DENTON, Texas — Quarterback Spencer Sanders threw for 267 yards and five touchdowns in Denton Ryan’s dominant 49-28 win over Lubbock Monterey on Saturday at C.H. Collins Field.
Denton Ryan (13-0) scored the first 28 points of the game and led by as many as 42 in the second half. Three of four touchdowns for Lubbock Monterey (8-5) came in the fourth quarter.
“I thought we played well in all phases of the game,” Denton Ryan coach Dave Henigan said. “We started fast, and that was big. It put pressure on them early.”
Sanders, an Oklahoma State commit, connected with Texas Tech commit Gabriel Douglas for three scores on three consecutive possessions in the first half. Douglas finished with 124 total receiving yards and gave the Monterey defense fits all game.
Sara Carpenter/TexasHSFootball
“I don’t think you can stop them. You’ve just got to hope to slow them down,” Lubbock Monterey Head Coach Wayne Hutchinson said. “We didn’t do either.”
Once Denton Ryan was able to build a sturdy lead early, the Raiders leaned on its running attack to wind down the clock. Running back Emani Bailey finished with 100 yards and a touchdown, while Ke’ori Hicks added 47 yards and a score late in the second half.
Monterey quarterback Brylon Lawson-Young produced most of his team’s offense. He threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns while adding 125 yards and another score on the ground. His night didn’t start well, throwing two interceptions in the first half.
Combined with a missed field goal to open the game and a failed fourth down conversion on Monterey’s third possession, the deficit grew too large to overcome.
“Our defense flied around,” Henigan said. “I thought they did a great job of getting to the ball and making them earn their points. Our key to the game was not giving up the big play.”
For Monterey, it’s the second year in a row the team has been eliminated in the regional semifinals. Still, Hutchison is satisfied with the way his team battled until the end.
Sara Carpenter/TexasHSFootball
“They fought and crawled back,” Hutchinson said. “We’re not going to quit.”
The only loss Denton Ryan has suffered in the past two seasons came in a 31-24 thriller against Highland Park in the 2016 5A Division I State Finals. According to Henigan, motivation hasn’t been an issue for his team during his tenure.
“It’s an expectation that Denton Ryan has,” Henigan said. “We expect to win every game.”
Next up for Denton Ryan is a matchup against Lubbock Coronado (13-0) at Abilene Christian in the regional finals. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. next Saturday.
Brought to you by:
