WAXAHACHIE, Texas — There is probably a reason its deemed the “District of Doom” or “The Little SEC.” Like the NCAA, teams in the Indians and Jaguars high school conference can overcome a 17-point deficit and win by an 11-point margin at alarming rates.
Mansfield Summit High School’s 42-31 victory via a second half defensive revival Friday night at Stuart B. Lumpkins Stadium may have been an example of why the district is revered by others in the state.
Waxahachie (2-2 overall, 0-1 in 10-5A), had beaten the Jaguars by 24 points, remained a top Texas team, and claimed a fourth consecutive victory on the road during last season’s matchup. Mansfield Summit’s third quarter surge, though, laid to rest the opportunity of a scenario repeat.
Despite closing the first quarter leading 14-7 after Brycen McKinney’s 25-yard touchdown strike to Oswald Moobe and a William Jones’ 90-yard kickoff return, Waxahachie rallied behind the right arm of senior quarterback Bryse Salik and a 22-yard field goal from Raymond Kennedy.
Mansfield Summit’s Brysen McKinney finished 9 for 19 with 172 yards, three touchdowns and an interception (Sherry Milliken/Texas HS Football).
Salik (28-37, 435 yds, 3 TD), found Jarvis McCray in the back of the end zone with a 36-yard pass, capped another Indian scoring drive with a 24-yard strike to Jarreth Sterns and connected with senior receiver Tevin Wofford on a one-play, 78-yard bomb — all in the second quarter. Wofford’s touchdown, set up by an Indian interception, gave Waxahachie a 31-14 lead but would be its last of the game.
In the second half, a staunch Jaguar defense that had stalled a seven-play Indian drive with key run stops and a sack of Salik on the opening possession sparked to life in the third quarter.
Mansfield Summit stuffed Sterns in the backfield to stop the Indians’ first drive of the new half, then scored nine plays later with a Richard Chark 4-yard rush. The Jaguars sacked Salik again for a loss of 11 to end Waxahachie’s second drive and again on the third to force Kennedy’s third consecutive punt.
On the Indians’ fourth drive, down 35-31, Mansfield Summit forced a Sterns’ fumble and sealed the game with a 7-play, 46-yard drive on Bryce Nyumah’s 7-yard rumble toward pay dirt.
With the loss, Waxahachie fell in its second district opener in three years. It defeated the Jaguars 41-17 last season at Vernon Newsom Stadium. The Indians have missed the playoffs the last two seasons under Head Coach Jon Kitna.
Senior Tevin Wofford breaks away for a 78-yard touchdown in the second quarter of Friday night’s game at Stuart B. Lumpkins Stadium. His score was Indians’ last of the matchup (Sherry Milliken/Texas HS Football).
While Waxahachie will look to even its district record when it travels to Red Oak to Face the Hawks at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Billy Goodloe Stadium, Mansfield Summit will seek to take a step further to securing one of the four postseason berths.
The (3-1 overall, 1-0 in 10-5A) Jaguars will face Mansfield Lake Ridge at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Vernon Newsom. The Eagles are also 1-0 in the district after defeating Lancaster High School 24-20 in week four.
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Marcus Matthews-Marion is the managing editor of Texas HS Football. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or across social media platforms @MarcusSMarion.
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