For Timpson football, is fourth time finally the charm? Buck's Ballpark

Bears believe they have what it takes to finally make a Texas (UIL) Class 2A state high school football championship game

PINELAND, TEXAS - In this town of exactly 888 people deep in the piney woods of east Texas, it’s likely very rare when celebrities pass through.

A week ago, however, on Oct. 13, the place to be in town was at West Sabine High School’s football field. 

It’s always like that when the Tigers are playing, but on this night, the top-ranked team in Class 2A Division I - headlined by perhaps the state’s best athlete - was the featured attraction.

The Timpson Bears didn’t disappoint, rolling to another win, 56-8, on their way to what they hope is the ultimate destiny, making it to the state title game after falling excruciatingly short the past three years in the semifinal round.

“I think it’s just the hunger of the kids,” Timpson coach Kerry Therwhanger said. “All summer, and all fall now, they know what’s at stake, and they’re in the same mindset as the coaches.

“It’s been nice, but we want to get over that hump and do whatever it takes, and to understand that maybe it’s an extra rep in the weight room or going a little harder in practice because those are little things that might put us over the edge, and that’s what we’re preaching to them.”

And that aforementioned potentially the best player in the state - senior quarterback/defensive back and Texas A&M commit Terry Bussey - wowed the locals at West Sabine.

The first time he touched the ball, a punt return, Bussey nearly took it back to the house. The first time he threw a pass, it went for a touchdown. The second time he threw a pass, it went for a touchdown.

Bussey didn’t stop there. He threw a lead block to spring tailback JJ Garner loose for a long TD run. Bussey eventually did return a punt for a TD, and also picked off a pass on defense. He also threw a TD pass to end the first half and one to start the second half.

Timpson's Terry Bussey  / Photo by Dustin Nguyen

After the game, and after both teams went through the handshake line and the Bears were about to hear final words from their head coach, Bussey lingered a bit longer, chatting it up with several West Sabine players. Then after listening to Therwhanger, Bussey was swarmed by several children, wanting autographs and selfies.

Therwhanger has seen it all before from the senior standout.

“On the road, at home, it doesn’t really matter; he’s signing autographs after the game, but that’s been the last couple of years,” Therwhanger said. “When we’ve been at playoff venues and things, the other team or the other team’s fans want a picture, want an autograph or something.

“And that’s cool, that’s great for him and it’s good for those younger kids that aspire to be him maybe one day.”

While Bussey is the centerpiece attraction, he’s far from the Bears’ lone showcase.

There’s also senior receiver Vosky Howard, who caught Bussey’s first TD pass and later had another receiving TD. The day after the West Sabine win, Howard announced his college commitment, planning to be a University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun.

Then there’s junior tailback JJ Howard, also being sought by several college programs. He had four total TDs in last week’s win, two of those identical 66-yard runs after taking a direct snap from the center.

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But the Bears aren’t a one-man team or a three-man team. They have several integral parts on both sides that make them a complete team.

“Right now, our leading receiver is number 3, Amare Bruton; he’s doing a fantastic job for us,” Therwhanger said. “Then defensively, we’ve got a lot of guys that fly around to the football; probably the fastest defense I’ve coached in the time I’ve been coaching, which is 38 years now.

“The good thing is, the kids love the game of football, and that makes it fun for us coaches to get out there with them every day. It’s not like we’re having to force them to do a lot of these things; they just love the game of football and it’s fun.”

Timpson is certainly having fun this season, standing at 7-0 going into its home game Friday night against Joaquin. But challenges still await.

In two weeks, the regular-season finale, the Bears are at home to face arch-rival Garrison, and it’s a game where both teams could come in undefeated.

“We’re nine miles apart, and they sell T-shirts and all that good stuff for the 'Battle of the Attoyac,’ which is the creek that runs between the two towns, so yes, it’s a big rival but it’s been fun, that’s all I can say,” Therwhanger said.

But as far as Therwhanger and the rest of the Bears are concerned, the postseason will be the ultimate test as to whether this season will truly be a success. And they believe they have the team to make it to AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Will the fourth time finally be the charm?

“Honestly, it’s get there or bust,” Therwhanger said. “We’ve been to the semifinals, which is great and we’re happy to get there, but there’s another game that we would like to play and we just haven’t been fortunate enough to make enough plays when it counted to get there, and we’re hoping to get back there and try to change that.

“We knew we were going to be a pretty good football team and let’s not get ahead of ourselves; we can’t look to the semifinal game, we’ve got to keep focused on the games right here in front of us, so let’s try to make sure that we’re just taking one game at a time, don’t get ahead of ourselves and if we do that, then the end result will be what we hope it to be.”

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The players are fully aware what’s at stake, too. Garner summed up the Bears’ state of urgency with just one word.

“Finishing,” Garner said. “Really, it’s just rallying to the ball; like instead of two people being there, it’s four people being there and stopping them from getting a yard. The game is about inches, really.”

And that can ultimately be the difference in the Bears finally getting to play under the bright lights of “Jerry World.”

Not to mention the chance for Bussey and his teammates to attract even more fans, and maybe even signing a few more autographs postgame.

Photo of Timpson's JJ Garner (8) by Dustin Nguyen 

-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveTX