After two weeks of dominating in playoff football, the Argyle Eagles pulled out a hard fought 52-48 victory over the Kennedale Wildcats with a last second defensive stand. Fans witnessed four quarters of relentless competition that ultimately ended in the victory.

“This was a great win,” DE Hudson Speed said. “I really feel like this shows that we have a lot of fight.”

Kennedale seized the lead early, running the ball relentlessly against the Eagles smaller defensive front, and went into the second half with a 27-17 lead.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” DB Dane Ledford said. “There in the first half we ran a different defense, and it wasn’t really working, so we adjusted and came out better in the second half.”

Despite the defensive struggles, LB Taylor Sweatt could be heard motivating his teammates in every quarter, telling them if they stuck together they would win.

“This team doesn’t work if we all don’t work together,” Sweatt said. “We have leadership out there, and once it all pulls together it’s like a big puzzle, and it works. We know that when we gotta get it done we’re gonna get it done.”

This is the first time this season that the Eagles have ever been down by three scores (17 points in the first quarter), but the team never lost its confidence.

“We handle adversity really well,” QB Cooper Rodgers said. “I believe that if we ever get down, we can always come back and win the game.”

The main component of Kennedale’s offense was running back Juwan Washington, who torched the defense several times throughout the game, including a 67 yard run to open the game.

“Washington played great, and I definitely think they proved that they could score on us,” Speed said. “We just had to take it play by play and win the game.”

Down ten points but driving, the Eagles suffered a major setback when Rodgers threw an interception with 20 seconds left in the house.

“I was upset, but I knew we were going to get the ball to start the third quarter,” Rodgers said. “I knew we would make the adjustments and go out there and score.”

Argyle scored 35 points in the second half through a combination of dominant runs and play action passes.

“We knew we were going to be able score every time we got out there, and we did exactly that,” Rodgers said. “We stayed positive. We knew that the defense would get their stops when it mattered, so we just focused on scoring a ton of points.”

RB Nick Ralston especially put the team on his back, rushing for 322 yards and four touchdowns as he bull-dozed over defenders. His biggest play may have been the game winning 57 yard touchdown run with 3:59 left in the fourth quarter.

“That’s just Nick just being Nick,” WR Drew Estrada said. “He scores when he wants to, and nobody can stop him.”

Estrada was also a big part of the teams 52 point performance and has established himself as Rodgers’ favorite receiver.

“Drew’s really great,” Rodgers said. “We are next to each other in the locker room, so we’re always talking and working on things. We’re at a point where I know where he’s gonna be, and he knows where I want to throw it.”

Kennedale controlled the ball for the last four minutes of the game, and down four points, they came frustratingly close to mounting a game winning drive.

“I stood in the same spot that whole drive just hoping we’d get a stop, and our defense stepped up,” Estrada said. “Our defense won us that game with some great plays on that last drive.”

Despite the pressure, the defense once again stepped up, swatting down the last second 22 yard touchdown attempt.

“I trusted my guys,” Sweatt said. “I knew we were going to make the play. Game over.”