Westview Edges Covington 59-54 in Thriller

The No. 2-ranked and unbeaten Westview Chargers squared off against visiting No. 3-ranked Covington in a battle royale for Class 3A

Thanks to two big defensive stands in the final frame and a record-setting night from Westview freshman quarterback Graham Simpson, Westview captured a thrilling 59-54 victory.

As a result, Westview was crowned Region 7-3A champs while Covington is the regional runner-up. Both teams will enjoy home games during the first round of the state playoffs.

Westview hosts 3-7 Wooddale, fourth place in Region 8-3A, in the first round of the 3A playoffs. A Charger win would ensure another home game against either Dyersburg or Bolton in the second round. Westview would likely travel in the state quarterfinals, unless Covington or Bolivar emerges out of their brackets, so there’s potential for Westview to be at home until the state finals.

Meanwhile, Covington, 9-1, will host 4-6 Memphis-East in its first-round game. The Mustangs finished third in Region 8-3A.

This was a football game with a basketball pace. Leading Westview’s fast break was Simpson who was 32-46 for 324 yards and eight touchdowns. The TD mark is believed to be a state record for a single game. Simpson distributed touchdown passes to five different receivers.

Not to be outdone was the bend-but-don’t-break Westview defense that had two crucial stops in the fourth quarter to safeguard the victory.

Westview led 24-7 with 11:13 left in the second quarter, but Covington came off the canvas to challenge following a pair of touchdowns, one a 30-yard pass from quarterback Walker Davis to Ty Beard at the 10:02 mark, followed by another score, a 34-yard six-point scamper from Skylan Smith. Westview’s lead had been trimmed to three, 24-21.

Westview responded swiftly when Simpson located Asa Barnes on a short-pass over the middle that resulted in a 76-yard scoring aerial. Jayce Cook nailed his fourth of eight PATs, to go with his 29-yard field goal, and the Chargers lead was 10, 31-21. At the 1:57 mark, Covington drew within three following Smith’s 4-yard scoring jaunt. Covington trailed, 31-28.

With :35 to play in the half, Simpson connected with CD Damron for the second time of the night, this time for 29 yards and Westview went into the locker room leading 38-28.

Things got interesting in the start of the third when Covington scored two quick TDs. At  the 9:42 mark, Smith rambled in for the second time, this time from 27 yards. A little over a minute later, Smith rocketed 78 yards for a score. Tylin Scott rejected the PAT kick, but Covington had marched in front, briefly, 41-38.

Covington and Westview played ping-pong with the lead throughout the remainder of the third. With 4:39 to play, Miles Brown reeled in Simpson’s 13-yard TD aerial to boost Westview back in front, 45-41. Covington took the lead heading into the final measure when Jaheim Smith broke the plane from a yard away at the :37 mark. Covington leaped in front 48-45.

Westview’s defense made a couple of pivotal stops in the final frame. First, the Chargers wrested the lead back from Covington when Simpson located Tyler Belew for a 21-yard TD pass at with 11:15 remaining in regulation. The Chargers led 52-48. On the ensuing possession, the Chargers got a key stop.

At the 7:02 mark, Simpson found Brown again, this time from the 16, and the Chargers were up 59-48. After that score, the Chargers stymied yet another Covington drive and tried to run the clock out. It eventually relinquished possession and Covington tacked on a cosmetic score with no time left by Smith from the 9. Westview prevailed and captured the region title.

Westview got off to a good start, trading scores with Covington before moving out to a big lead. To start things off, Simpson hit Damron for a 6-yard score at the 9:38 mark of the opening frame. Covington’s Walker Davis connected with Skyler Smith for a 55-yard TD 43 seconds later and the score was knotted at 7. Then Simpson hit Cooper Spaulding for a 53-yard TD with 6:18 to play. Westview led 14-7. Spaulding went over the 1000-yard receiving plateau.

Simpson hooked up with Donteze Joy with 2:02 left in the fist for a 21-7 lead. That’s how the first ended.

Cook knocked home a 29-yard field goal, the first in his career with 11:12 to play in the second and Westview was in front with a solid 24-7 lead. Then the swap meet began.

Westview rolled up 667 total yards to Covington’s 484 yards.  Most of the Chargers’ yardage came through the air.

Miles Brown led the receiver corps with nine catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Spaulding had three grabs for 123 yard and a score. Damron hauled in nine passes for 91 yards and a pair of scores. Belew reeled in four passes for 88 yards and a TD. Barnes had two catches for 71 yards and a score. Joy added a TD with three catches for 73 yards. Joy also led the Chargers in rushing with 22 yards on two carries.  Malik Smith had two catches for two yards.

Nolen Pritchett and Finn Snider each led Westview with 15 tackles apiece.

Covington had 42 rushes for 335 yards. Davis was 6-14 for 159 yards through the air.

Kickoff between Westview and Wooddale is 7 p.m. Friday at UTM’s H.K. Grantham Field.