FRIENDSWOOD — Getting the first district win of the season is really important, especially when competing in one of the toughest leagues in the state and every game can mean the difference in making the playoffs at the end of the year.

The strength of Friendswood stepped up in a big way as the defense held the Cougars to only 130 total yards. However, 71-yards of that came on one play when Kempner scored their only touchdown in the first quarter on a short pass that turned into a 71-yard scoring jaunt. That would be the only time the Cougars would cross the pay station for the rest of the game.

Friendswood got on the scoreboard first on a 22-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead on the first possession of the game for the Mustangs.

That's when Kempner's Antonio Jacobs grabbed the short pass from QB Javon Goss for the long touchdown giving the Cougars a 7-3 lead.

“That first play they made was unbelievable, but then you just felt like they were never going to score again,” Friendswood head football coach Robert Koopmann said.

The Kempner lead was short lived as Friendswood took advantage of two personal fouls by the Cougars that led to a 7-yard touchdown scamper by Jackson Rhodes with 3:01 left in the first quarter to give the Mustangs a 10-7 lead.

Friendswood would finish the first half with one more field goal as Rudolph nailed a 25-yarder for a 13-7 lead at intermission.

“When we were up 13-7 at the half, I told them that we’re not going to lose this game because we’re not going to let them score, but then it was just about how ugly we were going to make it on offense — and, boy, we tried to make it ugly,” Koopmann said.

While both teams struggled in the third quarter, Friendswood got a two-score cushion with a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive capped off by a 1-yard scoring plunge by Rhodes at the 4:15 mark of the fourth period for a 20-7 advantage.

The Mustangs got two long plays during the drive from Hunter Smyrl who had a 27-yard catch and run while Walker Winters added a 21-yard run.

Friendswood took advantage of another Kempner miscue when linebacker Braylan Shelby recovered a fumble at the Cougar 35. Quarterback Brock Foster hit Smyrl on a fourth down pass completion covering 23-yards and the score with 25 seconds remaining in the game to put the final touches on the 27-7 win.

The Mustangs will face Manvel (1-2, 0-1) at Henry Winston Stadium on Friday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. in a crucial district showdown. Manvel lost to Angleton 24-21 in their district opener on a last second field goal.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re going to get to it,” Koopmann said.