Water Valley's Historic Season Ends With Loss to Whiteface in State Semifinals

LAMESA, TX — The best football season in Water Valley's history ended Saturday with a 74-54 loss to Whiteface in the Class 1A Division I state semifinals.

Water Valley fell behind 24-8 early, and the Wildcats were playing catch up all game.

They pulled within 60-54 late in the third quarter, then came up with a defensive stop to give themselves a chance to take their first lead.

A fumble gave the ball right back to Whiteface, however, and the Antelopes put the game away with a fourth-quarter shutout.

Water Valley, which was playing in the state semifinals for the first time in program history, ended its season with an 11-3 record.

No. 3-ranked Whiteface improved to 14-0 and moves on to the state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Dec. 18 against the winner of No. 1 Gordon and No. 2 Abbott.

Water Valley spread back Landon Lacy threw six touchdown passes — three to Gunnar Brooks, two to Cade Manley and one to Boston Wiese.

Anthony Quintana added two TD runs.

As usual, Wiese led Water Valley's defense, highlighted by two stops on fourth down. Quintana had an interception.

Whiteface's all-state running back, Ethan Kauffman, had five TD runs. Jeremiah Rendon had three TD runs and two TD passes, and his interception in the end zone with less than two minutes remaining sealed the win.

Water Valley will some talented seniors, such as Quintana and Brooks, but they'll also bring back juniors like Lacy, Wiese, Manley and Brylan Naylor to make another run next year.

LIVE UPDATES

4:22 p.m. Whiteface 74, Water Valley 54 - FINAL ... Water Valley's best playoff run ever ends in the state semifinals with an 11-3 record. Whiteface improves to 14-0 and moves on to the state championship game for the first time ever against the winner of Gordon and Abbott.

4:21 p.m. Whiteface running out the clock with a couple of kneel downs.

4:20 p.m. Interception in the end zone by Jeremiah Rendon, and that should end this game.

4:18 p.m. Water Valley's defense recovers a fumble, so this game isn't over just yet, but we're under two minutes.

4:12 p.m. Incomplete pass, and Whiteface will take over with 5:52 left, leading 74-54.

4:11 p.m. Water Valley with a fourth-and-goal at the 5-yard line.

4:08 p.m. Gunnar Brooks with a 16-yard catch. Water Valley picks up the first down, just barely.

4:07 p.m. Water Valley calls timeout.

4:06 p.m. Water Valley offense struggling to move the ball now. Wildcats have a fourth-and-15.

4:03 p.m. Jeremiah Rendon with a TD run. Water Valley players pleading that he stepped out of bounds, but to no avail. Whiteface now has its biggest lead at 74-54 with 7:25 remaining. That may have been the knockout punch.

4:02 p.m. Water Valley unable to pick up the first down, and the Wildcats are in a tough spot now.

4:01 p.m. Water Valley facing a fourth-and-11. Wildcats really need this to stay in the game.

3:57 p.m. Ethan Kauffman with a TD run. Kick is blocked. Whiteface leads 66-54 with 8:33 remaining.

3:55 p.m. Whiteface had a fourth-and-8, but the Antelopes convert. Water Valley's defense is making it tougher as the game goes along.

3:53 p.m. Whiteface 60, Water Valley 54 - end of 3rd Quarter

3:52 p.m. Oh no, Water Valley fumbles the ball right back. Big turn of events. Whiteface takes back over.

3:51 p.m. Huge defensive play by Boston Wiese to knock away a fourth-and-7 pass. Water Valley has a chance to take its first lead of the game.

3:46 p.m. Cade Manley with a TD pass from Landon Lacy. Water Valley won't go away, but the kick misses. Whiteface leads 60-54 with 3:47 left in the third quarter.

3:42 p.m. Jeremiah Rendon with a TD run. Whiteface back on top 60-48 with 4:10 to go in the third quarter.

3:35 p.m. Water Valley's defense answers right back with an interception by Anthony Quintana, and then Boston Wiese scores on a 40-yard TD pass from Landon Lacy. Water Valley trails 52-48 with 6:35 left in the third quarter.

3:31 p.m. Water Valley receives the opening kickoff of the second half, but the Wildcats are stopped on fourth down.

3:13 p.m. Whiteface 52, Water Valley 40 - HALFTIME

3:11 p.m. Whiteface scores on an 11-yard TD pass from Jeremiah Rendon to Auscar Gandara. Antelopes now lead 52-40 with 17 seconds left before halftime.

3:09 p.m. Whiteface converts on fourth-and-8, and the Antelopes are down to Water Valley's 11.

3:08 p.m. Water Valley has elevated its defensive play. Whiteface facing another fourth down.

3:04 p.m. Anthony Quintana with a 4-yard TD run. Kick blocked again. Water Valley pulls within 44-40 with 1:28 left in the second quarter.

3:01 p.m. Boston Wiese blows up the fourth-down play, and Water Valley will take over with a chance to make this a one-score game.

3:00 p.m. Whiteface facing a fourth-and-15 at its own 30-yard line.

2:55 p.m. Landon Lacy is dealing with one great throw after another. He finds Gunnar Brooks for a 3-yard TD pass. PAT is blocked. Water Valley trails 44-34 with 2:47 remaining in the second quarter.

2:52 p.m. A disastrous snap pushed Water Valley back to a second-and-40, yet the Wildcats somehow advanced it to a fourth-and-5, then converted for a first down.

2:46 p.m. Whiteface was pushed to a fourth down, but the Antelopes used a hook-and-ladder play to convert, then scored a TD on the next play on a Kauffman run. Whiteface misses the PAT and leads 44-28 with 6:11 to play in the second quarter.

2:41 p.m. Landon Lacy with a TD pass to Gunnar Brooks. Water Valley pulls within 38-28 with 8:38 left in the second quarter.

2:38 p.m. Whiteface 38, Water Valley 20 — end of 1st Quarter ... Water Valley is driving.

2:35 p.m. Whiteface's all-state running back Ethan Kauffman breaks free for another TD run. Antelopes now lead 38-20. Water Valley has not been able to make a defensive stop yet.

2:32 p.m. Center Cade Manley with a TD pass from Landon Lacy. Kick is blocked. Water Valley trails 30-20 with 1:10 to play in the first quarter.

2:30 p.m. Kauffman with a TD run. Water Valley blocks the PAT, and Whiteface leads 30-14 with 1:23 left in the first quarter.

2:29 p.m. Water Valley recovered the onside kick, but referees ruled that Water Valley touched the ball before it went the necessary distance. Whiteface will have the ball.

2:26 p.m. Anthony Quintana with a TD run, and Water Valley has answered. PAT misses, however, and Water Valley trails 24-14 late in the first quarter.

2:21 p.m. Water Valley erased a 16-point deficit last week to rally past Westbrook. Wildcats are down 16 again, and they need to respond here.

2:20 p.m. Whiteface scores as Jeremiah Rendon finds Auscar Gandara for a 3-yard TD pass. Whiteface  extends its lead to 24-8 with 4:03 remaining in the first quarter.

2:19 p.m. Whiteface facing a fourth-and-goal from the 3. Water Valley calls timeout.

2:15 p.m. Water Valley unable to convert on fourth down, and the Wildcats turn the ball over on downs. Whiteface takes over on its own 36-yard line.

2:12 p.m. Ethan Kauffman with a 41-yard TD run to put Whiteface back on top 16-8 with 7:33 left in the first quarter.

2:08 p.m. Gunnar Brooks with a 35-yard TD pass from Landon Lacy. Water Valley ties the score 8-8 with 8:52 left in the first quarter.

2:04 p.m. Whiteface scored on the game's opening drive as Jeremiah Rendon takes a handoff 54 yards for a TD.