Boswell opens postseason football with the upset on the road against Haslet Eaton
Boswell came into Thursday night’s playoff opener against Haslet Eaton as 24-point underdogs.
But behind a power rushing attack and late stop, the Pioneers upset the Eagles, 40-37 at Northwest ISD Stadium in a Class 6A Division 2 bi-district game. The Pioneers get their first playoff win since 2017 and will play El Paso Eastwood in the area round at 7 p.m. Friday at Lubbock Cooper’s Pirate Stadium.
“It was an upset to everyone except the kids in that fieldhouse. We left today with a mission and we knew it was going to take an incredible effort from Eaton to beat us,” Boswell coach John Abendschan said. “There’s something special with this group from where we started with Colleyville Heritage to now.
“It wasn’t a surprise to us and I’m not being arrogant or cocky, that’s just where we are right now and every single kid found a way to make it work.”
Boswell (6-4) threw everything it had at Eaton, including on its first play from scrimmage.
After the Pioneers halted Eaton’s opening drive on fourth down at the Boswell 36, Abendschan called a half-back pass. Quarterback Sawyer Farr took the snap and handed it off to Gage Ellis, who found an open Ty Dauer for 57 yards to the Eaton 5.
On the next play, Farr scored on a read-option to give Boswell a 7-0 lead with 8:45 left in the first quarter.
Boswell was gifted with three Eaton turnovers in the opening period.
The first came three plays into the ensuing drive, but Boswell gave it back on an interception from Eaton’s Nicholas Robinson in the end zone. The Eagles (8-3) turned it into points on a JB Brown 66-yard touchdown run that tied the game with 4:14 on the clock.
Boswell then punted, but the Eagles muffed the return and Michael Antuna came up from the pile with the football. Farr hit Dauer 22 yards down the field and Ezra Carter scored from the 5 to give Boswell a 14-7 edge with 2:11 to play in the frame.
The Eagles had its third turnover when they couldn’t secure the ensuing kickoff. Jackson Robertson recovered for Boswell and the Pioneers upped the lead to 21-7 with 23 seconds left on a 19-yard run from Farr, who scored on another read-option.
“[Sawyer] hasn’t run [the read-option] much this season, but we felt with his ability, he’s such a good athlete and the way he’s matured everyday, he’s one of those competitors you dream about having because he’s going to try to work every single day to get better,” Abendschan said.
Added Farr, “We had extra motivation because we wanted to beat them so bad. We knew we were underdogs and underrated, but we’ve been playing good lately and we came out with the energy, and the student section, the fans, we feed off of them.”
Eaton regained its composure to bring it back within seven on the second play of the second quarter. After Boswell was called for a 15-yard penalty, the Eagles scored on a Tyler Fussell 40-yard pass to Jaden Platt.
Aric Wood took a Boswell punt 72 yards to the end zone that would’ve tied it, but Eaton was called back with two flags. The Eagles were forced to punt and Boswell scored on the next drive.
The Pioneers lost 19 yards to set up a second-and-27, but got 13 yards on a Farr pass to Cruz Aguilar that made it a manageable third down and Farr hit Carter on a screen for 18 yards to the Eaton 5.
Carter scored two plays later to give Boswell a 28-14 margin with 2:37 left in the second quarter.
“We did it, that’s pretty much it, it’s a great feeling,” Carter said. “The bond between us is going even stronger and it’s never been quite like this. I’ve never had a team like this before.”
Eaton got a much-needed score just before intermission when it drove 78 yards in 10 plays. Facing a second down at the Boswell 6 with seven seconds left, Fussell hit Christopher Anderson on a short slant to pull within 28-21.
Boswell got two field goals in the second half, both from 36 yards from Eric Trejo, the first giving the Pioneers their largest lead of 37-21 early the fourth quarter. The second gave Boswell a 40-29 lead with three minutes left.
Farr scored on a 42-yard run to give Boswell a 34-21 lead midway through the third. Eaton pulled within 40-37 on a touchdown run from Fussell and a Fussell 27-yard pass to Anderson with 2:04 left to play.
Eaton had a last chance late, but at their own 42-yard line, the Eagles couldn’t complete a pass as time expired leaving Boswell to rush the field in victory.
“Just gotta come through and clutch up,” said senior defensive end Cooper Vaden, who made a few key tackles and had a sack. “Times like that, you have to man up and bow up and show them who you are and they’re never going to forget when they played the Pioneers.”
Boswell gained 374 yards with 211 coming on the ground. Carter led all rushers with 37 carries for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Farr added 48 yards with three scores and 106 yards passing. Dauer made four grabs for 96 yards.
Eaton gained 460 yards as Fussell threw for 343 on 25 of 36 passing with three touchdowns. Brown rushed for 110 yards on 14 carries and Anderson had 121 yards and two scores on eight catches.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 9:55 PM.
