West Brook running back Robert McGrue evades a tackle en route to a touchdown against Deer Park at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
West Brook's Joey Pierre, center, celebrates a touchdown with teammates against Deer Park at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
West Brook's Joey Pierre, center, celebrates a touchdown with teammates against Deer Park at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
West Brook quarterback La'Ravien Elia carries against Deer Park at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
West Brook quarterback La'Ravien Elia carries against Deer Park at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
Deer Park's Tylan Love looks to throw against West Brook at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Deer Park's Tylan Love looks to throw against West Brook at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
West Brook's Jared Lane sacks Deer Park quarterback Broc Weidner at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
West Brook's Jared Lane sacks Deer Park quarterback Broc Weidner at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
Deer Park's Tylan Love returns a kick against West Brook at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Deer Park's Tylan Love returns a kick against West Brook at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
West Brook running back Robert McGrue strides into the end zone for a touchdown against Deer Park at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
West Brook running back Robert McGrue strides into the end zone for a touchdown against Deer Park at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
West Brook's Jarek Brooks tackles Deer Park quarterback Broc Weidner at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
West Brook's Jarek Brooks tackles Deer Park quarterback Broc Weidner at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
West Brook's Desmond Jackson tackles Deer Park's Marcus Molina at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
West Brook's Desmond Jackson tackles Deer Park's Marcus Molina at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
Deer Park quarterback Broc Weidner throws while under pursuit by West Brook's Devion Barkin at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Deer Park quarterback Broc Weidner throws while under pursuit by West Brook's Devion Barkin at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
West Brook's Daniel Coleman stops Deer Park's Tyrek Saylor at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
West Brook's Daniel Coleman stops Deer Park's Tyrek Saylor at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Photo taken Friday 11/2/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise
Photo: Ryan Pelham, The Enterprise
McGrue's big night paces West Brook past Deer Park
Robert McGrue dashed for a career-high 291 yards and five touchdowns as playoff-bound West Brook outlasted Deer Park 56-46 on Friday night in BISD Memorial Stadium.
Resembling a runaway train in his last scheduled high school home game, the Bruins senior tailback carried 22 times and guided a West Brook offense to 654 total yards.
The District 21-6A season rushing leader, McGrue increased his season total to 1,287 yards in nine games, surpassing the 1,000-yard plateau on his night's first carry – a five-yard gain. McGrue blazed the home sideline on the next snap for 40-yard scoring run just 57 seconds into the game.
WHAT HAPPENED
Neither team enjoyed a comfortable lead until the game's final five minutes. A pair of Bruins seniors, La'Ravien Elia and Deonte Simpson, connected on a nine-yard touchdown pass to lift West Brook ahead by the 10-point final margin with 4:38 to play.
That's when Senior Night finally appeared to look successful.
"We didn't stop the run as well as I thought we would and we had too many penalties," West Brookcoach Eric Peevey said. "We have a lot of things that we need to clean up next week."
Deer Park junior Marcus Molina pestered the Bruins tacklers more than any Deer player. The 21-6A kick return leader displayed speed and cutting skills all night. Molina brought back six kicks for 259 return yards, along with nine rushes for 88 yards and two catches for 35 more.
Molina also blistered WB's defense when the Deer surprised the host defenders with a Wildcat formation. Molina scored once on an 81-yard runback and set up another touchdown with a 70-yard return.
McGrue had help from other West Brook weapons. Elia ran for 106 yards on 11 carries while hitting 6 of 12 passes for 125 yards. New backup running back Jakobi Holland looked sharp with seven carries for 86 yards. McGrue also pointed out that junior Fred Jones delivered a strong performance in his first start at center.
MOST SPECTACULAR PLAY
West Brook junior receiver Thaddeus Johnson sprinted down the Bruins sideline and looked back for a first-down lob from passer La'Ravien Elia. The Bruins receiver leaped over the back of Deer Park defender Robert Bonar and snagged the ball away from Bonar for a 32-yard reception at Deer Park's 24.
The catch set up McGrue's fifth-and-final touchdown two plays later, giving West Brook a 49-40 cushion with 4:30 left in the third quarter.
TURNING POINT
A 70-yard, 11-play series in the heart of the fourth quarter finally put West Brook in charge but the Bruins offense had the help of a face-mask penalty at the end of an 18-yard dash by Elia. The five-minute, 35-second possession ate up half of the fourth quarter and gave the Bruins a two-score lead.
BY THE NUMBERS
The five-touchdown game marked McGrue's third such scoring night as a senior. He also had five against CE King and Beaumont United. His scoring runs against the Deer were 40, 12, 75, 68 and 19 yards.
HE SAID IT
"My goal every game is to get three touchdowns," McGrue said. "I had a feeling I had 300 (rushing yards) but I didn't know I was that much short (9 yards). I wanted to show off for my senior night but I have to give it up to the offensive line."
RECORDS
Deer Park 3-6, 2-4; West Brook 7-2, 5-1.
West Brook at Sterling, Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; United at Deer Park, Friday at 7:30 p.m.