West Plains flexes muscle in showdown win over Randall

It was as if fate had written the script. Two Canyon ISD powerhouses — West Plains and Randall — meeting under stormy skies for District 2-4A, Division I supremacy. Less than seven miles separate the schools, but on Friday night at Happy State Bank Stadium, the gap on the scoreboard stretched much, much wider.

In a game delayed nearly two hours by lightning, the No. 4-ranked West Plains Wolves brought their own thunder. Behind a four-touchdown performance from junior running back Slade Russell and a ferocious defensive display, the Wolves rolled past Randall 62-13, claiming “The Duke” — a golden cowboy hat adorned with a John Wayne playing card — for the second straight year.

From the opening drive, it was clear West Plains meant business. After receiving the kickoff, the Wolves marched 75 yards down the field, capped by Russell’s seven-yard dash into the end zone. That set the tone for the night — physical, precise, and relentless.

By the end of the evening, Russell had racked up 184 rushing yards and three scores on 21 carries, plus a receiving touchdown on one of his three catches. His blend of agility and grit kept the Raiders’ defense on skates all game long.

Quarterback Reid Macon was equally efficient, completing 18 of 20 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for two more. The senior leader orchestrated an offense that looked unstoppable — balanced, crisp, and confident.

Randall briefly clawed back into the contest when senior lineman Garrett Splitt picked off a screen pass and rumbled 85 yards for a defensive touchdown, cutting the deficit to 14-7 early in the second quarter. But any momentum the Raiders hoped to build was quickly snuffed out.

The Wolves erupted for 35 unanswered points before halftime, with Macon finding Russell, Kane White-Tinsley, and Jenks Phillips for scores, while the defense forced two turnovers — an interception by White-Tinsley and a fumble recovery by senior lineman Jacob Crowe. West Plains led 49-7 at the break and never looked back.

Russell added his fourth touchdown midway through the third quarter, and senior running back Alex Lucero punched in another as the Wolves’ reserves joined the rout. Randall managed one final highlight late in the game — a 19-yard touchdown pass from Braylen Preciado to Kaison Benton — but by then, the damage was done.

Defensively, West Plains was lights out, limiting Randall to just 92 total yards in the first half and forcing multiple turnovers. Linebackers Gage Blaser, Ayden Rodriguez, and Bentley Chandler anchored a unit that swarmed to the ball and refused to yield.

With the win, West Plains (7-0, 3-0 in district) extended its district win streak to 15 straight, dating back to October 2022. Head coach Adam Cummings credited his team’s consistency more than any streak. “We don’t count wins — we count effort,” Cummings said postgame. “The boys earned this one.”

Randall (6-2, 2-1) will regroup quickly, still in strong position for the postseason. “This doesn’t define us,” said Raiders head coach Dan Sherwood. “We’ll learn, adjust, and get better.”

Next up, West Plains stays at Happy State Bank Stadium to host Dumas (6-2, 2-1) in a battle of heavyweights next Thursday, while Randall hits the road to face Pampa.

For now, though, the Wolves can bask in another golden moment — literally. The Duke remains theirs, shining bright on the west side of Canyon.