Mansfield holds off second-half surge by Legacy

By Bob Kowalski

Mansfield Record

Mansfield turned back a second-half comeback by Legacy to register a 42-31 victory Friday at Vernon Newsom Stadium in the first District 11-6A game for each team.

The Tigers (4-0, 1-0) built a 35-10 lead midway through the third quarter, but the Broncos (1-3, 0-1) scored twice to pull within 11 early in the fourth quarter.

Legacy’s Kaidan Johnson took a handoff and surged through the middle of the line before swerving in the secondary and bowling over a defender at the goal line for a 49-yard touchdown run to cut Mansfield’s lead to 35-17 with 2:19 left in the third.

Mansfield drove 17 yards to midfield on its next possession, but Legacy’s Kyree Robertson blocked a punt and recovered at Mansfield’s 2-yard line to set up Johnson’s 2-yard run, making the score 35-24 with 11:39 left in the game.

After a three-and-out by its offense, Mansfield stepped up the defensive pressure. An interception by the Tigers’ David Hogg halted a Legacy drive, putting Mansfield at its own 25-yard line with 7 ½ minutes to play. Eight plays later, quarterback Braxton Van Cleave found Zion Robinson near the goal line, and he cruised into the end zone on a 28-yard catch to put Mansfield up 42-24 with 3 ½ minutes remaining. It was Robinson’s second TD catch of the game.

Legacy’s Roman Steele threw a 16-yard TD pass to Jaden Manning to cap the scoring with 45 seconds left.

Mansfield took the opening drive 70 yards, largely behind the play of running back James Johnson, who carried three times for 23 yards on the drive that resulted in a 7-yard scoring run by Marquise Hubbard with 3 ½ minutes gone in the game.

Legacy marched to a 31-yard field goal by Jeremiah Kieffer on its opening drive to make the score 7-3 with 2:09 left in the first quarter.

Mansfield scored exactly 1 minute later when Van Cleave passed to Jacobe Hayes on a 53-yard catch-and-run for a 14-3 lead.

Legacy got a 7-yard TD run from Manning, but Mansfield’s Van Cleave answered with a pair of touchdown strikes to Robinson (18 yards) and Tim Abraham (29 yards) to build a 28-10 halftime lead.

James Johnson finished with 122 yards rushing and a touchdown for Mansfield. Kaidan Johnson rushed for 78 yards and two TDs for Legacy. Manning had 72 yards, one rushing touchdown and one TD reception for Legacy.

In the other Mansfield ISD game Friday night, Lake Ridge (0-4, 0-1) fell to Duncanville, 76-0, at R.L. Anderson Stadium.

On Thursday, Timberview (4-0, 2-0 5-5A DI) beat Carrollton Turner, 71-7, at Vernon Newsom Stadium and Summit (2-2, 1-0 5-5A DII) notched a 41-13 victory over Arlington Seguin at Wilemon Field.

Next week, Summit plays host to Burleson at 7 p.m. Thursday at Newsom Stadium; Mansfield is at home vs. Lake Ridge at 7 p.m. Friday at Newsom Stadium; Legacy faces Dallas Skyline at 7 p.m. Friday at Forrester Field; and Timberview meets Carrollton Newman Smith at 7 p.m. Friday at Standridge Stadium.

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