Revenge was a dish best served cold for the Wimberley Texans Friday at Edgewood ISD Stadium.

A late touchdown scored in the waning minutes allowed Wimberley to claim a 21-14 win over a Sinton Pirates program that had ended Texan playoff hopes the last two seasons.

With the win, Wimberley advances to play Cuero in the regional quarterfinals Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Heroes Stadium.

“Anytime you advance in the playoffs, it’s special. We felt something extra this time,” Texan head coach Doug Warren said. “These guys were the thorn in our side for the last two years … there was a bit of that revenge factor that made it a little more sweet.”

Defense was the focus as neither offense was able to generate momentum.

Wimberley, led by quarterback JoJo Weeks and running back Thomas Carruthers, was limited by a stout Sinton defense. Warren said the coaching staff knew it was going to be a challenge running the ball as Sinton blitzed often and moved around frequently.

But Weeks ran in a five yard first-quarter touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.   

Wimberley’s defense, however, was equally as stingy.

Sinton, led by quarterback Colt Gorman, struggled against a Texan defense that forced two turnovers on downs.

“All year long, it’s been the same thing with those guys. They keep hanging in there and giving us a chance to win the ball game,” Warren said. “They pinned us back deep and we hung on and kept fighting.”

Both offenses went dormant until the fourth quarter. Wimberley took control by focusing efforts through the air and by spreading the field.

The Texans worked to exploit the Sinton secondary.

Short passes were effective for Wimberley, which orchestrated a nine-play drive that featured five throwing plays.  Warren said focusing on the pass game was essential as the Texans had several running backs battling injuries. They did so by running formations that featured five wide receivers.

“It was a way to spread them out and make some quick throws,” Warren said. “And if they break a tackle, they can go down the sideline.”

Wimberley got the upper hand when Weeks tossed a touchdown pass that gave Wimberley a 14-7 lead with six minutes left in the game.

Sinton responded right back less than a minute later.

Gorman orchestrated a quick three-play drive, which culminated with him running a 5-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 14-14.

Weeks and the Texan offense snuffed out the Pirates with a debilitating four-minute drive. Weeks closed the eight-play drive with a six-yard touchdown run that gave Wimberley a 21-14 lead they didn’t let go.

“I thought I was going to be tackled,” Weeks said. “But I was falling, so I ran in and scored the touchdown. It was a great experience.”

Wimberley now eyes a meeting with an unbeaten Cuero team in the third round.

The chance to practice around the Thanksgiving holiday is what Warren and his team is most thankful for.

“All you do is play football and eat with your brothers,” linebacker Ben Garza said. “There’s nothing greater than that.”