No. 2 Grayson overcame a 14-7 halftime deficit to beat Westlake 35-28 Friday night in a Class AAAAAA quarterfinal matchup.
Senior safety Matthew Greenway intercepted a pass from Westlake quarterback Malik Willis with 2:53 left to seal the win for the Rams, who will play No. 3 Roswell Friday.
Running back Cameryn Brent scored three of his four rushing touchdowns after halftime, including scores on back-to-back possessions to give Grayson a 35-21 lead with 10 minutes left to play. Brent rushed for 267 yards on 24 carries, a mark head coach Mickey Conn believed to be a career high and school record for the senior.
Westlake drove 83 yards to score and pull within 35-28 with 7:32 to go. Willis completed three of five passes for 40 yards and found Ronnie Blackmon for a 12-yard score on the 10th play of the drive. Westlake forced a punt on the next Grayson drive, but Greenway intercepted Willis on the fourth play.
Grayson used excellent field position on two possessions to take a 21-14 lead early in the second half. Chase Brice tossed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Austin Nash on fourth down to tie the game at 14 with 10:08 to play in the third quarter. Grayson took over at the Westlake 35 and Brice threw two incomplete passes before the touchdown strike.
Grayson forced a second Westlake punt on the next possession and Brent scored on a 21-yard run with 8:11 to play, closing a 39-yard drive.
“That was the play that ignited things for us,” Conn said of the touchdown pass. “Our quarterback made a perfect throw that only Austin could get to.”
Westlake drove 88 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead midway way through the first quarter. Receiver A.J. Terrell (5 catches, 98 yards) took a screen pass from Willis and went 55 yards to the Grayson 3, and Willis scored on the next play.
Grayson tied the game at 7 on the next possession with a 73-yard drive that concluded with a 40-yard run from Cameryn Brent. Brent took a handoff on third down from sprinted up the middle for the score.
Westlake took a 14-7 lead just before halftime on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Willis to Terrell to complete a 35-yard drive. Willis scrambled for 25 yards on third down to put the ball inside the 10, and tossed the touchdown pass three plays later.
Grayson advanced to the semifinals for the first time since winning the Class AAAAA title in 2011. Before Friday’s tussle, the Rams (13-0) had not been challenged since a 26-24 home win over Archer in September.
Willlis threw for 131 yards on 11-of-20 passing for Westlake. He added 77 yards rushing for the Lions, who (10-3) won Region 3-AAAAAA and reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1999.
Grayson 35, Westlake 28
G 7 0 21 7 35
W 7 7 7 7 28
W - Malik Willis 3 run (Andy Baskin kick)
G - Cameryn Brent 40 run (Will Van pamelen kick)
W - A.J. Terrell 8 pass from Willis (Baskin kick)
G - Austin Nash 32 pass from Chase Brice (Van pamelen kick)
G - Brent 21 run (Van pamelen kick)
W - Willis 19 pass to Marquez Burdette (Baskin kick)
G - Brent 40 run (Van pamelen kick)
G - Brent 28 run (Van pamelen kick)
W - Ronnie Blackmon 12 pass from Willis (Baskin kick)
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