After an 11-0 regular season, Ashland suffered its first loss in heartbreaking fashion, falling 33-28 to West Texas A&M in a Super Region 4 second round playoff game at Jack Miller Stadium.

After falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, the Eagles came storming back to take a 28-19 lead in the third, only to see that lead erased before the start of the fourth quarter.

“You can’t turn the ball over,” head coach Lee Owens said. “We’ve not done it all year long, and to do here in the first week for us of the playoffs, it’s too much to overcome against a good football team.”

Ashland senior quarterback Taylor Housewright, who came in having thrown only one interception all year, was picked off three times and lost a fumble.

His first interception came on the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage, when Curtis Slater stepped in front of his pass and returned it 22 yards to Ashland’s 28-yard line.

The Eagles made a stand and forced the Buffaloes to kick a field goal, but after a three-and-out on Ashland’s next possession West Texas A&M marched 74 yards in 11 plays, a drive that was capped with a 33-yard touchdown pass by Dustin Vaughan to Torrence Allen.

With the Eagles down 10-0 to start the second quarter, sophomore running back Anthony Taylor took a handoff up the left side and kept running all the way to the end zone.

The 51-yard score gave the Eagles life.

When senior defensive lineman Tyler Houska knocked down Vaughan’s pass to force a three-and-out, it looked like all of the momentum had swung AU’s way.

It certainly looked that way when sophomore defensive back Eric Schwieterman blocked the ensuing punt and freshman defensive back Alex Winters scooped and scored to put the Eagles on top 14-10.

West Texas A&M rallied, scoring a field goal and a touchdown to reclaim the lead, 19-14, with 3:29 to go in the half.

Ashland was forced to punt on its next possession, but Housewright’s punt bounced off of the Buffs’ Chris Ceazar and was recovered by sophomore defensive back Chris Harvey.

Five plays later, Housewright completed a 10-yard shovel pass to Taylor for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a 21-19 lead heading into the break.

Still, things didn’t feel quite right for Ashland’s offense.

“We felt lucky to be ahead at halftime, because we hadn’t played well,” Owens said.

Housewright, who came in averaging well over 250 yards per game through the air, finished 20 of 34 for 166 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

“From the very first play, he never seemed himself,” Owens said.

Though the passing game struggled, Taylor, sophomore running back Jordan McCune and the offensive line kept AU moving forward with 200 yards rushing.

“The offensive line got great push off the ball and started opening holes up for us,” Taylor said. “We just stuck with our reads.”

Taylor rushed 22 times for 156 yards and a touchdown and McCune provided 60 yards on 19 carries.

The Eagles used that ground attack early and often in the third quarter. Taylor had 44 yards on the opening drive of the half, which went 69 yards and was finished off with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Housewright to senior wide receiver Anthony Capasso on a third and nine.

The Buffs answered, but Ashland had no trouble getting back to the red zone, this time behind 47 yards from McCune.

On third and two from the nine-yard line, Housewright opted to try a fade to Capasso that fell incomplete.

“I think [Housewright] made a great check,” Owens said. “It was the right call because they loaded up the box.”

On the next play, freshman Cameron Casey’s 26-yard field goal attempt fell short.

Vaughan found Allen from seven yards out seven plays later to give the Buffs the lead for good.

Vaughan—who along with Housewright is a candidate for the Harlon Hill Award—was 35 of 50 for 298 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

Thirteen of those completions went to Allen, including three of the touchdowns. He finished with 185 yards receiving.

With 7:25 to play, Ashland’s defense made a stand on fourth and goal from the one-inch line.

After a sack on third and five from the AU 41 forced the Eagles to punt, the Eagles got one last chance with 38 seconds left and the ball on their own 12.

Three quick passes to Gamble got them all the way to the Buffs’ 26, but Housewright was sacked again and West Texas A&M marched on with its second road win in as many weeks.