After a tough stretch during which they lost five straight games, the North Webster Knights are heading into the playoffs on a high note.
North Webster defeated Bastrop 31-0 Friday night at Baucum-Farrar Stadium. The Knights finished the regular season 4-6.
North Webster is No. 23 in the non-select Division III power rankings and will be on the road in the first round. Official pairings will be announced Sunday.
Bastrop finished 1-9.
North Webster second-year Head Coach Christopher Wilson was especially happy his seniors were able to enjoy a victory in their final game on their home field.
“They didn’t want to walk off that field for the last time without a victory,” he said. “So they did what they needed to do.”
Wilson said a flu bug has been going through his team’s locker room. The Knights played without their starting quarterback. The starting center tried to play, Washington said, but lasted only about a quarter before he had to come out.
Jameson Harden started at quarterback.
“He did what he needed to do,” Washington said. “(Justin) Stewart came in in the second half and kind of carried us home.”
After a scoreless first quarter, the Knights got going in the second and led 14-0 at the half. They pulled away in the second.
Ja’Myrian Jackson scored three rushing touchdown. His brother Jakayden caught a touchdown pass. Christian Whitlock kicked a field goal.
The Knights started the season 3-1. But they had trouble getting the ball in the end zone in their next four games, scoring just three touchdowns. They scored two in a loss to Many in Week 9.
“We’re just young,” Wilson said. “Everybody’s so much bigger than us. We just kind of get manhandled. Our youngsters really haven’t learned how to play. We just ran into a buzzsaw like five weeks straight.”
All five of the teams will be in the playoffs.
While Wilson obviously hoped for better after the good start, the Knights improved by one win over last season.
“We’re so young and it’s really something we can be optimistic about,” he said. “I’ve struggled this week about kind of keeping things in perspective.
“At the beginning of the year I said if we went 4-6 with these youngsters we’d call it a win. They were able to power through and finish strong and we’re happy about that. I’m really happy for my seniors.”
Haynesville 47, Glenbrook 0: At Haynesville, the Apaches competed well but the undefeated and No. 1-ranked Tors were too much to handle.
Glenbrook finished the regular season 3-6 under Greg Tibbitt, who returned as head coach after leading the Apaches in 2012 and 2013.
Glenbrook is No. 27 in the select Division IV power rankings. The top 24 teams in the final rankings, which will be announced Sunday, make the playoffs.
Glenbrook had a very young team with just six seniors per the preseason roster.
The Apaches also lost junior quarterback and defensive back Ryan Reagan to an injury early in the Week 6 game against Arcadia.
Haynesville, last season’s non-select Division IV runner-up, improved to 10-0.
Winnfield 20, Lakeside 6: At Winnfield, the game was tied at 6 at the half.
Winnfield’s Craig St. Cyr broke the tie with a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The Tigers added a two-point conversion and Lakeside trailed 14-6 going into the fourth.
Detravious Williams made it 20-6 with a 55-yard touchdown run.
Lakeside closed the regular season 4-6. The Warriors are No. 31 in the non-select Division III power rankings. The top 28 in the final rankings make the playoffs.