Boyd quarterback Cash Selby tosses the ball to running back Maddox Parks in the Yellowjackets’ 31-21 win against Iowa Park Thursday. The two helped pilot Boyd’s elite rushing attack in the District 4-3AI win. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER

Boyd hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020. The last time the team advanced past bi-district was over a decade ago.

But now, the Yellowjackets are knocking on the door of the postseason after picking up a second 4-3A Division I win in Iowa Park Thursday.

Leading 7-0 at the half, Boyd (5-3, 2-2) used its high-speed offense to break away in the second half and post a 31-13 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Aided by some of the Yellowjackets’ miscues down the stretch, Iowa Park stormed back to cut the Boyd lead to 10.

But with the game on the line and the Hawks cutting into the 31-21 Boyd lead, sophomore Drew Brinkley called game. He stabbed at a pass by Iowa Park quarterback Reed McClain and secured it with just his fingertips, allowing Cash Selby to kneel out the 31-21 Boyd win.

Boyd coach Shawn Sparks said that he’ll take every win while Boyd is still in its “growing phase,” but the Yellowjackets shouldn’t be letting leads nearly slip away late in the game.

“They’ve been 1-9 and 1-9 (the past two seasons) and now we’ve won five games, so at worst we’re .500 on the year, but we think we’re better than that,” Sparks said. “Every win is great for us right now, but we’ve got to clean it up.”

Iowa Park marched into the red zone on its first possession, but Boyd defensive back Layton Wheeler put an end to the Hawks’ offense before they could turn in any points by picking off McClain in the end zone. On Boyd’s ensuing drive, the Yellowjackets’ converted two fourth downs en route to a 19-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Cash Selby.

Boyd stole another pass from McClain via Brinkley late in the first half, but couldn’t find the end zone again.

Boyd receiver/defensive back Drew Brinkley extends for a Cash Selby pass Thursday. Brinkley had a 55-yard receiving touchdown and two interceptions in the 31-21 Boyd win. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER

Out of the halftime break, the Yellowjackets dialed up their offensive intensity a notch. The no-huddle, high speed attack — which has become the calling card of the 2025 Yellowjackets — immediately wore down the Iowa Park defense.

“If people came and watched us practice, they’d see we practice with that same exact tempo,” Sparks said. “We surprise people, because we don’t condition at all. But our guys may run 25 routes in just a 15-minute period. It’s just what we do.”

Boyd posted a 75-yard, 2 1/2 minute drive by exclusively running the ball to start the third quarter, where running back Maddox Parks capped off the drive with a 24-yard rushing touchdown.

“[Iowa Park] only played three down [defensive lineman] so our O-line was able to get double teams and get a lot of movement for us,” Parks said. “We started running a lot of counter and the line was pulling really well. If I saw that outside linebacker crash in I could hit it outside, and no one can match my speed out there.”

The Hawks answered back with McClain’s 36-yard passing touchdown to Gideon Towner, but after failing to recover an onside kick, Boyd widened the gap again.

On third and a mile, Selby found Brinkley sitting in the middle of the Iowa Park secondary, after which the receiver sped through the middle of the field and broke two tackles on his way to the end zone.

“That was a designed play where we switch and then we sit,” Brinkley said. “I figured there was a corner behind me, so my best bet was the middle of the field. I cut it up, and I was just gone from there.”

Added Selby: “He’s an athlete. I just have to get our guys the ball and they make the play happen.”

The Yellowjackets scored twice more as the clock rolled into the fourth quarter on Hunter Etter’s 10-yard jet sweep and a Julian Pacheco 32-yard field goal. Iowa Park split the two Boyd scores with its own touchdown after a handful of Boyd penalties kept the Hawks’ drive alive.

The game looked put to bed, but Iowa Park pushed for a comeback after picking off Selby with 1:49 to play and trailing by 10.

Brinkley stepped in for his second interception of the game to shut down any hopes of a dramatic homecoming win for Iowa Park.

“I almost over ran it,” he said. “I figured they were coming at me because they ran that play at least once on the three previous drives. I saw it and just jumped it.”

In less than a year, Sparks has helped transform Boyd from postseason afterthought to serious contender. If a few balls bounce the right way, the Yellowjackets could be battling for trophies.

Boyd will need a Paradise win against Ponder Oct. 31 and Bowie to take down Iowa Park Nov. 7 to create a three-way tie between the Yellowjackets, Ponder and Bowie for fourth in district with 2-4 league records. Sparks said Boyd would qualify for playoffs in that circumstance based on points.

“It’s a mess, but if we also just win one more we’re in. Then at worst we’d be 3-3,” Sparks said. “There’s a chance. We’ve got to handle our business.”

Selby said he thinks no one can hang with the Yellowjackets when they’re executing at a high level. He said the turnaround from 2024 to 2025 has been night and day.

“It’s been super fun. It’s such a flip from where we were at the last two years,” Selby said. “We just have to make sure we’re not shooting ourselves in the foot and staying out of our own heads. If we can just play our game, we can be great.”

Jess Withers (left) and Garrett Hunt (right) bring down Iowa Park running back Brayden Moreno behind the line of scrimmage. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER

Key takeaways

Hard-nosed, high speed

As Boyd quarterback Cash Selby says, there’s no one that can keep up with Boyd’s offense when it’s clicking.

The impressive offensive output started with the big boys up front. The Yellowjackets’ offensive line was consistently winning the battle in the trenches with a great point of attack and wide running lanes for Selby and running back Maddox Parks.

And when the holes weren’t huge, you could still count on Boyd’s rushers to fall forward for extra yards or make a man miss in space.

The Yellowjackets showed just how dangerous the pinnacle of their no-huddle offense could be on their first drive of the second half. Boyd didn’t pass a single time, but pieced together a 75-yard drive in under 2 1/2 minutes and capped it off with a Parks 24-yard rushing touchdown.

Postseason picture is a little clearer now

After securing the win Thursday, Boyd knows its path to reach the playoffs for the first time in several years.

If Paradise beats Ponder Oct. 31 and Bowie beats Iowa Park Nov. 7, Boyd is in. Or, the Yellowjackets could keep things simple and upset either Peaster or Paradise one of the next two weeks.

Boyd coach Shawn Sparks said either scenario would make for a three-way tie and Boyd would qualify for the postseason based on points.

Late-game mistakes won’t work going forward 

Boyd should have won Thursday with a much larger margin of victory, but some nearly lethal mistakes at the end of the contest made the game with Iowa Park closer than it should have been.

Whether it’s drive-killing penalties or bailing out its opponent with a flag, Boyd will need to play nearly spotless against Peaster and Paradise if the Yellowjackets are planning for an upset.

They’re a rebuilding team under new administration, so growing pains are expected. However, this team has shown it’s far too talented and ahead of the curve to give up opportunities by losing composure.

Expect a more disciplined approach over the coming weeks by the Yellowjackets.