It could not have been drawn up more dramatically by a Hollywood screen writer.
With his team trailing, 49-46,
Wichita Falls (Texas) senior quarterback
Dylan Sheffield rode into the history books Friday night by completing a spectacular 81-yard touchdown pass to
Chance Garey for an incredible 53-49 victory over
Denton (Texas).
Dylan Sheffield finished off the most
prolific passing game in Texas history
with an 81-yard TD pass to win the
game.
File photo by Kyle Dantzler
Denton had taken the lead with 54 seconds left, but Sheffield took full advantage of blown defensive coverage on third down to connect with a wide-open Garey on a wheel route to produce the winning strike just 26 seconds later.
That final touchdown enabled the 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior to finish with an incredible 683 yards, which not only broke the Texas state record (634), but is second only in national history to the 764 yards compiled by David Koral of Pacific Palisades (Calif.) in 2000.
He completed 35 of 50 passes, with seven going for touchdowns.
That final catch gave Garey, a 5-8, 160-pound senior, a school-record 270 yards on 10 catches. Four went for touchdowns. Diondre Singleton snared nine passes for 194 yards and Bubba Mathis had six for 107.
Sheffield told the Wichita Falls Times Record News, "We had confidence the whole game. We didn't feel like we could be stopped, and even on that last drive I knew we weren't going to lose."
Coach Jayson Lavender added, "These kids have a never-give-up attitude. They're a bunch of fighters and they're never out of a game. We jumped on the field with 54 seconds left, and our offense is built for this. This is what we live for."
Nearly lost in the statistics was an outstanding performance by Denton quarterback
Dentton Hudspeth. The 5-10, 160-pound senior ran 30 times for 224 yards and three touchdowns (including the one which put his team ahead with 54 seconds left). He also completed 19 of 32 passes for 280 yards and one touchdown.
