The game was tied, 21-21, and the Loboes had the ball on their own 15 in scoring position with 29 seconds left in the game. Senior linebacker Scout Powers knocked the ball loose and senior safety Isaiah Marquez scooped it up and ran it in for a defensive touchdown. Just like that, the Indians had won the region quarterfinal and qualified for a play-off game in December for the first time in the program’s history.

“When Isaiah picked it up and made a touchdown,” Powers said. “I started crying as soon as the play happened just knowing we had made history.”

Coming off a 1-9 season last year, and played more play-off games than any other Indian football team.

“The team’s motivation was to get to the playoffs and improve ourselves from last season,” senior runningback Matt McGuire said. “The best part about making it to the playoffs was when we played our district champs and beat them.”

The Indians faced one of the hardest districts in the state with three of the four play-off qualifiers the top eight in the state.

“The biggest challenge was having to play district opponents more than once,” junior linebacker Cade Barnard said. “It is hard to play against somebody who already knows what you are going to do.”

With injuries during the season, younger players including freshman safety Dago Esquivel moved up to fill positions. “Getting moved up to varsity was a challenge,” Esquivel said. “At Monahans when Ransom got injured and I had to go in for him, I was kind of nervous, but then I got settled in, and it was good.”

Players found inspiration and motivation in parents, coaches and teammates throughout the 9-4 season.

“My cousin Scout pushed me through all the hard times,” junior runningback Ransom Edwards said. “He did not let me take the easy way. If I wanted to quit, he kept pushing me. I just wish we could have won the regional finals game for him and the rest of the seniors.”

The seniors, who had been under Coach Kent Jackson for three years, led the underclassmen through the season. The loss to Sweetwater came as a bittersweet end to the season.

“We were all devastated,” Marquez said. “It hurt to see everybody down, and it was painful to realize that it was my last high school football game. Although we were heartbroken, we kept ours heads up because we knew we had just made history.”

Even though the loss was tough, the memories and record will be lasting.

“The best part about this year was being there with the team during team meals and meetings,” senior linebacker Jarryd Karr said. “We got better at the end of the season and truly came together as a brotherhood. Between the bonding and making history, the season ended in a positive way.”