 40 yards on offense

- The Plainsmen convert eight third-down plays and a fourth down

- Monterey’s win ties the 10-year series at five victories apiece

LUBBOCK - Greg Abbott left happy.

Parker McCollum left happy.

The Wylie Bulldogs did not leave happy.

On a busy Thursday in the Hub City, where the governor and popular country singer also drew crowds, the visiting Bulldogs could not move the happiness needle from Columbia Blue to deep purple.

The Monterey Plainsmen overcame two Wylie leads in the second half, relying on running back Deuce Moore and his big offensive line, and ended a late Bulldogs drive with an interception to take a 24-21 win at Lowrey Field.

Wylie fans numbered as many as those cheering Monterey, perhaps coming north to escape the 104-degree heat in Abilene.

Down by three, Wylie got the football back with 1:40 to play after forcing Monterey to punt for the first time in the second half. The bad news? Wylie was backed up to its 17.

A third down completion of 27 yards from Jadin Karleskint to Blaze Ruffin got the football out of the hole and Wylie had hopes of a tying field goal.

However, Karleskint’s next throw from his 40 was intercepted by Monterey’s Nate DeLeon. The Plainsmen took a knee and celebrated their first win.

“Our kids fought hard and came up a little short,” Wylie coach Clay Martin said.

Senior defensive standout Deandre Rodriguez summed it up like this:

“They just played a little better. They figured out a way to stop us,” he said.

Both teams now are 1-1. Wylie is back at Sandifer Stadium to take on Lubbock Coronado on homecoming night.

SIZE MATTERS

The Bulldogs were outmanned up front.

Monterey coach Jason Sims said his team’s size on the offensive line was a difference-maker in the second half.

“Oh, 100 percent,” he said. “You’re not going to see too many offensive lines like we have in high school. Both of our guys on the right side are 315 pounds. So you can’t fault Wylie for some of the stuff we were doing in the run game.

“We were very impressed with their D-line in film. I know when they get back to your average West Texas lines, they are going to give some people fits. They gave us fits.”

Moore, who did not play in the first half due to his coach’s decision, ran 12 times for 54 yards. At 190 pounds, the junior brought better size and utilized the blocking of Monterey’s offensive line that averages 285 pounds per player.

Yet, it also was Monterey’s ability to convert on third down that broke the Bulldogs.

The Plainsmen were on the money most of the game, scoring what would be the winning touchdown on a 3rd-and-10 pass of 26 yards from Jonah Reed to speedy receiver Cam Taylor. That gave Monterey a 10-point lead with less than 7 minutes to play.

“They were able to lean on us in the second half,” Martin said.. “It’s pretty frustrating when they can run the football against you.

“When you can’t control the line of scrimmage, it’s going to be tough to win.”

Here’s an example of Wylie’s third-down frustration on defense. Monterey got the football at its 4 at the end of the first quarter. A fumbled snap and a stop for loss by Brody Martin and Carter Nelson left Monterey at its 1. It got even worse for the Plainsmen - two penalties moved the football as close to the end zone line as possible.

But on third down, Reed went short to Taylor, who slipped a tackle and got to the 17. The two players hooked up on another third-down completion on the drive. Though Wylie forced a punt downfield, third-down conversions in the second half hurt the Bulldogs.

When Wylie moved the ball, the Bulldogs didn’t get into a third-down situation. Still, the only big conversion on the night was the pass play at game’s end.

“We didn’t execute in those situations and they did,” Martin said. “You’ve got to give them all the credit. We had them behind the sticks several times but they were able to dig out.”

MONTEREY DRIVE TO OPEN 2ND HALF CHANGES GAME

Wylie led twice in the game, including 7-3 at halftime thanks to a pick-6 by defensive lineman Rodriguez. The senior appeared to be the sole receiver seen by Plainsmen quarterback Jonah Reed. Rodriguez caught the football in open field and ran untouched into the Monterey end zone for the game’s first score.

Offensively, the Bulldogs were stymied, going 3-and-out their first three series. Wylie gained its only two first downs on a late drive that ended when running back Julius Laine fumbled after catching a pass at the Monterey 36.

The Plainsmen held the ball for the final minute of the half.

If there was a deciding point in the game, it was the end of Monterey’s opening drive of the second half.

The Plainsmen galloped from their 33 to the Wylie 9.

A run by Legin Williams got the ball to the 1, but the Bulldogs defense stepped up Two plays lost a yard, bringing up fourth down at the 2. Rodriguez was key in those stops.

Reed threw short to a wide-open Jordan Evans at the goal line and Wylie celebrated.

However, an offsides penalty on Rodriguez gave Monterey a fifth chance to score and Reed followed his blocker a yard into the end zone.

“I just forgot the snap count,” he said.

Martin said those miscues have to be corrected.

“We just made too many mistakes,” Martin said. “Both sides of the ball.”If we are going to be a good football team, we’ve got to eliminate that. Penalties and unnecessary mistakes.”

That gave Monterey its first lead and set the tone for a more productive second half. The teams combined for five touchdowns after neither scored offensively in the first half.

BATTLIN' BULLDOGS

A bright spot for Wylie was responding to Monterey touchdowns.

After falling behind 10-7 and having done nothing offensively in the first half, the Bulldogs whisked 70 yards downfield in five plays to retake the lead.

Laine rumbled for 39 yards on a middle screen for the big play. Another key play was an 18-yard gain on a pass from Karleskint to Wyatt Kidman, who broke a tackle. Laine’s 2-yard run ended a drive that took just 1:12.

Later, after falling behind by 10, Wylie drove 63 yards in eight plays, taking only 2:28. Karleskint was 4-for-4 with a 27-yard completion to Blaze Ruffin.

Kidman, filling in for Dylan Regala at receiver, made another big catch for 8 yards to the Monterey 1. Laine scored on the next play to cut the Plainsmen lead to 24-21.

That left 4:23 on the clock but the Bulldogs could not score again.. A winnable game slipped away.

“That’s why we play these games,” Martin said. “They presented us with lots of challenges, and hat’s off to them.. We’re going to get better because of this game, no doubt.”

Laine scored twice but was held to 38 yards on 14 carries. His longest runs were for 8 yards, twice. The senior back had Monterey players attempting tackles in the backfield and he could not find a lane to gain momentum.

Williams, who’s 30 pounds lighter than Moore, led all ballcarriers with 123 yards on 24 carries. He scored on a twisting 16-yard run in the third quarter to give his team a 17-14 lead.

Monterey controlled the game clock, notching 22 first downs and running 65 plays to 37 for Wylie. The Plainsmen totaled 182 rushing yards though 12 plays resulted in negative yardage due to fumbles and aggressive Wylie defensive play.

With Laine bottled up, Wylie managed just 56 yards rushing.

In his second outing, Karleskint threw for 161 yards. He was accurate, hitting 13 of 17 throws including eight straight.

Sims was impressed with Wylie.

“They have a lot of talent. I can see them potentially beng as good or better than last,” he said. Wylie eked out a 29-28 win at home in 2024. “They are going to be in the hunt for that district again.”

Rodriguez said the players learned “to keep their heads up. It’s only the second week, not even district yet. Go out there next week and win home-co.”

YARDSTICK
MONTEREY 24, WYLIE 21

WYLLIE MONTEREY
First downs 12 22
Rushing 20-56 42-182
A-C-Int 13-17-1 15-23-1
Passing 161 179
Total offense 217 361
Punting 4-38.0 3-27.7
Fumbles/lost 2-1 3-0
Penalties 4-34 7-30

SCORING
First quarter
Wylie - Deandre Rodriguez 29 interception return (Noah Rehburg kick), 7:50
MHS - Cam Martinez 27 FG, 2:34
Third quarter
MHS - Jonah Reed 1 run (Martinez kick), 6:51
Wylie - Julius Laine 2 run (Rehburg kick), 5:39
MHS - Legin Williams 16 run (Martinez kick), 2:14
Fourth quarter
MHS - Cam Taylor 26 pass from Reed (Martinez kick), 6:56
Wylie - Laine 1 run (Rehburg kick), 4:23

WYLIE INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing - Julius Laine, 14-38-2; Jadin Karleskint, 6–18
Passing - Karleskint, 13-17–0-2
Receiving - Blaze Ruffin, 6-80 Wyatt Kidman, 3-30, Laine 2--37, Jayden Naemi, 1-10, Blake Frailing, 1-4

DISTRICT 2-5A RESULTS
Thursday
Lubbock Monterey 24, Wylie 21
Amarillo Palo Duro 48, Amarillo Caprock 0
Friday
Abilene High 34, Abilene Cooper 13
Lubbock-Cooper 49, Lubbock Coronado 14
Plainview 49, Pampa 41
Amarillo Tascosa 53, Wichita Falls Legacy 3
Wichita Falls Memorial 33, Frenship 26