Saturday, October 24, 2009
Texas High's mini "Hail Mary" pass found its intended target as time expired, but it fell two yards short of its intended destination - the end zone - allowing Marshall to come away with a thrilling 36-30 win over Texas High on a cold Friday night.
Nathan Sorenson's 38-yard heave landed in Joseph Thurman's hands, but Thurman hit Maverick Stadium's turf at the 2-yard line, leaving the visiting Tigers' (4-3, 2-2) last-second comeback gasp a tad short.
 Courtney Case/News Messenger |
| Marshall's Samuel Oney, Aaron Franklin and Roderick Davis gang up on a Texas High player during Friday's District 13-4A game against Texas High at Maverick Stadium. Marshall won, 36-30. |
The Mavericks (5-3, 3-1), meanwhile, not only avenged a 29-4 loss from last season, but also set themselves up with the inside track for second place in District 13-4A with two games remaining in the regular season, the next of which will be a road match at Sulphur Springs.
"We knew a team like Texas High isn't going to lay down on you and we knew they would fight hard and they'd battle back," said Marshall head coach Thedrick Harris, whose team led 36-21 after the third. "But our kids were able to bounce back and overcome it and hang on for the victory. And right now, we'll take a win any way we can get it."
Trailing 36-28 with just more than a minute remaining, Texas High had a first-and-goal from Marshall's 9, but Roderick Davis wrestled away a pass from Thurman at the Mavs' 5-yard line to snuff out the drive.
It was Marshall's second forced turnover of the night, the first of which was turned into a touchdown in the first half.
The Tigers still had two time outs remaining, which they used while the Mavs took three consecutive knees, after which Marshall took an intentional safety, running out of the back of its end zone on fourth down with 16 seconds left.
Sorenson then hit Brandon Welch for a 14-yard gain, leaving three seconds for the ill-fated pass as the buzzer sounded.
"It's a big win," Harris said. "You always worry about being down after the big Longview game (last week). I thought it would be a big test for us to see what kind of character our kids had."
Trailing by 15 entering the fourth, the Tigers forced their lone turnover when Marlon Cooks fell on a fumble with 9:37 left, leading to a 45-yard drive that Sorenson capped with a 1-yard sneak to cut the gap to eight with 7:21 showing.
Texas High then forced the Mavs to a three-and-out and took over on Marshall's 47-yard line after Levi Saxby fell on his own muffed punt.
On a fourth-and-1 during the ensuing drive, Sorenson picked up three yards on a quarterback sneak, setting up the first-and-goal with nearly a minute-and-a-half remaining, but Davis got the interception on the next play, turning the momentum.
The Mavericks, who never trailed, led by as much as 36-14 with 4:26 showing in the third after J.C. Haigwood finished off an 11-play, 85-yard march with a 9-yard scoring burst.
Haigwood had a game-best 156 yards and two scores on 17 carries while Jamal Anderson finished with 124 yards and a touchdown on 12 totes.
The Mavs built a 29-14 halftime lead by scoring on four of their five first-half possessions, including an 18-yard Anderson carry around the right corner for six points with 27 seconds left in the second. Jaquan Kelly tacked on the two-point conversion on a fake extra point attempt.
Anderson set up the short field with a 51-yard kickoff return.
Each team traded scores on their opening possessions, beginning with a 76-yard Marshall drive that Bryce French capped with a 12-yard keeper up the middle.
Texas High then staged a 13-play, 72-yard march to tie the game at 7-7 when Saxby found Travis Turner for a 12-yard touchdown on a halfback pass.
The Mavs later took a 21-7 lead with 4:04 left in the second when Brandon Fitzgerald found DeMarques Sadler on a 25-yard slant across the middle for a touchdown.
Fitzgerald finished 4-for-4 for 66 yards and a score with Sadler catching three of the ball for 60 yards.
Sorenson wound up with 156 yards on 11-of-18 passing to accompany his 128 rushing yards on 20 carries.
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