MESQUITE, Texas — Before he was a two-time NFL MVP, Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes played quarterback at Whitehouse High School, not far from Tyler in East Texas.
But it was a North Texas school that ended Mahomes' illustrious high school career.
Mahomes played his final prep game in November 2013 — a 65-60 playoff loss in a third-round thriller against Mesquite Poteet.
The game was held at Allen's Eagle Stadium, with temperatures in the 70s. And nearly 10 years later, Mesquite ISD athletics director Kody Groves, who was Poteet's coach, distinctly remembers Mahomes' playmaking ability.
"We had a really good outside linebacker on our team and the second drive of the game he comes off the edge and just hits him as hard as he can," Groves said. "And I really remember [Mahomes] just kind of shaking him off. That was the moment I go, 'We're in trouble.'"
Mahomes kept making plays, shaking another tackler, spinning in a full circle and then throwing a 70-yard touchdown pass.
But Poteet kept exchanging touchdowns with Mahomes and Whitehouse through the first half. Poteet pulled away in the second half, only for Whitehouse to claw back into the game.
Whitehouse got the ball back with about three minutes left in the game. Then Poteet made a play, tipping a Mahomes pass and intercepting it. Malachi Cobb grabbed the pick for Poteet.
Nearly 10 years later, Cobb only has one regret: "I just wish I would have kept the game ball, so I could have something like that. This is the last pass [Mahomes] touched."
In the end, Mahomes finished with more than 600 yards. Groves said it could have been 700, for all he knew. None of it mattered, as Poteet got the win.
"It's fun for Mesquite, Texas, it's fun for Poteet High School and the kids that played in that game," Groves said. "They get to walk around with their chest puffed out and go, 'We actually did beat him.'"