Mansfield wraps up nondistrict play with win over Waco Midway

By Bob Kowalski

Mansfield Record

Mansfield stayed undefeated, closing out its nondistrict schedule with a 29-15 victory over Waco Midway on Thursday at Vernon Newsom Stadium. The Tigers enter district play unbeaten for the third consecutive season.

The Tigers (4-0) led the Panthers (3-1) by seven points and faced third-and-6 at their own 39-yard line when quarterback Braxton Van Cleave passed to wide receiver Jacobe Hayes, who caught the ball at the home sideline and raced downfield for the score with 2:10 left in the game, giving Mansfield a 29-15 lead to seal the win.

The touchdown was the second of the game for Hayes, who returned the second-half kickoff 88 yards to help Mansfield regain the lead, 14-12, in a matchup that saw 6 lead changes.

Midway took an early lead, driving for a 33-yard field goal and 3-0 advantage on its first possession.

Mansfield took the lead 4 ½ minutes later when Teddy Clark capped an eight-play, 73-yard drive with a 24-yard TD run to the outside, behind a lead block from center Christian Hodges, for a 7-3 lead.

The Panthers put together a methodical 12-play drive that resulted in Abraham Bustamante’s second field goal of the night, from 26 yards, to pull within 7-6 just as the second quarter began.

An interception by Tyron Roberts on Mansfield’s failed fake field-goal attempt led to Midway’s next score. The Panthers drove to a missed field-goal attempt,but consecutive offsides penalties against the Tigers put the ball at 4-yard line, before a false-start penalty moved Midway back to the 9. Running back Lathan Whisenton carried in for a TD from there, giving the Panthers the lead again, 12-7, with just under 3 minutes left in the half.

After Hayes’ kick return put Mansfield back in front in the second half, another Bustamante field goal gave Midway a 15-14 lead with 8 minutes left in the third.

Seven minutes later, Mansfield reclaimed the lead for good when Clark scored from three yards out for a 22-15 lead. That was only his second carry of the drive, which was paced by Van Cleave’s passing, including a 22-yard strike to Hayes on second-and-19 from their own 31-yard line.

The Tigers open District 3-6A play on Friday, Sept. 27 when they travel to Pioneer Stadium to face Fort Worth Boswell.

In Friday’s games, Lake Ridge is at home against North Forney at 7 p.m. at R.L. Anderson Stadium; Legacy faces Rockwall Heath at 7 p.m. at Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium; Summit meets Burleson at 7 p.m. at Newsom; and Timberview faces Colleyville Heritage at 7 p.m. at Mustang-Panther Stadium.

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