Wildcats win district crown
Championship first since 1978

Photos/Jim Jackson Jimmy Kennedy led the Wildcats in rushing on the night, picking up 134 yards on 16 carries.

The Smurfs appeared on TV for the first time. This year also marked the birth of the first testtube baby, and the movie "Superman" was released starring Christopher Reeves. In addition, Space Invaders became the first-ever arcade video game.

The year was 1978, and it also marked the last time the town of Whitehouse got to celebrate a district championship in football - until now.

In what has become a memorable season, Wildcat fans were rewarded with the District 12-4A championship after a thrilling 35- 34 victory over the Marshall Mavericks Friday,Nov. 3.

"This was as an exciting game as you could be a part of," said Coach Randy McFarlin.

"Tonight was about the will to win, and our kids never gave up, and they ultimately found a way to win," said Coach McFarlin.

The Whitehouse defense came out fired up and held Marshall to a three and out on their first series, only to come back out on the field after the Wildcat offense could not move the ball on its first series.

Photo/Jim Jackson The Wildcats won a thriller over Marshall, thanks in part to the go-ahead field goal of Paul Metzner in the fourth quarter. The Whitehouse kicker came through for the Cats in a similar fashion in the first game of the season and has been solid all year long. As the team plays its last regular season game tomorrow night, the Whitehouse Athletic Booster Club and First Baptist Church are planning a community tailgate party to be held at the first playoff game. There will also be a community pep rally to send the team off to the playoffs. Times and dates for both events will be announced later.

After a penalty on the first down, Marshall faced a third and long and came up with the first big play of the game on an 89-yard TD run by QB Derrick Sneed, and with the PAT, Marshall went up 7- 0.

After trading possessions with the Wildcats, Marshall struck again with a 34-yard TD run, and the PAT extended the Maverick lead to 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

On Whitehouse's next possession, they faced a third and 13, but Brady Attaway would find Seth Cashion on a completion over the middle to keep the drive alive.

After passes to Cashion and Asher Williams, the 'Cats faced a big fourth down and one at the Maverick 32-yard line. Jimmy Kennedy stepped up and scored the first of his four TDs on the night, and with Paul Metzner's PAT, the Maverick lead was cut in half, 14-7.

Marshall came right back with a big play of their own: a 53-yard TD pass to go back up by two touchdowns, 21-7. At this point, the game began to take on the feel of a tennis match with each team looking to break the other team's serve.

On the Wildcats' next possession, Attaway found Lesley Perdue on a pass completion to the Maverick 45, and then Kennedy took the handoff on the next play and to go 45 yards to the end zone. Metzner's kick would again cut the lead by half, 21-14.

On Marshall's next possession, the Mavs faced a big third and 10 play. While trying to run an option play, the pitch was fumbled and recovered by Luke Shivers.

Chants of "Luuuuke" rang out on the home side as the senior's play gave the Cats the ball at the Maverick 40-yard line. The offense wasted little time as Cashion took an Attaway pass down to the 27, and then Kennedy did the rest on the next play, finding

the end zone on a draw play. Metzner connected again, knotting the score at 21 all going into halftime.

The second half signaled the fireworks as Marshall connected early in the third quarter on a 56- yard TD completion to regain the lead 28-21. The Wildcats struck right back on their own scoring drive that was capped off by an 11-yard TD pass from Attaway to Kennedy.

A key play then occurred on the PAT as Marshall got a flag for an offsides, giving the Cats a chance to go for two. Kennedy got the points to give Whitehouse its first lead of the night, 29-28, with 7:47 to go in the third quarter.

Marshall seemed ready to take the lead on its next possession, but another big play by a senior stopped the drive. Chad Emmons went up on a jump ball and had the ball fall in his lap on the way down for an interception that gave the Wildcats the ball on their 17.

Attaway began the drive with a pass to Chris Leonard to the 42, and then found Cashion on a big third down and four to keep the drive alive. Unfortunately, the Cats had to settle for three points as Metzner hit a 31-yard field goal to extend the Wildcat lead to 32-28 at the 2:52 mark in the third.

Marshall began the fourth quarter with a 29-yard field goal to cut the lead to 32-31. On their next possession, the Mavericks connected on a big third down pass play to get the ball deep into

Wildcat territory, but the Wildcat defense denied them a trip to the end zone, and the Mavericks again had to settle for a 27- yard field goal to take a 32-31 lead with 7:59 left in the game.

Attaway led the next drive by the Cats as he hit Perdue on a long pass down to the Maverick 26-yard line. However, the drive stalled, and Metzner was called upon would to try a field goal to give the lead back to the Wildcats.

Metzner lined up for the goahead 45-yard field goal, and the kick was pure and split the uprights with plenty to spare, giving the Cats a 35-34 lead with 6:01 remaining in the game.

Marshall moved the ball on a final drive before Kennedy came up with an interception on a long Sneed pass to give the ball back to the Cats at their own two yard line. After forcing a Wildcat punt, Marshall had one final chance for the win but a desperation pass in the end zone fell incomplete, and the Wildcat celebration began.

The district champion Wildcats will finish district play tomorrow night on the road at Nacogdoches with just two questions remaining to be answered: Can the Wildcats finish district undefeated? And will Whitehouse go into the playoffs as the Division 1 representative?

Individual Statistics:

Rushing - Kennedy 16-134.

Receiving - Cashion 10-100, Perdue 9-92, Leonard 5-90, Mayo 1-19, Williams 2-17, Kennedy 2- 9-1

Passing - Attaway 29-45-326- 1