Defense sets the pace for Mansfield’s victory over Mesquite Horn

By Bob Kowalski

Mansfield Record

Mansfield’s defense made plenty of big plays, but none bigger than the play that set up the Tigers’ winning touchdown in a 33-31 season-opening victory over Mesquite Horn at Vernon Newsom Stadium on Friday night.

After Horn (0-1) stopped Mansfield (1-0) on downs at its own 20-yard line with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter, Mansfield turned the game around two plays later. Defensive back Jeremiah Womack’s fumble recovery with about a half-minute left in the game gave the Tigers (1-0) the ball on Mesquite Horn’s 20-yard line.

Quarterback Mykah Lankford wasted no time, passing to Zion Robinson, who made a diving catch at the side of the end zone to erase the lead that the Jaguars had held for nearly 9 minutes of the fourth quarter.

Defense was on display for both teams from the opening play of the game. On the first snap from scrimmage, Horn’s Malachi Youngblood snagged a tipped pass out of the air and bolted 51 yards for a 7-0 lead with less than half a minute gone in the game.

The Tigers got on the board about 7 minutes later with a 21-yard field goal by Cole Williams, but Horn answered 1 ½ minutes later for a 10-3 lead. Again, scoring occurred on the first play from scrimmage as Raymond Weaver took a handoff on a draw play, cut to the sideline and outstepped several defenders for an 81-yard score to tie the game at 10-10.

The Tigers took their first lead less than a minute later on a 59-yard interception return by Saadel Davis. If you’re keeping track, that’s two touchdowns and two field goals in a span of less than 3 minutes.

Horn tied it up at 17-17 with 1 ½ minutes gone in the second quarter on a 31-yard TD pass from Donta Ware to Santana Carrizosa. Robinson’s 55-yard kickoff return set up another field goal, by Jonah Hand, for a 20-17 lead. Horn answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive boosted by Ware’s 46-yard scramble on third-and-5 that led to a 1-yard TD run by Kamryn Williams for a 24-20 lead that the Jaguars held at halftime.

Mansfield’s next score was again set up by the defense when linebacker Andrew McKinney returned an interception 27-yards to Horn’s 34-yard line. Three plays later, Lankford threw a 23-yard strike to Brady Burch for a 27-24 Mansfield lead.

Horn took its last lead of the game with just over 9 minutes left when Williams again breezed in from one yard out for a 30-27 advantage.

Mansfield drove to midfield before being forced to punt, and McKinney recovered a Horn fumble on the next drive, but the Tigers turned the ball over on downs at the Cougars’ 20-yard line. Horn had the ball with a chance to run out the clock, but Womack’s fumble recovery turned the game around.

In other games involving Mansfield ISD teams in opening week, Legacy edged Justin Northwest, 43-42; Lake Ridge defeated Frisco Reedy, 31-27, and Timberview blanked Dallas Kimball, 27-0. Summit fell 34-7 to Lewisville.

In next week’s games, Timberview plays host to Denton Ryan at 7 p.m. Thursday at Vernon Newsom Stadium; Mansfield and Summit meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Newsom; Lake Ridge meets Haltom at 7 p.m. Friday at Birdville Stadium; and Legacy faces Chisholm Trail at 7 p.m. Friday at R.L. Anderson Stadium.

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