Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:00
Big First Half Leads To Season Opening Win For Wills Point, 38-20 Over Mabank
MABANK—Wills Point’s Tigers dominated the first half and held off a Mabank comeback attempt in the second half to notch a 38-20 victory in the season opener for both teams Friday night.
Mabank’s special teams play – particularly kickoff returns – gave the Panthers good field position, but the Tigers’ senior-laden offense and defense didn’t allow their lead to slip away.
The Tigers drew first blood with 6:11 left in the first quarter, when senior quarterback Trent Jurica capped a 63-yard drive in seven plays with a one-yard touchdown sneak.
Evann Padillo added the first of five PAT kicks to give the Tigers a lead they would not lose.
Mabank junior quarterback Austin Craig got the Panthers right back into the contest when he hit Chans Hall for an 87-yard touchdown pass.
The big play overcame back-to-back personal foul penalties, the first on the kickoff return.
Panther Payton Owen’s PAT kick attempt was low (bad snap) and missed, leaving the Tigers ahead 7-6 with 4:30 left in the first quarter.
Wills Point got an excellent kickoff return (42 yards) from Dalton King to start their next drive, but stalled when an apparent 24-yard touchdown pass was called back, and settled for a 37-yard Padillo field goal and a 10-6 lead with 1:56 left in the opening period.
The Tigers forced a three-and-out by the Panthers, and set up with excellent field position at their 46.
Jurica capped a 10-play drive by hitting junior wideout Stevie Burch from 27 yards out. Padillo’s PAT gave the Tigers a 17-6 lead with 9:39 left in the first half.
The Tigers’ defense again gave their offense excellent field position when they forced a Panther punt, which was partially blocked and ended up going just one yard, to the Mabank 29.
Tiger senior running back J.K. Wilson took three carries to cover the yardage, plunging over from a yard out with 6:47 left in the first half.
Padillo’s PAT gave the Tigers a 24-6 lead.
Mabank again went three-and-out, and the Tigers began moving again from their 43.
This time, it took two plays – the first a 15-yard run by Wilson that was wiped out by a holding penalty.
On the second play, Jurica hit Burch in stride for a 58-yard catch-and-run TD.
Padilla’s PAT made it 31-6 with 4:54 left in the first half, and the Panther fans were getting restless.
It was time for a big play from special teams, and junior Jesse Plunkett took the ensuing kickoff back 58 yards to the Tiger 42.
The Panthers put together a five-play scoring march, keyed by a 20-yard run by Craig to the Tiger 1.
Senior Cameron Cantrell punched in on the next play, but a pass for two points failed, leaving the Tigers up 31-12 at halftime.
Plunkett had another good return to open the second half, but the Panthers eventually stalled and punted to the Tiger 35.
Plunkett pulled off another big play, intercepting Jurica’s first pass of the second half and returning the theft 22 yards to the Tiger 24.
On fourth-and-13, Craig found Tyler Thornsberry on the Mabank sideline for 14 yards to keep the drive going, and then found Ryan Walker for the touchdown from 10 yards out.
Craig dashed up the middle for a two-point conversion to pull the Panthers within two touchdowns at 31-20 with 4:53 left in the third quarter.
The Tigers then marched 53 yards in nine plays to ice the contest, with Jurica scrambing up the middle and cutting outside to dash in from 18 yards out.
Padillo’s PAT ended the scoring with one minute left in the third quarter.
Mabank put together a scoring threat in the fourth quarter, moving to the Tiger 12 before a fourth-down sack by Wilson ended the threat with 8:14 to play.
The Tigers coughed up two fumbles in the final frame, but the Panthers were unable to capitalize on either one.
Mabank’s special teams play – particularly kickoff returns – gave the Panthers good field position, but the Tigers’ senior-laden offense and defense didn’t allow their lead to slip away.
The Tigers drew first blood with 6:11 left in the first quarter, when senior quarterback Trent Jurica capped a 63-yard drive in seven plays with a one-yard touchdown sneak.
Evann Padillo added the first of five PAT kicks to give the Tigers a lead they would not lose.
Mabank junior quarterback Austin Craig got the Panthers right back into the contest when he hit Chans Hall for an 87-yard touchdown pass.
The big play overcame back-to-back personal foul penalties, the first on the kickoff return.
Panther Payton Owen’s PAT kick attempt was low (bad snap) and missed, leaving the Tigers ahead 7-6 with 4:30 left in the first quarter.
Wills Point got an excellent kickoff return (42 yards) from Dalton King to start their next drive, but stalled when an apparent 24-yard touchdown pass was called back, and settled for a 37-yard Padillo field goal and a 10-6 lead with 1:56 left in the opening period.
The Tigers forced a three-and-out by the Panthers, and set up with excellent field position at their 46.
Jurica capped a 10-play drive by hitting junior wideout Stevie Burch from 27 yards out. Padillo’s PAT gave the Tigers a 17-6 lead with 9:39 left in the first half.
The Tigers’ defense again gave their offense excellent field position when they forced a Panther punt, which was partially blocked and ended up going just one yard, to the Mabank 29.
Tiger senior running back J.K. Wilson took three carries to cover the yardage, plunging over from a yard out with 6:47 left in the first half.
Padillo’s PAT gave the Tigers a 24-6 lead.
Mabank again went three-and-out, and the Tigers began moving again from their 43.
This time, it took two plays – the first a 15-yard run by Wilson that was wiped out by a holding penalty.
On the second play, Jurica hit Burch in stride for a 58-yard catch-and-run TD.
Padilla’s PAT made it 31-6 with 4:54 left in the first half, and the Panther fans were getting restless.
It was time for a big play from special teams, and junior Jesse Plunkett took the ensuing kickoff back 58 yards to the Tiger 42.
The Panthers put together a five-play scoring march, keyed by a 20-yard run by Craig to the Tiger 1.
Senior Cameron Cantrell punched in on the next play, but a pass for two points failed, leaving the Tigers up 31-12 at halftime.
Plunkett had another good return to open the second half, but the Panthers eventually stalled and punted to the Tiger 35.
Plunkett pulled off another big play, intercepting Jurica’s first pass of the second half and returning the theft 22 yards to the Tiger 24.
On fourth-and-13, Craig found Tyler Thornsberry on the Mabank sideline for 14 yards to keep the drive going, and then found Ryan Walker for the touchdown from 10 yards out.
Craig dashed up the middle for a two-point conversion to pull the Panthers within two touchdowns at 31-20 with 4:53 left in the third quarter.
The Tigers then marched 53 yards in nine plays to ice the contest, with Jurica scrambing up the middle and cutting outside to dash in from 18 yards out.
Padillo’s PAT ended the scoring with one minute left in the third quarter.
Mabank put together a scoring threat in the fourth quarter, moving to the Tiger 12 before a fourth-down sack by Wilson ended the threat with 8:14 to play.
The Tigers coughed up two fumbles in the final frame, but the Panthers were unable to capitalize on either one.