A promising start by the Commerce Tigers, turned out for the worst as Commerce dropped their final home game for the 2007 season, losing to the Wills Point 28 -15. This football season has not been what the Commerce fans have become accustomed to over the years, but hopefully things will get better.
Commerce got things rolling in the first quarter, as Landon Allen completed a 34 yard pass to Terrance Walker to get the Tigers a first and ten on the Wills Point 16-yard line. But after the drive stalled, Jake McCarty came on and kicked a field goal to give Commerce a 3-0 lead.
After a Wills Point three and out, Commerce got the ball back on the Wills Point 28-yard line. They wasted little time in scoring, as Allen completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Mandujano to give Commerce a 9-0 lead.
But as has been the case too many times this year, the defense of the Tigers could not hold on to the lead. Wills Point took over, and Austen Brewer the Wills Point Tigers star running back promptly rushed 88 yards for a touchdown and Tyler Wicks added the extra point. After one quarter of play, the score was 9-7, Commerce.
The second quarter was the beginning of the end for Commerce, as Wills Point quarterback Garlans Perry the completed a 13-yard pass to Mark Barefield, followed by a Perry run that gave Wills Point a first-and-ten at the Commerce 45-yard line.
M.J. Adair then rushed for a 10-yard gain, followed by a Barefield run for seven yards. Barefield gained 20 yards to set Wills Point up with a first-and-goal at the Commerce 5-yard line. Austen Brewer went into the end zone untouched for a 5-yard touchdown run followed by a Cody Henderson two-point conversion run, which gave Wills Point a 15-9 advantage with still a lot of time left in the second quarter.
Neither team would score again in the first half, as the half ended with Wills Point holding a 15-9 lead. Wills Point took over at their own 28-yard line, and Brewer rushed for 22 yards and a Wills Point first down at midfield. Wills Point then promptly marched down the field on Perry’s passing and Brewer’s running.
After the Wills Point team got to the Commerce 10-yard line with a first and goal. Brewer rushed for seven yards, making it second and goal from the Commerce 3, Brewer then ran for two yards, making it third and goal from the Commerce one where Brewer carried it in for the touchdown and a 21 to 9 Wills Point lead. The Wills Point team would then try another two-point conversion, but it failed.
Late in the third quarter, Wills Point struck again, as Perry completed a 25-yard pass to Barefield to give the Tigers a first and goal at the Commerce eight yard line, where Brewer scored on an eight yard run.
Wicks added the extra point and Wills Point had a 28-9 advantage. Commerce had one bright spot, at the start of the fourth quarter, when Jared Turner blocked a Wills Point punt and recovered it in the end zone for a Commerce touchdown. Jake McCarty the normally reliable kicker, missed the extra point andthe score was 28-15 in favor of Wills Point.
This unforetunally was the final score of the evening as Wills Point held on for the 28-15 victory. The loss officially eliminates Commerce from the playoffs for 2007.
Note: Hopefully, next year the Tiger defense will be like the Tiger defenses of year’s past and Commerce can return to the playoffs. I personally want to thank the East Texan staff for allowing me to cover the Commerce High School Tigers this football season.
With all the guys and gals at the East Texan, I don’t have time to go through the whole list of people, but I will name three of them: Brent Lyday sports editor and Shauna Banks and Troy Brakefield, the co-editors of The East Texan. Thanks again guys, and Go Tigers in 2008!