For a team that has relied all season on speed and explosive plays, the Whitney Wildcats needed every bit of that identity Friday night.
The Wildcats raced out to a huge early lead, weathered a furious Winnsboro comeback, and then regained control late to secure a 45–38 area-round win at Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium in Rockwall — sending them into the third round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs.
The win pushes Whitney to 10–2 on the year, extends its playoff run another week and earns the Wildcats a regional quarterfinal matchup against Pottsboro this Friday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Melissa’s Coach Kenny Deel Stadium, a 10,000-seat, $35 million state-of-the-art stadium that opened in 2023.
Pottsboro sits at 11-1 following a 49-21 win against Malakoff this past week. The Cardinals’ powerful offense posted 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to claim the victory.
Whitney opened the game against Winnsboro looking nearly unstoppable. The Wildcats hammered Winnsboro with three first-quarter touchdown runs — all long bursts that showcased the team’s trademark pace — and built a commanding 22–0 lead before the period ended.
Running back Jontae Johnson delivered two of those early strikes, slashing through the Red Raiders for touchdowns of 25 and 65 yards. The defense backed the fast start with a fourth-down stop and a pair of quick punts forced, giving Whitney repeated short-field opportunities.
But as quickly as the Wildcats built their cushion, Winnsboro clawed its way back. The Red Raiders shifted the momentum in the second quarter with a field goal, a red-zone run and a short touchdown pass — trimming Whitney’s lead to 22–17. A Whitney fumble late in the half briefly threatened to flip the game completely, but the Wildcats’ defense came up with a critical answer: an interception from KJ O’Hearn that preserved the lead into halftime.
Even with the halftime reset, the storm wasn’t over.
Winnsboro continued its surge in the third quarter, completing a deep touchdown pass and later punching in a short run to take a 31–30 lead with just over three minutes left in the period — the first time Whitney had trailed all night.
This was the moment the Wildcats had to decide whether their season would bend or hold. The Wildcats never allowed themselves to unravel. Following the game, Coach David Haynes told the Waco Tribune-Herald that the team had prepared for adversity and reminded each other to trust their identity and keep playing fast.
They did exactly that.
Just minutes after falling behind, quarterback Kobe Haynes reignited the offense with a 20-yard scoring run, then added another 20-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter — part of a second-half surge that restored control and pushed Whitney ahead 45–31. Winnsboro answered once more to cut the margin to seven, but when the Red Raiders attempted an onside kick with four minutes left, Whitney fell on the ball and drained the clock on the final possession to secure the win.
Even in a game filled with momentum swings, Whitney’s balance stood out.
Johnson finished with three rushing touchdowns, each one a drive-flipping burst.
Haynes added two key second-half scores, using patience, vision and timely blocks.
The offensive line handled pressure in key moments.
Defensively, the Wildcats forced two crucial turnovers — a fumble recovery early in the third quarter and the late-half interception that prevented a potential go-ahead score.
Next Up: 11-1 Pottsboro
Whitney’s playoff road now leads to a marquee setting. The Wildcats will face Pottsboro in the regional quarterfinals Friday in Melissa. With 10 wins, a seven-game win streak, and an offense playing some of its most dynamic football, Whitney enters the third round confident — and battle-tested.
The Lakelander 