Mansfield Summit stuns cross-town rival Mansfield Lake Ridge in rout
The Mansfield Summit football team took it on the chin a season ago against its cross-town rivals from Mansfield Lake Ridge and Mansfield High.
The Jaguars were bound and determined to not let that happen again...and they didn’t.
Summit scored on six consecutive first-half series, each after miscues by the Eagles, to jump out to a big lead then coast to a 55-7 victory over Lake Ridge in the season opener for both schools on Friday night at Newsom Stadium.
The Jaguars lost to Lake Ridge 50-27 and followed that with a 57-7 thumping at the hands of Mansfield the following week. But the Summit defense stepped up this time around and kept Lake Ridge’s quick-tempo offense from getting into a rhythm.
“It feels good to play some defense this time around,” said Summit coach Channon Hall. “Lake Ridge is always good and they’re very well coached so any time you can go against a well coached team and have some success then it’s always going to feel pretty good.”
The teams traded punts to start and then the wheels began coming off for Lake Ridge. The Eagles fumbled on their next three possessions, lost the ball on downs on the following two and then Summit safety Jordan Hubbard picked off a Lake Ridge pass.
What was incredible was that Summit was able to score touchdowns after each one of the Eagles’ gaffes to build a 41-0 lead at the half. The Jags only had to start one drive in their own territory and most of the possessions started deep in Lake Ridge’s end.
Hubbard, who doubles at running back in the Summit “heavy” package, scored three times on runs of six, two and one yard.
“They put me in because they know that I’m going to get there every time,” said Hubbard who finished with 14 yards on seven carries. “We really did our thing on defense tonight. We still have some things to work on and correct . We have to get right for Mansfield and do the same thing.”
Isaiah Allen got wide open down the left sideline where quarterback Demarus Bird hit him for a 29-yard score. Joseph Williams scored three times on receptions of eight, 18 and two yards, with first two coming in the first half.
Williams’ eight and two yard TDs came on jump balls in the end zone on perfect passes from two different quarterbacks. Bird tossed the eight-yarder and Jeremiah McLin made a nice throw on the two-yarder.
“Our offensive coaches put us in really good position to make plays,” said Williams, who made several nice moves on his 18-yard scoring pass play that he took in the flat from McLin. “Whenever the chance is there they throw it to me and I just make the play on the ball.”
“Last year we didn’t have very many seniors and we were nervous with people coming up from the JV,” said Summit linebacker Maruio White Jr., who had a tremendous game on defense with three sacks, three tackles for losses, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. “This year we worked hard over the summer and it seemed like the linebackers and the defensive line really meshed together and we all know our spots and roles.”
Summit only allowed 96 yards of total offense in the first half with 35 of it coming on the ground.
Lake Ridge lost three more fumbles in the second half, but the highlight-reel play came from Baylor commit Kyland Reed, No. 16 in the Star-Telegram Top 50 Players to Watch, who picked off an Eagle pass on the first play of the fourth quarter and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown. Reed broke several tackles along the way en route to giving the Jaguars a 55-0 lead.
“I just want to give glory to God, it was a great experience,” said Reed, who also recovered a fumble in the first half. “First game back and I’m glad to be back. We’ve faced a lot of adversity and have worked hard to get here so I’m just grateful.”
Lake Ridge finally got on the board on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Kennen Miller to Reign Broadway with 9:37 left in the game.
Da’Vonte Johnson led Summit with 77 rushing yards on nine carries. Allen hauled in six passes for 88 yards and Williams finished with five receptions for 57 yards.
