Daingerfield ends West Rusk's season in the second round

GLADEWATER — A magical football season for the West Rusk High School Raiders ended here at Jack Murphy Stadium on Friday night to a Daingerfield team that might just be talented enough to go very, very deep in the UIL Class 2A Division 2 playoffs.

Daingerfield handed West Rusk a 43-7 loss in Friday's area round, finishing the second season at West Rusk for head coach and athletic director John Frazier. Frazier's Raiders, though, went a very-impressive 9-3 on the year, losing only to Troup, No. 1-ranked Arp and then Friday to Daingerfield, who advances to the regional round to face either New Waverly or Hardin this week.

The Tigers (11-1) scored first, a 4-yard run by Joe Lafayette, and subsequent two-point conversion. The Raiders punched right back, marching down the field and getting a 2-yard touchdown from Chris Johnson. Sam Arvizu booted the extra point and brought West Rusk within one, 8-7.

West Rusk's defense held the Tigers to a threeand out, getting the ball back at their own 39- yard-line. But West Rusk turned it right back over on an interception.

With 1:19 left in the first quarter, Daingerfield added to its lead with a 6-yard touchdown and conversion, going up 16-7.

Things would snowball for the Raiders from there, and not in a good way. Daingerfield quarterback Tyler Boyd would give the Tigers more points in the second quarter on a 6-yard pass to LaFayette, and then Boyd took it in for the conversion himself, and Daingerfield led 24-7.

They'd get one more in the first half. Chris Jones scored off a pass from Boyd with 16 seconds left, and although the conversion failed this time, the Tigers led 30-7 at the break.

Koko Smith scored in the third quarter on a 37-yard run, and the final score of the game came in the fourth on an 11- yard run by Morris Lafayette.

Daniel Thompson, who picked up over 1,800 yards this season, finished the contest with Daingerfield with 91 yards on 23 carries.

Boyd completed 12 of 17 passes for 202 yards and four toouchdowns to eight different receivers.

Smith had 72 yards and the score, and Jones had 76 yards on three carries.