September 29, 2009
PEARLAND — It appeared that when Manvel came out in the second half and scored two touchdowns in the first 1:26 of the third quarter to erase a 14-7 deficit and take a 20-14 lead -- it was clear that the momentum had shifted in favor of the Mavericks. It also looked like Dawson's perfect season might come to an end.
Despite the quick mojo turn around - head coach Eric Wells and his players didn't lose their composure as they responded with a touchdown of their own that gave them a 21-20 lead which held up to the end.
Dawson opened up the game with a 68-yard kickoff return by Marcus Vaughn to the Manvel 30. After moving to the five-yard line - two penalties moved the ball back to the 16 setting up a fourth-down 33-yard field goal attempt by Stuart Watkins that was hooked to the left leaving the Eagles without any points.
On the first play from their own 20, Manvel quarterback Dexter Foreman dropped back and hurled a long bomb that hit Jacoby Mayne in stride for 79 yards to the Eagles' one-yard line. Foreman scored on the next play giving the Mavs a quick 7-0 lead.
But Dawson came back with two scores Vaughn caught a long 39-yard pass from QB Darian Lazard in the back of the end zone to even up the game at 7-7 following Watkins' extra point.
The Eagles added another score late in the second quarter as Randall Weeks hauled in a 37-yard bullet from Lazard with 2:17 left before intermission. Watkins booted the extra point for a 14-7 lead.
Manvel opened up the second half with another long bomb as Saqwan Edwards got behind the Dawson secondary for a 47-yard score to knot up the game at 14-14.
After the Mavs defense forced Dawson into a punting situation, the Manvel special teams went to work.
Lazard’s punt was blocked by Mayne as defensive end Two Willis picked up the scoop and started running toward the end zone.
Right before he was tackled at the 7-yard-line, he tossed a lateral to Chris Colwell, who scored.
A low snap on the extra point prevented the Mavericks from taking a seven-point lead leaving the score at 20-14.
The miss by Jimmy Wells would later prove to be the difference in the game.
The Eagles answered the challenge as they marched down the field 58 yards in eight plays. But the big play of the drive was a 15-yard dead-ball penalty against Manvel, which placed the ball at the 17-yard line.
Lazard took a second-and-three snap and headed into the end zone but fumbled the ball before scoring.
Teammate Vaughn pounced on the ball and after the all-important extra point by Watkins - the Eagles held a 21-20 lead with 7:32 left in the third period.Neither team would score again giving Dawson the 21-20 district opener while improving their season mark to 4-0. Manvel falls to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in district.
Both teams drew the flags by the officials, but in the end, Manvel head coach Kirk Martin saw that the personal fouls stepped off against the Mavs contributed to the loss.
“We had a lot of dead-ball penalties and those are the kind that will kill you,” Martin said. “If you get a hustling penalty or holding penalty, here or there, that can be accepted, but to have dead-ball penalties. …”
Manvel finished with 13 flags for 140 yards in the contest. Penalties killed some good field position and drives for Manvel all night long.
“I can’t blame the referees, I have to blame us,” Martin said.
Dawson finished with 345 total yards while Manvel had 280 total yards.
Foreman was 11-of-20 passing for 239 yards and one score and had 10 carries for 33 yards and another TD. Edwards had five catches for 125 yards and one TD.
Lazard had a tough passing night hitting only 4-of-14 for 84 yards and two TDs while rushing for 79 yards on 21 carries. Xavier Brown had 19 carries for 143 yards - most that coming in the second half. Akeem Blackshire had 12 carries for 61 yards. Vaughn and Weeks both caught two passes for 42 yards each and one TD each.
Dawson will travel to face La Marque on Friday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m. The game can be heard on 790AM the Sports Animal.
Manvel will face Brazosport on Friday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m. at Alvin Memorial Stadium.