West’s drive to its bi-district football game probably felt a lot bumpier than the past few years.

No doubt the drive home never felt better.

When West made the playoffs in 2004, ending the program’s 10-year absence from the playoffs, Trojans coach Rick Wolf rolled out the red carpet for his team.

West celebrated the accomplishment back then, but not much once the game started.

That first year, Decatur humbled West, 59-14. In 2005, the Trojans made the playoffs again and again they were dumped by Decatur, 31-7.

Last season West made it three straight trips to the postseason and also three straight first-round exits after a 39-25 loss to Dallas Madison.

So when the Trojans finished third in 12-3A this fall, it was time for a change.

“I wanted them to enjoy it the first year, so we kind of started a tradition of getting charter buses to take us to the playoff games,” West coach Rick Wolf said. “But this time we wanted to treat it like a normal game, a game we’re going to go win.”

Saved best for last

So the Trojans packed for a business trip to Mansfield last Friday for another bi-district game against Dallas Madison.

Wolf said the team decided back in August that getting to the playoffs wasn’t going to be good enough anymore. The players showed that resolve by playing their best football of the season in a 41-0 win over Whitney followed by a 49-8 victory over Hillsboro in the regular-season finale.

The Trojans were obviously thirsty for another chance in the playoffs.

And while it didn’t exactly gulp down Madison this time, West quenched its thirst.

Trojans running back Troy Manolakis rushed for 132 yards and caught the game-winning touchdown, and defensive back Colin Sykora picked off two passes, broke up three more and made six tackles to help West edge Madison, 10-6.

That marked the Trojans’ first football playoff win since 1992.

“I think the kids felt like they’d gotten that monkey off their backs,” Wolf said.

But when West’s yellow school buses arrived back on campus late Friday night, Wolf and the Trojan seniors had a reminder for the rest of the team.

“I think the seniors really wanted to start a new tradition,” Wolf said. “Yeah, we got to the playoffs and we won a game, but we’re not going to stop here.”

7-time champion awaits

There will be another road trip for the Trojans on Friday. They’ll get back on the yellow dogs and try to win another one — this time against seven-time state champion Celina at Pennington Field in Bedford.

There’s such a thing as a favorable draw in the playoffs, but the Trojans have never seen one.

Beating Madison and then going to play third-ranked Celina is like escaping the snake house by jumping into the Tiger cage.

Still, the West team is undeterred. On Tuesday, the Trojans put in a full day of work. They watched film and put in a game plan as if they had a chance to go beat the mighty Bobcats.

And after last week, it’s hard to tell the Trojans they can’t send Celina home unusually early — not after No. 1 Mart and No. 3 Waco High saw their seasons come to screeching stops in the first round against third-place playoff entries.

Wolf, in particular, couldn’t care less how high Celina is ranked.

“You can put all those things to the side,” he said. “Our kids feel very confident that they have a chance. That’s what matters this time of year — playing with that kind of emotion and believing you can do it.”

West fans, buckle your seat belts, it could be a bumpy ride.

cconine@wacotrib.com

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